The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-13 00:00:00

THE PEACE RUMOURS.

The following is from the Times (Second Edition)
Paris correspondent's letter :

" The public has been naturally surprised,
seeing that the rumours of peace have now been in
circulation for many days, to find that no additional
information has confirmed or contradicted them.
If I may credit what is said here, it would appear
that, not until very lately has a perfect accord
prevailed between England and France on the ad-
missibility of these conditions. Some time, I believe,
has been spent in removingc, the differences which
have arisen between the two Governments on
that important point. For the reasons which I
have mentioned more than once, the English
Government was not so desirous cf making peace.
It was thought, no doubt, that we have some-
thing to do for the glory of our arms, and there
was a moral certainty that in any future cam-
paign, either in the north or south, we should am-
ply wake up for any past shortcomings. The pre-
cise conditions on which France and England
would accept peace are as yet kept a profound
secret, and will probably be so for some time ; but
I am assured that if they were known to the Eng-
lish people, if they could consistently with the goo
of the cause be made public, they would be ac-
cepted by a vast majority in England. They have
been already described as not only such as we might
now accept, but such as we could not reject even
after another successful campaign. If this be the
case there ought to be no reason for refusing ; and
the difference of opinion that existed between the
two Governments can under such circumstances
only be explained by the consciousness ou our part
that the prestige of our arms can yet be fully and
completely redeemed. Whether this be a just
ground for refusal I do not pretend to determine.
Nevertheless, whatever may have been the differ-
ence of opinion, I am informed, on good authority,
that it no longer exists, and that England and
France are at this moment agreed on these import-
ant points.

LINES ON TIIE DEATH OP THE RET.
ROBERT MONTGOMERY.

Spirit ! that while on earth, on wings of thought,
Far-sweeping and strong-spread, didst soar to heaven,
Thou now hast won, unbodied, that high sphere,
To mingle with the choiring cherubim.
Spirit ! the lip of human eloquence
May here be cold, and mute for evermore :
Yet in those regions, travelled but by soul,
From the immortal essence still may flow,
To kindred essence, the rich language-stream
Of beauty, feeling, and exalted love.
Spirit ! whose bold and forceful genius drew
Notes, some perchance too wild, o'crwrought, and harsh,
But some of pure, entrancing melody,
From poesy's sweet shell; Vi hose ardent nature
Loved song from boyhood, loved it next thy fond,
Now weeping, partner, loved it next thy God.
Not vainly, 'spite detraction's blighting breath,
Thy lays have sounded here, and still shall sound—
Music from out thy cold, unconscious tomb—
Up the dim, listening paths cf coming years ;
And hearts, as yet unborn, shall glow and soar,
Pondering with thee an omnipresent God.
Oh ! friends' and strangers' tears shall flow for thee,
Thus bowing in thy prime to victor Death,
Thy dreams of good, thy hopes of higher fame,
lkleltel, mind-rainbows, from the sky of life.
The listeners of thy eloquence will look
Upon thine empty pulpit—look and sigh.
Who now will pour th' impassioned, bold harangue,
And lap their souls in parmlise of thought?
The pour will miss thee in the squalid haunt,
And many Si lune, sick wretch, that wont to hear
Thy soothing voice, and brighten at thy smile,
Will ask, w here art thou ? and, with lean pale hand,
Dash off the bitter tear.

Rude Winter comes,
And blows his trump of storms, and makes, like woe
In some sad mourner's breast, a desolation ;
And thou ayt in the winter of the grave.
But, bending there, we feel no winter glooms
'Round the low couch of him, the blessed dead;
For there shall Memory strew undying flowers,
And Virtue weep upon the cheek of Hope.
There, too, Religion stand, and upward point,
With radiant finger, to the doors of Heaven,
Through which, by r.ngels welcomed, happy shade !
Then now hest pass.'d to beatific rest.
St. John's-wood. NICHOLAS MICHELL•

WATERSPOUT AT TUNIS.
The folleming is an extract of a letter received by the
Gwernor of Malta from the British Consul. at Tunis,
dated Nov. 28, and giving some details of the effects of
a whirlwind and waterspout, which burst over the port
of that place a few days previously :—" I have the
honour to acquaint your Excellency of the loss of two
Maltese vessels, viz., the schooner Angiolina, and the
brig Caval Marino, the former having arrived here on
the 12th, and the latter on the 13th inst., with general
cargoes, consisting mostly of English manufactures, of
which the Angiolina had only discharged a portion. This
unfortunate event took place in the Bay of the Goletta
on Sunday last, the 18th init., at about 8 o'clock in the
morning. Conflicting winds had prevailed since day-
break, with lightning and a hail-storm, when suddenly
a violent whirlwind accompanied by a water-spout arose,
and in the space of a few minutes upset the two above-
pentioned vessels, and two French and one Sardinian,
Asmasted another French vessel, unroofed several
houses at the Goletta, and caused considerable damage
at the arsenal. As soon as the squall had subsided, the
French packet-steamer Mitidgia, and other merchant
vessels that had been spared by the whirlwind, lowered
their boats, and hastened to rescue the crews of the
sinking vessels. The crew of the Angiolina were all
saved by that of the Tuscan brig Commercio, Captain
G. Pagano, and the crew and various passengers of the
Caval Marino were partly by the French steamer, and
partly by the Maltese brig Corriere. Three men, how-
ever, I am sorry to say went down with the Caval Ma-
rino, viz., the Mate Vincenzo Taboos, and two passen-
gers, whose names I have not as yet ascertained, but I
am informed were poor goatherds. Up to this day the
vessels and their cargoes remain under water, for want
of adequate means to draw them out, although I lost
no time in making application to. the local authorities
for assistance, and was supported therein by the French
and Sardinian Consuls, who are also interested in the
affair."

