The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-23 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE:

The first series of six performances of Les Cossat gust-,
a Bonapartist drama of the period of the Restoiadon of
the Bourbons, was produced on Saturday night, for the
first time in this country, at Drury-lane Theatre. The,
performers were the entire company of the Paris Theatre
de la Gaits, who, on the occasion- of the visit of the
French Emperor and. Empress have come to England to
hold a congres drantatique, in Other worclg,. to present
this piece which has had a run of two kundred consecu-
tive nights in Paris, to the English public. The per='
formers all appeared in theii original characters ; and
those who love excellent acting in the class to which the
piece belongs, should pay a visit to Drury-lane Theatre
before the close of this series of performances. The
work is in the nature of a melodrama, as regards form ;
and it professes to be a patriotic production, in the French
sense of the word, as it is understood in France at present,
but it has in reality a political object, and that object is to
strike the roots of the system called Bonapartism deep in
the hearts of the French people. Ills in five acts and nine
tableaux, or rather scenes, such tableaux counting for
each dramatic division. The story is of:courae foutaid-
upon " the course of true love," which, in this case, as
in so many others since the days of 'Mr. Sliakspere,
does not "run smooth." The collateral events are the
patriotic portions of the piece. A certain Maurice (M.
Gouget), an officer in the dissolved Imperial Guard, is
in love with the fair Lotiise -(Mdlle. Maria Clarisse), the
daughter cf a blind lady, Madame Blanchard (Madame
Lambquin), and, south to say; the lucky Maurice is
equally loved in return. It so happens, however, that
the Cm-sacks then hold. Paris ; and with that di-regard
for their neighbours' rights which distinguishes this pa-
triotic people, from the Czar to the serf, the Russian
general in command of the district where the lowered well
falls in love with the fair Louise and determines she shall
marry him. To escape the tyranny of the Russian general
the disconsolate Maurice enters into a series of political
conspiracies, havinglar objects the ejection of the Cossacks
from France and the restoration of -the elder 13onapartssi.
and in the course of these conspiracies, in which
he is ably aided by an ex-sergeant of the Imperial guard,
Dureveau (M. Paulin Menier), and by an es-corporal of
the 47th of the line, Jean Panel (M.Alexandre), a variety
of narrow escapes occur, and the piece.beoomes the vehicle
for much Bonapartist enthusiasm. The Count de Min-
zaroff, the Russian general (M. Clement Just), bo7ever,
succeeds in " netting" all the conspirators, a proposof an
echaufouree, which takes place in a suburban pleaSure-
garden in Paris; and while the ex-sergeant and es-corporal
are condemned to death, he spares the life of his
Maurice, as the price of the fair Lonise'aband. Maurice,
however, happens to have attracted the affections also,
albeit unconsciously,_ of a female serf, Olga (ldlle.
Augusta), attached to the Russian general in an equivo-
cal capacity, and the poor girt, though at first treacherous
to her rival, the fair Louise, ultimately becomes a con-
vert to virtue, through the magnanimity of the maiden ;
and not alone induces but coriapelsMaurice to save her from
her marriage with Mansard': Muckof the amusements,:

the mimic scene is created by the bye-play between an
enormous Cossack soldier and the buffoons of the piece,
the ex.serjeant and ex-corporal alluded to, who, by the
ray are, in their respective parts, absolutely inimitable.
All ends happily, however; the Cossacks are expelled
Paris, and the lovers are united in sacred bonds, &c. It
would be unjust to a most meritorious actress, Mdlle.
Leontine, not to mention that her efforts in the agree-
able and indispensable part of a vivandiere, or file du
regiment, added greatly to the succebs which undoubt-
edly attended this, the first representation of Les. Cos
saques, in England ; and that without any exception the
minor performers, of which there are an immense number,
were all " well up" in their re.pective impersonations.
The life, the motion, and the energy of the French stage.
was, in fact, transferred bodily to the boards of Drury-
lane on this occasion ; and those who desire to witness
French acting, fresh and perfect, in this class of
performances, should not fail to visit that theatre within
the next week. At the conclusion of the echauffouree,
already alluded to, which were, in fact, a melee between
the quasi Parisian populace and the Cossacks, the entire
company came forward and sang, in two or three several
keys, "God Save the Queen," winding up with "Par-
taut pour la Syrie." The closing scene of the drama
was one of those grand scenic displays which the French
stage alone can produce in perfection, and it was greatly
and deservedly applauded. _

The house waas very well attended, and, as before
stated, the performance was perfectly successful.

