The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-11 00:00:00

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he must have a steam navy. The Russian pine is not
to be compared to Great Britain's oaken walls, and the
Czar must turn to America for timber and for ships. In
working out her destiny Russia will, therefore, assist
America in realising her own. Nicholas has already
shown not only a willingness, but an eagerness to im-
port American enterprise into his empire, and neither
our interests nor those of the republican principles we
uphold require us to draw back. We know that
a wide field has been opened to physicians, engi-
eineers, mechanics, and manufacturers from the
United States ; and who can foresee all the nume•
rous benefits that will be derived from such a con-
nection, to the furtherance of liberalism in one
country, and the progress of commerce iu both ? Nor
is this all. We noticed some time since that the Rus-
sian boundary in Asia had lately been extended to the
[liver Amour, which empties itself into the North Paci-
fic Ocean. This new accession of territory, am large as
the whale of the New England States, was at first ne-
glected as unprofitable. But it was subsequently found
to be a splendid tea country, and now the Czar wishes
to throw it open to American trade. Protected by the
Island of Sagalin from the ice which flows from the Sea
of Okhotsk, the mouth of the Amour—navigable for four
hundred miles—is open during the whole year. To the
north is the fur region of Kamtschatka, and the advan-
tages of trade here are scarcely inferior to those recently
acquired by the opening of Japan.
Are we, then, to throw away such benefits as these
for an empty shadow ? Surely not. Our admiration
may be excited in favour of the heroes who toil and
bleed and die in their country's cause on the frozen plains
of the Crimea. As men, our sympathies may be espe-
cially roused for those whose Anglo-Saxon names sound
familiar in our ears. God forbid that we should fail in
doing every justice to the enduring courage of that race
from which we ourselves have sprung. Bat with the
cause of the war we have no concern ; and with the re-
sult. it is to our advantage that Russia should preserve
the integrity of her empire, and drive back her opponents.

SINGULAR RESULTS OR RECENT OPE-
RATIC SPECULATIONS IN AMERICA.

(From the New York herald, of Dec. 27.)
During the past six months we have been called upon
to record the arrival of three musical expeditions from
Europe. The first was the Italian Opera Company,
with Grisi and Mario, under Mr. Hackett ; the second
was the Pyne and Harrison English Opera Company,
under Mr. Barry, and the last was a sort of Anglo-
French troupe, under Mr. Niblo.
We have no doubt that each of these parties expected
to reach the same pitch of success as that achieved by
Jenny Lind, whose path from city to city, and from
town to town, was paved with gold. But things have
changed since Jenny Lind's time. Those halcyon days
will come no more. There has been a revulsion of popu-
lar feeling in musical as well as other matters. In fact,
in this country, we are always going through some sort
of a revolution in politics, society, business, music,
fashion, and everything else. The times have become
very hard lately, and there is not much of a rush for
seats at the opera, kid gloves, bouquets, and attendant
ladies.
The probable results of the late musical speculations
will be extremely curious, and will go far to show the
European artists what they must expect in America.
The first of these results is the entire and complete
failure of Grisi and Mario—those great artists whom all
Europe was delighted to honour. We understand that
Grisi and Mario are very much disgusted with this glo-
rious country and with the indifference that is manifested
by the people, who should, as they think, rally to their
support. They are desolate—nobody comes to hear
them—nobody cares anything about them—and they are
preparing to leave the country, in which they have failed
to make a profitable sensation. The barbarians of the
Fifth avenue will not pay for Grisi's notes ; and even
Mario's title of Marquis of something or other fails to
bring out the Mrs. Potiphars in sufficient numbers to
pay the Academy's expenses. The enchanting Miss
Coutts alone sticks to him.
In this respect it must be acknowledged that our mu-
sical people—our first circles, or our cod-fish aristocracy,
are utterly destitute of taste, and Grisi and Mario will
go back to Europe circulating the utter ignorance of the
higher classes of this country, and thus put an end to
the contemptible cant which we have hoard of the ap-
preciation of high art by the wealthy parvenues of New
York.
Another singular result of the musical season is found
in the remarkable fact that of the three companies the
English opera troupe—known as the Pyne and Harrison
troupe—is the only one that has the remotest chance of
inakir any money. This company MITI() here entirely
unheralded—their principal singers had never been
heard of on this side of the Atlantic, and although

