The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-12 00:00:00

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BONNET'S SILKS a LYON.—Every Arti. ele of
commerce takes its title either from the inven tor or
•nanufacturer, and the more perfect the producido the
grater is the credit which attaches to the originato r.
BONNET'S SILKS are said to be incapable of identifica-
tion in England ; but the fallacy of such an assertion. is ex-
pos • d by the very trade mark of the firm, as exhibited by
Messrs. JAY, of Regent-street.
The following interwoven mark may be seen at the end
ofeach piece :—" Manufacture de C. J. Bonnet et Cie., it Lyon
eta Injurieux." Wear guaranteed.

311 i. W. S. WOODIN begs to alveoli(' ee that
X he will have the honour of appearing in ari entirely
New Entertainment, entitled
THE ELOPEMENT EXTICAORDINA,LY
AND
BACHELOR'S ETK.
at the Polygraphic Hall. King Wi liam-street, Charing-
ero s, on TUESDAY EVENING, March 22.
Doors open at half-pa it 7, commence at 8.

ROYAL
COETENNTG-GLARIDESNII OPERA,
Under the Manarzement of Miss Louisa Fyne and
Mr. W. Harrison.
THIS EVENING, for the Benefit of Mr. Wm. Harrison,
THE ROSE OF CASTILLE : Miss Louisa ryne, Mr. Wm.
Harrison, &e.
After which, THE BEGGAR'S OPERA : Miss Louisa
Fyne, Miss Rebecca Isaacs, and Mr. W. Harrison.
Doors open at half-past Six—Commence at Seven.

THEATRE ROYAL DRUB Y-L NE.
Managers, Messrs. Edmond Falconer and
F. B. Chatterton.
THIS EVENING, the Performances will commence with
MANFRED. Manfred, Mr. Phelps.
OF THE WORLD. S r Perti-
After which, THE MAN
flax, Mr. Phelps.
Prices as usual. Box Office open from 10 till 5 daily.

THE AT RE ROYAL HAYMARKET.-
Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr, Buckstone.
THIS EVENING, THE LITTLE DAISY. Miss Maria
Followed by BUNKUM MULLER. Mr. Sothern.
After which, OUR AMERICAN COUSIN: Messrs.
Bothern, Buckstone, Chippendale, Braid, Gordon, Rogers,
Clark, Cullentord, &c. ; Mesdames Angel, Snowden, Harris,
Lbadley, Hill, &c
A.nd SHOCKING EVENTS. Mr. Compton.
Commence at 7.

ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Under the Sole Management of Mr. Pechter.
BEL DEMONIO (a Triumphant Success) will be repeated
Every Evening during the Week.
THIS EVENING, the performance will commence with a
New and Original Farce, entitled THE LOST CHILD:
Messrs. IL Widdicombe, Shore, Garden, F. Charles Collett,
3lvreland; Misses Percy, Pauline Leclercq, Food, Mrs. Lee,
and Miss E. Lavenu.
A qer which, at Eight o'clock, the 108th Night of BEL
DE MON 10, a Love Story, in Twelve Tableaux, taken from
Stendhal's "Italian Chronicle by Mr. John Brougham.
Principal character by Mr. Pechter, supported by Messrs.
Jordan, Charles, Brougham, Emery, Raymond, Moreland,
Smith, Clifford, Collett, Sims ; Miss Kate Terry, Miss E.
Lavenu, Mrs. Lee,and sites Elsworthy.
The Public are entreated to take notice that No Charge is
Made to the occupants of Boxes, Box-places, or Stalls, either
for play bills or for the safe keeping of hat. and cloaks, and
teat the attendants in all parts of the house are forbidden to
receive any gratuities whatever.
Box-office open daily from 11 to 9. Commence at 7.

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.-
Sole Lesee and Manager, Mr. Geo. Vining.
THIS EVENING, PAUL'S RETURN.
After which, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS. The Two
Dromios, by the Brother 3 Webb.
And JACK'S ARRIVAL FROM CANTON.

ZW THE ATRE-RO YAL, ADELPHI.—
Solo Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster.
THIS EVENING, THE PRETTY lIORSEBILEA.KE R.
air. J. L. Toole and Hiss Woolgar.
AA Eight, LEAH . Miss Bateman, supported by Messrs.
A. Stirling, R. Phillips, Ming-ton, Stuart, Stephenson,
ii.burne ; Miss H. Simms, and Mrs. Billington.
To eouelude with. 6th time, THE AREA BELLE : Messrs.
J. L. Toole, P. Bedford, Romer, Miss Woolgar, and Mrs. H.
Lewis.

Commence at 7.

LEAH.-EVERY NIGHT.
MISS BATE3IAN.

MISS BATEMAN.—LEAH.—Tnis EVENING,
the 139th appearance of the great Tragic Actress, Miss
BATEMAN. in the character of LNAH. In consequence of
the unbounded success with which Miss Bateman's imperso-
nation of the principal character in the new Five Act Drama
of LEAII has been attended. Mr Webster begs to announce
that it will be performed EVERY EVENING until further
notice.

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE.
Manager, Mr. W. H. Swanborough.
THIS EVENING, ON AND OFF.
To be followed by UNLIMITED CONFIDENCE. Mr.
Belford, Mr. Parselle ; Miss Marie Wilton, Miss Thorne.
After which, the Grand Christmas Burlesque, ORPHEUS
ND EURYDICE : Messrs. Honey, Wood, James Fenton,
Mesdames Swanborough, Marie Wilton, Hughes, &C.
Concluding with M ARGAT E SANDS.
Commence at 7.