THE QUARTERLY DIVIDE,NDS.

Among the Parliamentary papers printed on Saturday
was the following letter, addressed by the Governors of
the Bank to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on the
14th ult., protesting against the practice, introduced by
the Government for th first time a year ago, of providing
for the quarterly dividends while they at e in course of
payment, instead of supplying the Bank with the full
amount before the period at whioh they fall due :--

• "Bank of England, March 14.
" Sir,—On the 12th of October last we felt it to be our:
duty to call the attention of her Majesty's Government to
the departure fromantecedentpractice in piying the pub;
lie dividends, which, first introduced by the -Treasury. in
Apri% 1854, had just then been repeated_; and. we ex-
pressed our reliance upon the intervention of her Majesty's
Government to protect the Bank from any injurious conse-.
quences which might result, proceedings in which we
could not acquiesce.
" The course against which we then remonstrated, of
paying to the Bank part only.of the dividends when due,
and supplying from time to time such further portions as
were expected to be asked for by the public, was,
.how-
ever, again resorted to in January last; .' • , '
"At your request we beg_ now formajly to place this
subject before you as the Finance Minister of the -Crown, '
and to satanic for your con-hieratic/I, liith espegial refer-
ence to the approaching April dividends.
" That the loan acts, under which the whole of the ex-
isting debt was contracted, require that the entire annui-
ties be paid on the days appointed to•tlie Chief-cashier of
the Dank, and that the said cashier shall, without delay,
pay the same accordingly.
"In support of the views which we are note expressing
on behalf of the Court of Directors, we beg to refer yew to
the copy of the case submitted to the standing counsel of
the Bank and Mr. Roundell Palmer, together with their
opinion thereon.
-o.

' We venture to hopo that her Majesty's Government
may admit the validity of our objections to the recent
change, by •resuming in the provision of the April divi-
dends the practice which until last year had invariably
prevailed,

" We have, &c.,
"J. G. HUBBA HD, Governor.
"T. M. WEGUELIN, Deputy-Governor."

THE EMPEIIOR OF THg FRENCH.

THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR.
Should the negotiations pending at Vienna fail to pro-
euro an honourable peace, the Emperor of the French
will proceed forthwith to the Crimea to superintend or
command the military operations there. The Empress
will accompany Napoleon 111.
The Emperor, Lord Palmerston, Sir John Burgoyne,
and other distinguished patties necessary to such a con-
ference, had confidential communications at Windsor
last week.

Doubtless the natural reluctance of the French Minis-
try to represent the Imperial authority in the absence of
the Emperor must render them anxious to retain his
pre-ence and responsibility in France at the present
time, and it might be urged by them that the interests
of Europe may be more involved by the absence of Louis
Napoleon from Europe than even by a comparative com-
promise with Russia ; but the Emperor thinks other-
wise ! ! —Morning Herald.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.—His Royal Highness the
Duke of Cambridge honoured the performances at the
Royal Italian Opera with his presence on Saturday even-
ing. Among the fashionable company attending the thea-
tre we remarked the Duchess of Montrose, the Duke of
Leeds, tne Marquis and Marchioness of Londondeiry,
the Earl Bruce, the Earl of Shelburne, thq Earl and
Countess of Mountcharles and Lady Cecilia Conyngham,
Viscount Sydney, Viscount Dungarvon, Viscount Ex-
mouth, Viscount Cranbourne, Lord Milford, Lord Suf-
field, Lord and Lady Ernest Bruce, Lady Louisa Mey-
rick and Miss Meyrick, Lady Mary Vyner and Miss Vy-
ner, Baron Marochetti, Lady Caroline Maxse and Miss
Maxse, Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Chichester, Hon. Mrs. Cust,
Hon. F. Calthorpe, Hon. Gerald Ponsonby, Hon. John
Fortescue, Sir F. and Lady Thesiger, Sir William de
Bathe, Sir F. Trench, Sir G. Armytage, Sir John Walsh,
Sir T. Hare, Mr. Norman Macdonald, Mr. Leopold
Redpath, Mr. J. W. Clayton, Mr. and Mrs. Wellesley,
Col. Tyrrwhit, Col. Brownlow Knox, Major Pole,
Capt. Nicholson, Mr. Bernal Osborne, M.P., Mr.
Kn4-thtley, M.P &c.