DRU.RY-LANE THEATRE.

THE EAL MASQUE.

The enterprising lessee of Old Drury last night sur
passed his former caterings in the way of public enter-
tainments of this peculiar genre, and the patronage was
prOportionately large. The decorations of the interior
were gay and cheerful in the extreme, and the lighting
managed with great tact and taste. The scene, as viewed
from the audience part of the house, with its gay dresses,
its rapidly-moving groups, threaded by numerous pow-
dered masters of the ceremonies, in quaint court suits ;
the innumerable coloured lamp, flowers, and plants ;
and, above all, the lively strains of the band, mingled
with the peculiar hum of BQ many merry voices in con-
versation
sa
general hilarity and enjoyment.
The costumes were not so numerous or varied as we
have seen on other similar occasions, which seems to
prove that a ball, rather than a masquerade, is more in
accordance with English taste.
nth
r andop e, laughter,
as
orie
of 'was highly gratifying to all but
a misanthrope,
A the general arrange-
ments were liberal we hope the lessee and projector of
the entertainment received a liberal return.

COURT CIRCULAR.
BORNE, DEC. 12.
The queen and Prince walked in the grounds at Os-
borne -yesterdan
There was no addition to the Royal dinner party.

A deputation from the City of London, consisting of
Mr. Alderman Finnis, Mr. Alderman Cubitt, M.P., Mr.
Alderman Eagleton, Mr. William Jones (chairman), Mr.
T. H. Hall, Mr. John Wood, Mr. H. L. Taylor, Mr.
Parker, Mr, Abraham, Mr. Cox, Mr. Fry, Mr. Gres-
ham, Mr. Ross, and the City Retnembraneer, had an
interview with Sir George Grey 3 esterday, at the Home-
office.

A deputation, consisting of Mr. John Cowan (vice-
chairman), the Rev. Henty Brown, M.A., rector of
Woolwich, the Rev. James Carlile, D.D., guardians of
the Greenwich Union, and Mr. Saw,'the clerk, had an
interview with the Right Hon. E. P. Bouverie, the Pre-
sident of tbe Poor-law Board, at the offfte of the Board,
in Whitehall, yesterday, on the subject of medical relief
in the Woolwich district of the union.

His Excellency the Ambassador of France had an iva.
torview with Viscount Palmerston, yesterday.
OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS.—We understand that Mr,
Remaly has resigned his office of one of the civil service
commissioners, and is likely to be succeeded by Mr.
Wickham, lately chairman of the Stamps and Taxes De-
partment. The Duke of Argyll, Postmaster-General,
has appointed Mr. Charles Francis Scott to be his grace's
private secretary.
PROROGATION OP CONVOCATION.—Yesterday morning
the Archbishop of Canterbury, accompanied by Dr.
Travers Twigs, the vicar-general cf the province, and
Mr. Francis Hart Dyxe, her Majesty's proctor, attended
at the Jerusalem Chamber, Westminster Abbey, for the
purpose of further proroguing Convocation, which stood
adjourned till yesterday from the 24th of October last.
Mr. Dyke, at the archbishop's request, read the schedule
of prorogation, from which it appeared that the clergy
of the province of Canterbury will he cited to appear for
the despatch of business, in the Jerusalem Chamber, on
Friday, February 1, 1856.
NEW ACT ON PLEADINGS.—By an act which has lately
come into operation, the Act of the 13th and 14th Vic.,
enabling the judges of the superior courts to make
alterations in the forms of pleadings, has been extended
for five years.
CIVIL SERVICE OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY.—An
examination of candidates for appointments to the civil
service of the East India Company is to take place in
July, 1856. The conditions and regulations to be ob-
served by candidates will be found in our advertising
columns.
The Salut Puble.c of Lyons states that the Mint in that
city, which has hitherto only coined copper money, is
soon to be employed on gold and silver.
CRYSTAL PALACE—SHILLING DAY, Dec. 12.—Ad-
mieeiens on ray men:, 667 ; I,y
Is 7 ; total, 854. Coireeponding day last year, 1,019.
According to the Echo de l' Est, it is in contemplation
next spring to form a camp on the banks of the Moselle. •