The Express.
London, England, 1859-01-11 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 11,
.1859.

MUSIC.

POPULAR CONCIRTS, ST. JAMES'S HALL.
- •

The concert of lest evening wan of the same
character as that of lut week—hardly so good—and re-
sembled it also in the disappointment caused by the absence
of Mr. Sims Reeves, whose name Lad been announced as the
principal iteration. This time, however, every pains had
lean taken to prepare the audience for this disappointment.
Mr. iteves's continued indisposition had been intimated to the ,
' public In this and other morning twerepspers, and handbills
were posted et all the entrances, end plentifully dtatribeted
throughout the hell, expleining the cause of Mr. Reeves's
•!sense, promising an additional performance by MISS
Arabelle Gadded, and adding, that persons having pox-
ohued tickets could hays them exchanged for next Monday
evening, or have their money returned. Nevertheless, when
Mr. 011ivier came forward to repeat the explanation
he was received with • good deal of hieing, on
which he went on to say that Mr. Reeves had
• further ground,for indulgence in the dangerous and alarm-
ing illness of Mrs. Reeves, and that It was not to be sup-
posed that he would, if he could help it, throw away the In-
come derived from his engagements. "It consists with my
knowledge," Mr. °llene added, " that Mr. Reeves's
inability to sing, owing to he present illness, has been at-
tended with • lose to him of five hundred pounds:' This
talented the malcontents, as well it might, and the concert
went on smoothly, Mr. Williye Cooper singing the pieces set
down for Mr. Reeves, which he did very well.
The emcee coils for little remark. There was too much
of the" Swedish singers," as they are called, who sang four
times. They sing smoothly enough, but their pieces are of
• common-place kind, and have little or nothing of the pecu-
liar character of Santlanavian music. We believe that most
of them are German part-eongs with Swedish wade. Miss
Arabella Goddard played three fantasias, one by Liszt,
and two by Thalberg ; things which are going out of vogue,
as the taste for better music is becoming general. We are
very sere that they are not the things which We accom-
plished artist would select if she were left to the freedom of
her own choice; and we also acquit Mr. Benedict of the in-
stances of bad taste which the programmes of these concede
I betray; for his connexion with them, we believe, is limited
to the duty of conducting. Among the most agreeable things
of the evening were, a beautiful air of Benedict's, " I mur-
mur not," aung by Miss Lascelles ; and Haydn's =woe;
"My mother bids me bind my hair," sung by Mee Pools.
Madame Leticia, the lady whose deter we mentioned Ise
. week, now appeared to greater advantage, es she sang with
more self-posseeeion. Sbe sang the air, "Ab fore • Id,"
- from the fraviata, with a thin and somewhat tremulous
I voice, but in • pure and expressive style. The hall was fall,
and everything was most liberally applauded.

DRAMA.

• NAVAL AND MILHARY.

-
A DNUIALIT, JAL 8. -- APPOIVIVENTS. —.Corn-
wader R. 0. 'abash (1666), tels
oleiTetiag-Commander
of the Cot" Guard , Lake, p
Ameletast-CLark W. B. Bevirldga, to the Royal !alert,
121, mew mum nership, at Devoepott.

PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 10.
The Bloomer, freight ship, Captain Smith, which
came into this harbour on Saturday week, having been in
collision with en American vessel in the channel, has re-
paired her damages, and yesterday 'Asmara re-embarked
her drafts from the Victorious hulk. She was towed out of
harbour to Spithead in the evening, and sailed to-day for her
destination, Kurrschee and Bombay.
The Shannon, 61, screw, Captain F. Marten, will be paid
off on Thursday next. Meier'. Greve and Co., of Pall-
Mall, have intimated to Captain Marten their intention to
present to each of the mamas, marines, and boys (not
officers) of that ship, who formed part of the naval brigade
and were present with Sir William Peel in India, a copy of
the full-length portrait of the gallant captain, which hoe
been painted for Greenwich Hospital ; and for that purpose
Messrs. Grave, have requested to be informed, before the
Shannon be paid off, of their names and addressee.