'- 4
The •Euphrates left Southampton yesterday with
nearly 300 Government emigrants for Sydney. The
Neptune has been chartered
_by the Emigration Corn-
niissioners to leaVe Southampton for Adstralia on the
4th of June next: - •- .-
.
ADMISSION OF THE PUBLIC TO GUILDHALL.-On Satur-
day the public were admitted to view the decorations in
Guildhall by ticket, and upwards of 10,000 persons
availed themselves-of the pri%ilege. The admission will
be continued to-day,• when all respectable persons will
be admitted without a ticket.
DEPARTURE OF THE PREFECT OF THE SEINE AND TR;
DEPUTATION FROM THE MUNICIPAL COMMISSIONOk
-PA.Ris.—Yesterday these distinguished visitorse tooS
o u th-
their departure. They were accompanied
to
"'r t
Eastern Railway terminus by the Lard M
General Purposes Committee of the
,c otraprou:r. the anationclb and
left by a special tt-aiu at 8 a.m. for Folkestone,
mittee proceeding thither with them.
(ItnheSadtellprudtsaY-
ih_eNrarwafeat
o METROPOLlTANtheseineCaaurdnthEs,3ltraumilbeitTr.s-0
t i the
tion from the Municipal Commissione
of Paris, who,, dur-
eennewtheC Cattle-market, lees- ms aor
ke t, Copan.
ixingestohre,
ppaaisdt
aweveiksithatovethbe .
improvement corn-
bagen,fields. They were accompanied' by Mr. ri...
Taylor (chairman of the markets
mittee), Deputy. Aitchison,. Deputy Holt, and Mr. T.
H. Hall. The visitors spent upwards of an hour in hi-
E•pecting the various departments of the market, and
essed themselves highly gratifiLedioiwniEthmev_eryiesthtien:
is Charity his G
evr
they there witnessed.
ed on behalf,ofrathcee
AsrLum FOR FEMALE ORPHANS
0.
3,
um, Westminseer-rnad,
day being the 92d anniVtehresarAy4 1
the Archbishop of Canterbury preach
tohfe 13th Asylum,
of the first-book of
tfa7idneginfo-trhheicshtaepxetl
Corinthiins.and the 13th verse. There are now in the
Asylum'about 170 children,- and the funds, instead.of in-
creasing with the larger number admitttd, have actually
decreased. The balance in hand is so small that if
funds are not forthcoming, the ' will ' further
.augmented by the. hi lquart!r,
to' sell oast a portion oftheir
ommittee ' have again •
elusion of the gPil
ourretif eipensei of the funded stuck to meet the
wbieb have been greatly
amounted to 22/ co of proviiions.- At the con=
sermon a collection was made, which
, . 70. The Rev. W. Curling, u,A,,
pr_e_o4sci the gyrsoo4
---- --- --- 4*4 rtniing• ..

