The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-24 00:00:00

THE ROYAL PANOPTICON.

The advent of Christmas has induced the committee o
the Panopticon, Leicester-square, to provide a special
programme of entertainments adapted to the character
of this mirthful season. On Saturday evening there
was a rehearsal of the entertainments provided for the
Christmas season. The bill of fare was ample and
varied. It commenced with an exhibition of Heinckee
diving apparatus and the subaqueous electric light in a
crystal cistern, accompanied with oral explanations—an
apparatus by means of which the diver is enabled to re-
mai❑ for hours under water, and the weight of which
contrasts marvellously with that of the old-fashioned
bell, being only 121135. Next cams a musical melange,
including performances on the organ—an instrument of
extraordinary power and varied capacity—from Tancrsdi
and the far-famed Prophete, songs by Miss Bessie Dalton,
glees by the Orpheus Glee Union, comprising eight voices,
flute solos, &c. This was followed by a series of dioramie
and photographic illustrations, designed to form
the pictorial portion of an entertainment, entitled "John
Chinaman at Home," to be presented by Mr. Leicester
Buckingham at the commencement of the new year, and
something else being substituted for it in the interim.
Among the best scenes exhibited are representations of
the Emperor reviewing hei guards, opium smokers, ladies
playing cards, and a display of juggling. We have a
series of dioramic views representing the stories of
Whittington and Puss in Boots, the narrative portion
being given by Mr. L. Buckingham, with organ aecom•
paniments by Mr. E. T. Chipp. The first story is con-
veyed in twelve gigantic and, of their kind, admirable
views, in which Whittington's life is traced from the
door of a village ale-house to the banquet at which he
entertained King Henry T. His ambitious dream in
the garret, and its sudden dissipation by the intruding
rats ; his maltreatment by bis master's cook, and the
King of Barbary's dinner, with rat accompaniments,
are very humorously given ; and, enlivened by the
narrative part, which is full of punning comicalitiee,
the entertainment maintained unabated interest to
the close. " Puss in Boots" is represented in eleven
views, some of which are strikingly excellent ; and
in Puss's visit to the Castle of the Magician, occasion is
taken to hit rather severely a certain wizard, whose
magic has latterly prevailed, at least, to keep him rather
prominently before the public. The final scene—the
Marriage of the Miller's Son and the Princess—is very
finely given, and with the aid of a grand organ acoompani•
ment from the music of the Midsummer Night's Dream,
rises somewhat above the comic tone. The evening's
programme terminated with the playing of the luminous
and chromatic fountain under the dome, which is really
a splendid display. This, for an obvious reason, can only
he seen at night, but then it is alone worth tke shilling
charged for admission. The water rises gradually from
the ground floor till it reaches the top of a dome 80 feet
high ; it is made resplendent in its ascent ley beautiful
electric hues shot from above ; and in its progressive
descent it assumes in its rapid and varied transitions of
colour the appearance of showers of precious stones. The
effect is really magical. As a whole the exhibition may
be pronounced a happy union of art and science with
amusement, and cannot fail to prove satisfactory to the
vis(tor.

HAMBURG, Dec. 20.—The new Russian loan, issued at
82, has boon done at 81, without having been quoted
at the Bourse. That of 1854 is now at 79.
GALLERY OF ILLIETRATION, REGENT, EITERET.—The
admirable dioramic representation of the Events of the
War, painted by Messrs. Grieve and Telbin, has just
received further additions, with the view of rendering it
as complete a picture as passible of the great events it
illustrates. The new paintings are two in number,
Kinbourn
th
" Sebastopol after the Bombardment,, and a view of
Kinbourn. The view a Sebastopol in its present state
is,most interesting, as its correctness is guaranteed by the
circumstance of its being painted from drawings by
vi Major Tupper.
Th© view of
seriesalso a picture
o
f views
s
of the "Events of the War,"
boyf nt'huaehalliinest,3racEs)pt'roarnirtlast important conquest
appropriately terminates as the ies
THE AMERICAN MAILS,—LIVERPOOL, Saturday.—
The British and North American Royal Mail steam-
ship Canada, Capt. W. J. C. Lang, sailed from the
Mersey, at 11 o'clock this forenoon, with the usual
mails for the American continent, 86 passeagere, and a
full cargo.

THE -AUSTRALIAN MAILS.—LIVERPOOL, Satsrday.—
The Royal Mail ship Earl of Sefton, Capt. Noble, of
Pilkington and Wilson's White Star line of Australian
packets, sailed from the Mersey last night, for Mel.
bourne, with the usual bi-monthly mails for the Austra-
lian colonies, 170 passengers, and a moat valuable cargo,
chiefly fine goods, on freight. The succeeding mails
will be carried out by tho Oliver Lang, of the Black Ball
line on the 6th proximo