It is rumoured in naval circles that the govern-
ment have it In contemplation to maks a coneiderable sup
asentation in the Channel squadron by the addition of 12
sap of the line. The greatest activity prevails at all the
in hawing furward the completion of Wes
Garda
attle ships which have been on the stocks several
ymrs, most of which ere nearly completed, in order that
they may be commissioned and made ready for sea. During
the present year several first-clatie anew steamers will be
launched at Portsmouth, Chatham, Devonport, and Pem-
broke, when other line-of-battle ships are to be immediately
laid down on the mom slips.
LECTURES AT SIIORNCLIPFE.—It is arranged that
the following lectures shall be given daring the winter to the
men quartered in the camp at Shorncliffis i—January 13,
" Reminicynces of Brazil," by the Rev. R. G. Parker.
chaplain to the fowls; Jan. 20, " The Geology of our Coast,"
by Mr. Meckinsom, of Myths; Jan. 27," Zigzag., or Travels
in Switzerland,' by the Rev. T. R. Maynard, of Dover;
Feb. 3. " Eminent Mechanics.," by Captain Noble, KR.;
Feb. 10, " The Druids," by the Rev. J. Young, perebyteriaa
chaplain ; Feb. 17, Chins and the Chinese,' by, 'Mr.
C. W. Clift,euperintendiag schoolmaster; Feb. 24, 'The'
Wonders of Human Folly," by Mr. Ruacleman. school-
master 100th Regiment; March 3, " On Astronomy, by
the Rev. J. D'Arcy Preston, assistant chaplain March 10,
"Travels is Spain,' by Major Revert, BB.;; Mach 17,
" Amicable Ceremonies of Venous Nations," by Mr. E. G.
Hildyard, ray schoolmaster.
THE BOMBAY TROOP Sntr.—This vessel is still
at Plymouth. A court of inquiry, under the presidency of
Colonel Pester R.A., has been held at Devolleort, to
inquire into certain charges preferred by Mr. Flaniank.l
brother of the captain of the Bombay, against Captain
Steel, of the nth-Lancers. The court sat about four days,
and was held with elated door. and therefore we are usable to
furnish the exact nature of thit charges or the proceedings.
The malt of the inquiry, we hear, is to exoneirate Captain
Steel from all the cheeses, and its effect has been to call forth
from the men under hie charge • most gratifying testimo-
nial, a copy of which has been forwarded to nsaccompanied by
a letter from a corporal of the Bth Hussars with a request to
give it publicity in our columns. The document, however,
extends to too great • length to permit of our doing ro, but
we hove much pleasure in stating that it is signed by 35 non.
et.mmiesioned officers and men of the 7th Dragoon Guards, the
Btb Hussars, 17th Lancers, the 4th, 610, 70th, 71st, 72nd,
and Nth Regiments respectively on behalf of the several de-
tachments. The memorialists expeess their sorrow and sur-
prise that any ouch charges should have been made against
Captain Steel as those referred to, and tear testimony to the
most efficient manner in which he performed the oneeuua
duties devolving upon him during the whole voyage of the
Bombay. They also criticise the arrangements of the ship,
which they my were far from what they should have been.
and they state that had it not been for the ezerticesof Captain
Steel, the ship and all on board most inevitably hare gone
down soon after the commencement of the gale. In con-
clusion, the safety of the lives of the whole of the 300 men
on board the vessel II attributed to the conduct of Captein
Steel, sad the seemodalista exprem their hope that he will
Men with an adequate reward.
TILE " GALLANT 69rm."—A letter from New York
aye .—" I notice some allusion is the Dublin and London
presto to • proposed visit of tee 69-. h New York Regiment to
Ireland, and of its imposeibility on account of the fears of
the British goweranistit. Whether the proper authorities
would have permitted the Emerald corps to land or not had
they deeidered to do on, I of course cannot say ; but I con
locum the lively Wanders that of all individuals and arsocia-
trim in these United States, no one knew better than did the
69th Regiment that no visit would be made. The said
regiment, cambering some 2011 man, is the laughing-stock of
1....Y0rk. Ite members consist of the lowest Met rapscallions,
who live on bad rum and election rows, with scarcely hem
end there a semi-respectable mechanic or labourer in the
rank,. Other New York reel:mute contain men of some
standing la society, but the few decent Irishmen of the city
eschew all coessaudt with the gallant 69111: So far from
being in • pneition to afford a trip to the 'mild courithry;
I doubt whether 500 dollars could be raised by the entire
regiment without difficulty. The idea of visiting Ireland,
thee. was merely broached in order to acquire some notoriety
for the disreputable corps and, very probably, with en eye
to the petty gnevenee to be manufactured oat of a refusal
(which was expected) to • request (which was a sham)."