THE BUDGET.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE SUN.
SIR,--ll4tving been officially, .as well as individually,
concerned in what has been termed " recent financial
and economical legislation," or, more properly speaking,
those changes which have been effected since I had the
honour to submit 'to the celebrated' committee of the
House of Commons on import duties, in 1840, a tariff of
commercial and financial legislation,, which legislation
was soon after carried much farther into effect than I at
first proposed by Sir R. Peel, in 1842 and 1844; I cons
sider it now an imperative moral and public duty on my
part to scrutinise, and, in its fallacious and unjust points,
to expose and to do my utmost to obstruet the financial
measures of the present Government, as set forth in the
budget of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. - I feel it,
sir, my duty to do so, not -only as discharging a sacred
responsibility as a man entrusted by one of the greatest
cities in Eurape, not to represent the citizens ae a mere
delegate; but as a legislator in the Imperial Parliament.
Thi4 discharge of the duty which lowet fo our coml.
Ftryiin common with every other member of Parliament,
I consider of an importance, at the present time of peril
and uncertainty, paramount' to every other legislative
consideration.
First—I contend that the praject is unnecessary and
unsound, while I admit that the exigencies as well as
the profligate expenditure of this war of calamities—of
misfortunes and disgrace—consequent chiefly on the
proved incapacity of its management, will require a large
additional revenue,-which could not be lefied within the
year, evithout oppressive and unbearable taxation.
Secondly—I not only admit but maintain that, having
undertaken this war, to which I cannot see an early ter-
anitiation, except by a dishonourable Peace, the flatlet'
riat Pay the expenses to which they have, whether in
lariiibr.wisdom or their folly, bound themselves.
do not admit that, in order to pro Cure the
additional revenue necessary to meet the-expenditure, it
tiseja,usandwiscoei eoer,
whichexpedient to increase the duties on sugar,
have become, as essentially as
bread, thedgadileyazustenancle -of all the inhabitants of the
United Kingdom
Fourthly,]
as unsound in
deprecate the increase of those duties, not
only
the nation, but especially reprehensible and as a disappointment to
reprehensible in the face of
the high prices of corn and other articles of food, and in
utter disregard uf the sufferings 'of all the labouring
classes, great numhers of whom have been some months
out of employment, and enduring 'severe privatiore.
Fifthly-I. protest, and -I believe. the nation generally
will do so, against the unfairness, the negligent*, and
the absence of sagacity on the part of the Government,
in not affording the public the opportunity of bidding for
thenecessary loan, after the successful and economical
example lately carried into effect by-the Government of
France--instead of adopting the old, pernicious, and
indolent practice of raising the loan' through the mono.
poly of one chief capitalist. -
Sixthly—l condemn as unsound the project of rais-
ing a loan by perpetual annuity, and by the contingent
bait or temptation of 14s. 6d. per cent. terminable in 30
years, the action of which project being inevitably to re-
duce. the value of consols, and the principle of which is
to add 16,000,0001. in the first place to the permanent
debt ' • for the proposal to pay off 1,000,000/. a year is
as absurd a delusion as paying off the whole debt by a
sinking fluid.
Seventhly—Admitting as I do that it has become in-
dispensable to provide, in addition to the present re-
venue, a sum not less than 23,000,0001.; I contend that
by the Simplicity of a loan, to be raised by public com-
petition, and on.the principles of terminable annuities,
that 20,000,000/. in terminable annuities, taking an
average of 'fifty years, might be forthcoming by such
competition, :and consequently withont the oppressive
increase of the duties on tea, sugar, and coffee—articles
more than any other the solace of our cottages, 'and of
the labouring population in towns, and rural and fishing
villages, as well as necessaries to all other classes. .
Lastly—l belieie that if the Chancellor had at once
said, "I cannot provide the whole expenditure within
the year ; I cannot add to the permanent debt, and I
must have recourse to terminable annuities, and I will,
as has been successfully done recently in France, and,
as was the practice in this country until Mr. Pitt, in an
evil hour, in 1793, pursued a more slothful but most
pernicious course—set up the loan to public competition"
—then, I am persuaded that he might have procured
20,000,000/. on about the following terms, viz.
5,000,000/. on annuity terminating in 44 years at 4 pr. et.
5,000,0004 48. „ at 31 •.„
5,000,000/. 5- ~ : at 31. „
5,000,060/. 56 „ at 34 „

20,000,0001. Total 2OO years at 15 pr.ct.
Average termination of annuities 50 years, -and inte-
rest 31 per cent. ; which average interest would form a
yearly,:ebarge of 750,000 b. for an amount finally termi-
nating with the last year of the present century. But,
even calculating the interest at the extravagant rate of
5 per cent. allowed..to the Bank of England for advanc-
ing 11,000,901..0f its capital in 1823 (a great portion of
which no doubt Was the money of its customers) for an
annuity terminable in: 1857, called bbe !E Deadweight"
of the.Banlc, 1,000,000/ would defray the charge. Now,
such 20,000,0001. and 3,009,6001. of Exchequer Bills as
proposed would wake up the 23,000,0001., leaving for
contingencies the additional revenue rom spirits,
although I fear the proposed duties- will prove strong
temptations to illicit distillation and to smuggling. I
also, doubt the wisdom of increasing the income tax after
the large 'addition made to it last year.
liivenClusion; I am at a loss to account for the spaiby
cf ihe, present House of Commons and rnany,of itR lead-
ing members during the present session, and espepially
r the tit:par:oMA' rapidity with which the estimates
terra
.voted:; Neither on these nor, on the budget .have
Mr. obden or Mr. 13s ight opened their mouths. Do they,
in ordr to render the twir ociiotis to the nation, wish the
,tattion and its industry, and the bomforts of its inhati-
,tatit, to be stnothered by taxes, which will render 2/C-
-te;sat ies dear?. Do" they real iy.cherish the infatuation,
"Let my dogma live if the rat:on should perish ?" If
not, ltt them 'not sacrifice their former principles,.
Sorely Mr. Gladstone, who, if it were in his power,
would meet the expenditure by the revenue to be levied
during the year, cannot give his approbation to the new
budget.
Is it possible that Mr. Disraeli will not oppose it with
all his mlght-and skill ? If he approves of it, he may
rely on it.hewill as a statesman be looked upon with
grave suspicion not only by the party which he has bten
accustquied to lead, but by the whole public.
I have the honour to be, tir, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JOHN MACGREGOR.
Atheurcum Club, April 21, 1855.

