The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-20 00:00:00

T H E

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.
We have to congratulate M. Jullien on the great
improvement which last night was visible in his opera
—subjected, as it evidently had been, to a system of
wholesome and judicious curtailment. The audience
evidently shared the opinion, and the second and third
acts, both of which went somewhat unsaiisfactorily
on the opening performance, were last evening as
prosperous as the first. The opera, indeed, is shortened
by nearly an hour. %V dare say the " cuts" went
to M. Jullien's heart, but he showed his good sense
and amenity to advice in making them, and last night
he reaped the benefit. Peter the Great, as it is now
played, is a far more agreeable performance than it
was on the first night. It has gained by the shorten-
ing of the chorusses and the excision of the repetition
of vocal passages and stage business originally per-
formed more than once. The chorus in the first act,
and the threatening of Rummi with the axe, have
been compacted with great advantage, and the ballet
has been shortened. So also of the ballet in the third
act, while in the second there has been a regular
sweep made of all the horses. There is no defiling of
the army—the scene opening in nicely arranged
groups of northern warriors instead ; the brass bands
are kept within limit, and the latter portion of the
ac`, particularly the lengthened chorus, is cut down
to more modest dimension. We repeat that the im-
provement has been great. The good points remain
the same, but they are brought closer, and thus made
to support each other, while the general effect is far
lighter and more varied. Pietro it Grande is now an
established triumph.

COURT Cii-CCULAR.
OSBORNE, THURSDAY.
Her Majesty, his Royal Highness Prince Albert,
and the Royal Family walked in the grounds yester-
day. _

At the Privy Council held yesterday the Marquis
of Granby was sworn in Lord-Lieutenant of Lin-
colnshire.

The Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Derby, the Earl
of Malmesbury, Mr. Secretary Walpole, Sir John
Pakington, Mr. Berries, and the Duke of Northum-
berland had audiences of the Queen.
At three o'clock the whole of the noblemen and
gentlemen who had attended the Council embarked in
the steam-vessel Fire Queen, and crossed over to
Southampton.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer left town yester-
day for Hughenden Manor, Bucks.
Mr. Corry had an interview with Mr. Secretary
Walpole yesterday, at the Home-office. Mr. R.
Hall had also an interview with the Right Hon.
Secretary.
Sir John Pakington left town for his seat, West-
wood-park yesterday.
The Cambridge University Commission bad a
meeting yesterday at the official residence of the
First Lord of the Treasury in Downing-street. Pre-
sent, the Bishop of Chester, the Dean of Ely, Pro-
fessor Sedg wick, and the Rev.W. H. Bason (Secretary).
Dispatches were sent yesterday to the Governors
of Hong-Kong and Ceylon, the Lord High Commis-
sioner of the lonian Islands, and the Governor of
Malta, from the Colonial-office.

COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
COWES, AUG. 18.

At the Royal Yacht Squadron dinner were present—
Earl of Wilton, Commodore, in the chair; C. R.
M. Talbot, Vice-Commodore, in the vice-chair; Marquis
of Conyngham, Lord Ernest Bruce, Lord Bateman, Sir
B. Graham, Sir J. Bayley, Lord James Butler, Sir H.
Bold Hoghton, Bart., Major-General Simpson and
Aide-de-Camp, Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, Joseph
Weld, Esq., Colonel Petre, Lord Exmouth, W. Dela-
field, Esq., T. Chamberlains, Esq., A. J. Hamborough,
Esq., Captain Crispin, John Beardmore, Esq., A. Gre-
ville, Esq., and about 30 other noblemen and gentlemen,
dined together. Lord Adolphus kindly sent some ex-
cellent singers from the royal yacht, who afforded much
pleasure to the company.

AUGUST 19.
PRINCE ALBERT'S CUP —The following schooner
yachts started at 11 eon., with a light breeze from the
northward:—
Alarm, 248 tone, Joseph Weld, Esq.
Claymore, 138 ton, A. Campbell, &q.
Gloriana, 134 tons, J. Gee, Esq.
Gipsey Queen, 160 tons, Sir B. B. Hoghton, Bart.
The Gipsey Queen took the lead, as usual, but the
wind is so light, that there is great uncertainty where
the advantage really lies.
Glorious weather for the harvest.

THE AUSTRALIAN GOLD DIGGINGS.

We have been favoured with the sight of a letter from
a young man now at Adelaide to his parents in this
country, which contains some points of information that
may be useful to persons intending to emigrate. The
letter is dated March 1, and begins by stating that
" trade at Adelaide is at en end and the town deserted,'
there not being more than 100 men at that date in the
colony. Last December the writer joined a party who
travelled on foot overland 500 miles to Mount Alexan-
der to work at the diggings; but not liking his compa-
nions, he returned to Adelaide by sea, and was about to
start afresh with more congenial associates. He thus
describes the labours and sufferings he underwent in his
gold-digging excursions:—" I have been ten weeks
sleeping on the ground without a bed, and for weeks
not undressed I have gone through swamps up to the
middle in water, traversed burning hot sands—deserts 30
miles across—travelled under a scorching BUD, nearly
dead with thirst, and for days not able to wash myself,
from want of water. One of our party was killed
on the road, and we had to bury him 200 miles from
home." Again:—" The gold is not to be obtained with-
out hard work, such as labouring men can hardly en-
dure. Advise everyone who is getting a good living in
England to remain." Thousands, he anticipates, will be
disappointed; and he observes that none are fit for the
diggings who cannot sleep under a tree in the open air,
drink water of all colours, go for a week unwashed and
unshaved, and submit to be overrun with vermin. The
Californians are coming over. There are about 30,000
diggers at present, all well armed. Hitherto they have
successfully resisted the attempts of Government to
overtax them. They have commenced lynch-law,
and
the sooner it gets general the better, to get rid Of the
hordes of ruffians who are prowling about. Lynch-law
has no terrors for an honest man." Provisions are
very high: the 41b. loaf, ls. 9d,; butter and cheese, ss.
a pound; and everything else in proportion. The
writer, who hopes to make his fortune at the diggings,
expresses his intention of returning to South Australia
to spend the remainder of his days in that colony, which
he has no doubt will in a year or two become exceedingly
prosperous.