The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-25 00:00:00

THE WEATHER AND THE PARES.

Notwithstanding that the ice in the different Royal
parks was covered with water yesterday to the extent
of five or six inches, some hundreds of persons ventured
upon it, and had it not been for the efforts of the, ice-
men of the Royal Humane Society, under Mr. Superin-
tendent Williams, unquestionably a great loss of life
would have taken place. The icemen had to use their
hand lines and actually beat the people off.
The thermometer at the Royal Humane Society's
Rc.ceiviiff-house in Hyde-park showed yesterday maxi-
mum 47 deg,, and minimum 24 deg. The wind was
south-west, and the barometer was 29 deg.-72 deg.
In the morning it rained, and at seven o'clock last
evening it commeiced raining again with increased
niverity.

The Marquis of Anglesey has left the St. George's
Hotel fur Beaudesert.

The Marquis of Bath has left the St. George's Hotel
for Longleat, near Warminster.

The Earl and Countess of Malmesbury, and other
amilies of rank, are placed in mourning by the death of
Lady Catherine Bell, wife of Major-General Bell, and
eldest daughter of the first Earl of Malmesbury.
The Marchioness Dowager of Londonderry has given
501. towards the restoration of Seaham Congregational
Chapel, which was blown down in one of the late gales
of wind.

Lady Hamilton Seymour has been presented to the
Empress of Austria.

It is said that a move is being made in the Neat Rid-
ing in favour of the Right Hon. Mr. T. Illinois, member
for Leeds, as the Liberal Candidate ; and Henry Edwards,
Esq., of Rye Nest, late M.P. for Halifax, as the Conser-
vative candidate, at the next election.

Denmark, it is expected, will very shortly sign a treaty
similar to that of Sweden.

The news of the ratification of the Swedish treaty, we
hear from Germany, has produced a great sensation,
and wpecially at Berlin.
The Tuscan Government is about to use the utmost
rigour to prevent any Tuscan from joining the Anglo-
Italian Legion. The Austrian Government has sug-
itested that this corp may one day be dangerous to
Italy.
'['no Pope is urging Tuscany and the Two Sicilies to
subscribe to a concordat similar to that lately signed by
Austria. There is every probability of the Vatican suc-
ceeding.
THE WEATHER IN PARIS. —At midnight on Friday
Chevalier's thermometer marked 6 2.10 th degrees below
zero. On Saturday morning, at six o'clock, 9 degrees ;
at eight o'clock, 10.2-10th degrees ; and at noon 7.5-10th
degrees below zero.
OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS.—Mr. Bouverie Alhsyne is
appointment colonial secretary of Grenada. Mr.
Henry Sharpe is appointed provost marshal of Grenada.
Mr. Albert Allom is appointed colonial secretary at
Tobago. Mr. Charles Berkeley is appointed colonial
treasurer at Tobago.--Observer.
SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY, EXETER-HALL.—Haydn's
" Creation" is announced for Friday the 4th of January,
when Mr. Sims Reeves makes his first appearance in
London this season—Madame Clara Novelle sustaining
the principal soprano.
SEASONABLE BENEVOLENCE. —A few days since one
hundred pounds was paid to Messrs. Hallett's, the
bankers, on account of the building fund of the Western
Dispensary, Tothill-street, Westminster, by a gentleman
leaving the initials of A. G. A similar sum was given
in the year 1851, under the same circumstances, and
doubtless by the same beneficent person.
A switchwaa and a station-master, whose negligence
occasioned the terrible accident which took place on the
Versailles Railway (left bank) on the 9th of November
last, have been sentenced to the unusually severe but
well-merited punishment of five years' imprisonment,
besides fines of 500 franca.
SEBASTOPOL DOCKS.—A letter from Kamieseh, in the
Gcmette du Midi, says ;—"The docks of Sebastopol are
to be blown up on the 9th. The destruction of these
great works will be the signal for a war without mercy.
It seems to me,' said a general, that in blowing up
the docks we shall blow up the headquarters of nego-
tiations.' "
MAILS TO SWEDEN.—GENERAL POST-OFFICE, Dec.,
1855.—Information having been received that the
steamer London, conveying mails between London and
Gothenburg, under a contract with the Swedish Govern-
ment, has ceased running for the winter, no more mails
for Sweden can be forwarded by that vessel until the re-
opening of the navigation next apnea, of which due no-
tice will be given.—RowLaND HILL, Secretary.
MME. GOLDSIIMMIDT LIND.—It is stated that Mr.
Mitchell gives Mme. Goldschmidt Lind the enormous
sum of 5001. sterling for each concert in which she sings
in the series of concerts he is now giving in London.
The money seems immense, but the receipts are propor-
tionably great. Mme. Goldschmidt is also likely to sing
in the English provinces, under an arrangement with
Mr. Mitchell.-7-Ga/ignani. .

MUSIC AT RUGBY SCHOOL—The annual Christmas
concert, at the breaking up of the school, was given on
Tuesday evening last by the members of the School Cho-
ral Society, under the able conduct of Mr. Walker, and
passed off with more than usual eclat. A new and agree-
able feature in this concert was the presence among the
singers of several old Rugbeians, who were glad of the
opportunity thus afforded them of displaying their warm
interest in and sympathy with the musical talent of the
present generation. The concert was well attended by
a numerous and enthusiastic audience, among, whom
were a large number of old Rugbeians and of the neigh-
bouring nobility and gentry. The programme was a
varied selection from some of the best composers,includ-
ing choruses from Handel's Alexander's Feast, and Aeis
and Galatea, Mendelssohn's part songs, and other lighter
pieces. The great school was elegantly and appropri-
ately decorated for the occasion with the wreaths of ever-
green, &c., usual at the present season.
FIRE AT A RAILWAY GOODS WAREHOUSIL—On Fri-
day morning, about two o'clock, a fire was discoverel
in the extensive goods warehouse of the Lancashire and
Yorkshire Railway Company, at Nova Scotia, Black-
burn. By half-past six o'clock the fire was got conside-
rably under, but up to five o'clock in the afternoon por-
tions of the contents of the warehouse continued to
smoulder, and the hose was kept in constant requisition.
During the progress of the fire portions of the roof fell
in from time to time, until there was nothing left stand-
ing but the four stone and brick walls, and a small por-
tion of the roof at the south-east end of the building.
The warehouse is about 200 feet in length, and 50 feet
in width. At the time of the outbreak of the fire, there
were known to be in the warehouse about 1,2001. worth
of cotton, belonging t 6 Messrs. Pilkington, Morrison,
Constantine, and others, of Blackburn. Messrs. Harri-
son and Son, machinists, of Blackburn, had an exten-
sive order for machinery, which they had deposited in
the building, a portion only of which was sent off on
Friday. It is estimated that they have sustained a loss
of 1,0001., which, however, is partly covered by a float-
ing policy for 7001. The damage done to the building is
estimated at about 3,4001. There were also 1,000 loads
of potatoes in the warehouse, the value of which is 500/.,
independent of a largo number of loads of carrots and
agricultural and miscellaneous produce generally. The
total loss cannot at present be ascertained, but it is esti-
mated at from 10,000/. to 12,0001. It is at present a
moot question whether the railway company are respon-
sible for the loss. It is believed that they are not,
and•the loss will therefore fall upon the individuals
whose property has been sacrificed. Should the loss
fall upon the railway company, it will be a severe ono
for them, as they are not insured. The cause of the fire
is problematical.—Manchester Examiner.