LANCASTEMS GUN AND THE OVAL

81IELL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN'.

Sirt,—ln your paper of the 13th of November last you
.did me the favour to insert a letter of mine on the sub-
ject of the "Lancaster Gun and Oval Shell;" and I now
take the liberty of troubling you again respecting them,
as I have just received from a friend of mine in the
Crimea a sketch of the said oval shell, taken by him-on.
hoard a gun-boat at Kersonese, fitted with the guns and
shells in question ; and, according to this sketch, the
shell corre-ponds with the oval shell of my invention minus
the circular plate atthe base. And my friend adds :—" I find
also amongst the naval and military men, that "Lan-
caster, of Bond-street, London, is the inventor of the
Lancaster gun, and it derives its name from him."
So mute fur the assertion of the OrJnance-office and
Select Committee, that my oval shell " was not adapted
to military purposes, and had nothing whatever to do
with, it ;" and of Mr. Lancaster himself, that he " knew
nothing whatever about it but what he lead seen in the
newspapers I"
Judging, however, fromt.aohonuranypttocahoewolenlfoasyomtlkah:ehinermtme.pc heyirtirooearfveisaft referred e
upon
ptoon, it
simi-
larityc e r s
thinly is no wonder that we have heard so little of the
effective use of this vanted shell, as, from its shape and
method of propulsion, it is the very reverse-of that cal-
culated to obtain the desired object and result. And
it would appear to be no inapt illustration of the mar
nagement (or mismanagement, if you like) of the present
lamentable war, by applying the thing the wrong way or
beginning at the' wrong end.
inventions are " not adapted to military purposetss.. _
undertake and guarantee that my oval shell sh2;llht, 4° 7,
anu.
snanaiadi,
c‘lt neyiieLespthsv ssTei bali
azueapooetenaet
if
f., cientea.aecgo:
ps
atl
mtdsdnne;
etrdi
f.,
an,
wtsnahtaeonadai
gtscat,.wth:hhohmtoaao
tipaltrlt;
msyheollwsla(4nv
or ball a distance exceeding
e description.
whatever its size orstiodnsacrnis
deny
the
originality
range of any shell,
point —I not only quute a t
sh i s tßriautaln7nosnyot l
should li e not tOr notice this
d, that my battering shells, &c• conclusion to
(aerxrlceivf pne taaythadey prematurely burst, or dog not dbu(earalsnitunadotet (alluded to
to fly with much greater force and
more heavily and destructively thantha caster's," from the nature of their constructprecisionion, galled
and
a,
c,strike
.T:_,.an;
alsoa
h
l
other kinds of shells, which I shall not describe.
in
istdtLaklbetihosinnoeansaenmhgnkßdgoyngamsewe
Lancaster
sitrtaineferteimaos.naiyeate,tvnseroetnntahff,yrltosiLlrmieWehtnietsaacotiigihanittnt.,uiviue?:h,clslureel
la)asslp)ml,tstu,aaarb.tatnrgob:nouenmrdl::etdat,
si
uwnisdossdtgi
tenhel , l
saee
otlld,rnrifoyoulmtocnafatkf
nei
And, as a further important advantage of my °vat -
shells, while Wnhetivh,tianns enormous outlay is now incurring to
shells, all of nu: ~ expressly fur the sci-disant Lancaster
may be adapted to any existing and .-.
gun of adequate size and strength, and of 7 e
ordinary
cor-
responding calibre.
_ Thus the great additional expenditure might boavoided _
by making shells for the guns, instead of guns for the
shells. ylvdteenfeboaeciduegswuiertake
to
nu

I therefore think that I may fully and fairly claire.-
and be entitled to, at least us muck credit and advantage.
for my original inventions as Mr. Lancaster for that
claimed by him ; and who I dare say bad not the same
polite insinuation put to him that I had. namely—
" Which end do you put the ,fuse ?"—I remain,
your obedient servant,
Liverpool, April 4.

R. B. FEATHER.

boon in the barrack at Millbay, Plymouth, with the othe
Nearly
prisoners.taken at Bomar:,und last year, -having volun.,
150 Poles and Fins who for some time hay
teeredlot service grgteinst the Russians, -bare been tem.-
porerily removed-on board the Royal William; ordinary:
guard-ship at Devonport, Captain J. Kmgcombe ; this
was a necessary precaution from the hostile feeling*
evinced by their Russian oomrades bearing
aired to 00114 "piimq Rust% _ _