LIEUT.-COLONEL DICKSON AND TEE KIEL OP
warm

The following additional correspondence has been
banded to us for publication :
Wer-odor, Noe. 17, 1858.
My Lord,—ln acknowledging the receipt of your lord-
ship • letter of the 16th lost., recommending Major Walker
to be lieut.-colonel of the 2nd Tower Hamlets Milk* vice
Dickson displeosd, I have the honour to acquaint you that 1
deem it expedient to give the letter diker one more oppor-
tunity of withdrawing his refusal to resign his commimion.
In communicating the to him, your lordship will inform
him that my instruction that be be displaced in consequence
of his refuse! to resign was based on the grounds that while
in command of the regiment he did not administer the interior
affairs of the corps, more particularly those connected with
the officers mew, with that good judgment and unremitting
attention and superintendence which the regulations of the
service enjoin, and which it ism) duly to enforce.
It is on these grounds alone that I came to this decision,
and should Colonel Dickson still decline to *veil himself of
this opportunity of resigning, now for the last time pre-
sented to 1.1113, 1 shall feel it my duty to adhere to the de-
cieton that he be displaced.—l have the honour to be, my
Led, ) our lordship's obedient servant,
(iNved) J. Pest..
To Field Morshal the Viscount Cumbwniera,
G.C.8., &a

10, Stanhope-terrsce, Hyde-park-gardens.
25th November, 1858.
Sir,-1 have the honour to acknowledge the reoeiptof your
letter of the 20th tart., together with a copy of a letter
addressed by the Secretary for War to Viunt Cmnber-
mere, and in reply 1 beg you will inform hecioie lordship that
in vindication of my own honour and standing =the rervice
I adhere to my determination not to resign my conituirsion,
an 1 feel confident that when fairly brought, as I intend to
be, face to faced with my accusers,) I rhall be able to prove
that the charges of Colonel the Earl of Wilton are as Man-
ton. as they are fable, and as an Officer and a gentlemen I
have never dirgraoed a profession to which it has born my
pride for so many years to belong.
Thia determination, I am happy to say, is approved of by
every military man and a large circle of friends who have
done me the honour to look into all the circumstances end
correepondence connected with the case, independent of
which, having taken legal advice on the subject, I hereby
solemnly protest against the Secretary for Ware sentence,
as being contrary to law—vide Militia Act, 65 Geo. 111.,
c. 168 sets. 1,2, which require due notice of soy offence
involving punishment being revved upon the accused
within six ocuitlia after the disembodiment of the regiment ;
sad as my offence, if proved, after all, is admitted to to only
an error of judgment with regard to the mw by General
feel, and that took place in 1855-6, during the embodiment
of the regiment, and as no notice whatever has subsequently
been delivered to me, the illegality of the recent sod partial
proceedings, and my threatened displacement founded upon
there, Ls se undeniable as it is onpreeedented.—l am,sir, your
very obedient Fervent,(Signed) LOTHIAN 8. DICKSON,
Lieutenant-Colonel 2nd Tower Hami.ts Militia,
Deputy-Lieutenant and J. P. for Middlerea.
Boras Williams Wynn, Ertl , Clerk to Tower
nacelle= Lieutenancy.

PLoucrt MONDAY.-- Yesterday being Plough
Monday, the Lord May proceeded to Oulldhall, when the
returns of the elections of common councilmen et the various
wardmoma on St. Thoniss'aeday lest were formally handed
in. No preeentrassio e'er. med..
[ Adsertierment.]—llDLLOWAT'S OINTMENT AND
FILM—C.O,IM COLDS, M.A.'S, 011 noes T•enath Staariecenta•.
—TM anent tneamenry of the wattle, red theatre• ham sown, her
Treat, re a fruitful armee 14 threat art ober oualigal.t. ; and .11
gam Grath* brount to mean with the Maraphere muter la wane
Dom
Mutated. ere ono %shouting tram vilest arid wows' arc
Dom ehl,ll me alarm. Alttrowintt rata fewthrall athlreenn. Senn
the int erten...anti onfilnanntbh of the lento any. antl dna dent
erre. when the halls bemaa between the dram sod the &Irritation
by entail the hater la always weakenwl. If not nilasd. To
future Muth!. I the Mr a 111 In the oath rem rant to noraz
Ointment and nala which cure atmeotly rat tannin pertothentilt