they have been for the last three or four years at
the head of their profession in England, they
were altogether unknown to the New York public.
They never had a lawsuit, as Jenny Lind did—they
never ran away, breaking an engagement, and making
a tremendous excitement—they never committed a faux
pea, the delicate details of which were eagerly snapped
up by voracious penny-a-liners, and duly digested as a
portion of the dear public's 'breakfast. Of course they
were never heard of !
Notwithstanding all these drawbacks, we find that
the Pyne and Harrison troupe have thus far, in New
York, Philadelphia, and Boston, achieved a degree of
success unprecedented since the furore created by the
Woods. RThe music of their English operas goes direct
to the heart, aid brings out the people of the great mid-
dle class who do not affect to be pleased with that which
they cannot understand, and who are always ready to
pay for that which pleases, excites, refines, and amuses
them. This is the true secret of the success of the Pyne
and Harrison troupe--a success which is owing to the
merit of the principal singers, and the popular character
of the music which they give.
But let all the European artists who intend continr,
here with the expectation of receiving the applause, the
support and the dollars of the cod-fish aristocracy take
due notice of this fact. No matter how great they may
be in their particular role, they cannot hope to be suc-
cessful unless they are notorious for some little faux pas
—some elopement—some passage-at-arms with a um-
na,er—some great sensation created by them outside of
professional' triumphs. The single exception of the Pyne
and Harrison troupe owes its existence to circumstances
which will not probably occur again, and all great ec-
centric artists despise the people and devote their talents
to the amusement of the aristocracy. Now our aristo-
cracy pays for notoriety—not talent ; and managers
know very well that the article of modest merit is
not one of those commodities which are precious on
account of their rarity.
The European artists have now the benefit of our ex-
perience, gratis. Let them beware how they neglect
such good counsel.

LETTERS FOR THE TRANSPORT SER-
E IN TURKEY AND THE BLACK
SEA.

In accordance with the provisions of a Treasury war-
rant, the postage upon a letter, not exceeding half an
ounce in weight, posted in the United Kingdom, ad-
dressed to any seaman serving on board a transport em-
ployed by her Majesty's Government in Turkey or the
Black Sea, or forwarded by any such seaman, ad-
dressed to the United Kingdom, conveyed by direct
packet (which term includes a ship of war, or any vessel
employed by, or in the service of, her Majesty) or via
Malta, but without passing through France, has been
reduced to One Penny.
To entitle such letters to conveyance at this reduced
rate, however, the following regulations must be ob-
served : _ . .

Ist. The penny must be paid at the time the letter is
posted.
2d. It must be stated in the direction of the letter
that the person to whom it is addressed, or by whom it
is sent, is a seaman serving on board a transport.
3d. When the letter is from a seaman serving on board
,a transport the officer having the command must sign his
name, and specify the ship to which the seaman belongs.
4th. The letter must not exceed half an ounce in
weight.
sth. The letter must relate entirely to the private
concerns of the seaman.
The foregoing particulars must be given in the follow-
ing form :

From A. 8.,
Seaman on board thq Transport —___
(Here the direction of the letter must be inserted.)
C. D., Captain or other Commanding Officer
Transport ship
To A. 8.,
Seaman on board the Transport
(here the direction of the letter must be finibhod.)

Upon letters sent to a seaman serving on board a
transport, if the postage of one penny be not pre-paid
in the United Kingdom, the letters cannot be forwarded,
but will be returned to the writers.

Letters sent by seamen, upon which the penny has not
been pre-paid, will be liable to a charge of 2d. each on
delivery ; but to enable seamen to pay the postage of
their letters in advance, they will be permitted to use
postage stamps, which may be obtained from the Post-
masters of her Majesty's forces in Turkey.
Letters addressed to or sent by officers serving on board
transports, when forwarded by direct packet or via
Malta, will be liable to a postage of 11d, the half ounce,
which postage, Upon letters sent from the United King-
dom, must also be paid in advance.
It must be distinctly understood that the reduction of
postage here authorised applies exclusively to letters
sent by tha direct sea route between this country and
Turkey, and that letters sent via France will be charge-
able with the' following rates of postage, viz. :
Not exceeding ounce, is.
Exceeding oz., and not exceeding oz., 2s.
Exceeding oz., and not exceeding oz., 3s.
Exceeding 4 oz., and not exceeding 1 oz., 4s.
Exceeding loz , and not exceeding 1 oz., 50.
And so on, increasing is. for each I oz.
Ronan Ronan, SecrotAr
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