ROYAL ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. =del the
Management of Mr. B. WEBSTER.
Crowded with rank and fashion. The New Comedy of THE
SILVER LINING every Evening.—Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Mathews, Mrs. Stirling, airs. Frank Matthews, and Mr. J.
L. Toole every evening. The following eminent artistes are
engaged :—Mr. Benjamin Webster. Mr. .1. L. T04.1e, Mr. Paul
Bedford. Mr. Frederic Robinson, Mr. Ashley, and Mr. Cbas.
Mathews ; Mrs. Stirling, Miss Herbert. Mrs. Frank Mat-
thews, Miss A. Cottrell, Miss Fanny Josephs, Miss Went-
worth. Mrs. Howard Paul, Mr. J. Clark, and 3lrs. Charles
Nat:news.
THIS EVENING. and during the Week, at 7 o'c:ock,
UNDER THE ROSE. Mr. Ashley, Miss A. Cottrell, and
Mis 4 Patti Josephs.
At a quarter before 8, the new Comedy, by L. Bucking-
ham. Esq., entitled T tiE SILVER LINT NTO : Mr. Charles
slathews, Mr. Frederic Robinson, Mr. Ashley, Mr, John-
s'one. Mr. Montague ; Mrs. t harles Mathews, Mrs. Frank
Matthews, 3llss Cottrell, Miss Wentworth. and Mrs. Stirling.
To be followed by Mr. Charles Mathews just translated
from the French) in his characteristic character of lin Anglais
Timide, entitled COOL AS A CUCUMBER..
Several novelties are in preparation.

THE LAST THREE NIGHTS.
GRACE EGERTON (Mrs, George Case),
at the POLYGRAPHIC HALL, King William-
street (her THIRD SEASON in London), in her New and
hihly suc2essful Characteristic and Musical Entertainment
entitled "A DRAWING ROOM TO LET." EVERY
EVENING, at Eight.
Saturday Evening, at 8, and positively the last night.
Stalls, 33. ; unreserved seats, 2s. ; area, ls.
Last performance March 12.

lIHE THIRD EDITION OF THE SUN,"
it Containing, the Latest SPORTING INTELLIGENCE,
Dan be had Every Evening, of
G. R. GLENIE, NFAva AGENT,
No. 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park.

COALS.—The LILLESHAL L COMPANY'S
COAL 9.
Direct from their own Collieries.
Marquis'. 265. per ton. I Double.. 2ls. per ton.
Top 255. „ Nut 5........ 19s. „
Deep 22a. „
Well screened and delivered within five miles of their De-
pots, Westbottrue Park-road, W., and 17, South Wharf,
radtlington, W.
nest Coke

Terms cash.
JOHN SCOTT, Sole Agent.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Tsisl DAY.—Morning, 4h. 51m.—Afternoon, sh. 10m,
l'o-xonnow.-31orning, oh. 29m.—Afternoon, sh. 50m.

The Weather—Sun Office, March 12, 1864.

THERMOMETER.
This day at Two o'clock 45
Barometer-30.03.—A rise of half-an-inch since yesterday,
Wind—S.W. ; light breeze, and fine.

-1, . .
4:-..,\544
it

LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1864.

Another breathing time has been allowed to the
Government. The Cabinet is permitted to tide over
the Easter vacation. Immediately the Houses
shall have assembled again after the recess, it is as
plain as a pikestaff, that the Contest of Parties, the
contest so long looming up and so often postponed,
must at length come on in earnest. And the Signs of
the Times as to the result of that contest are but too
apparent. Never have the so-called champions of
Liberalism so systematically fooled away their op-
portunity as our present Administration have done
ever since, now nearly five years ago, they were
inducted into office. They came in, it will be re-
membered, by what billiard-players would call a
flake, by what Sir HUGII CAIRNS, in racy idiomatic
phraseology, bluntly called a dodge. They will go
out as those same billiard players would say " off
the spot," and this, as the penalty not of one dodge
but of a series of dodges—every one of these latter,
unlike the first, signally and disgracefully un-
successful. They came in ostensibly to further
the interests of Reform—but, Reform they,
more effectually than any one else,
more com-
pletely than any one five years since could have
supposed possible, have shut up altogether. They
came in for the inauguration of a rational system
of economy and retrenchment at home—instead of
accomplishing anything of which they have
steadily, during all these four years last past,
maintained a war expenditure in a time of peace.
That' came in to maintain unsullied the fair fame
of Eogland, to preserve Undiminished the mighty
influence or prestige of England in the affairs of
Europe—but, is lieu of realizing either of those

-noble ambitions, they have virtually caused England
to abrogate her influence altogether, they have
rendered the name of England at the Council
Board of the European Powers far worse than a
mere nullity, they have made it an object of
jealousy and suspicion, here and there, even
actually of derision. That each should be
the indisputable results brought about by a
Cabinet presided over by Lord PALMERSTON
appears to this moment a thing almost incredible.
It would have seemed a few years back incom-
prehensible to us that such should ever prove to be
the case, with the Foreign Department placed under
the governance of a statesman like Earl RUSSELL.
But that it should absolutely turn out to be thus not
only with Earl RUSSELL, as her Majesty's Foreign
Secretary, but with Lord PALMERSTON, as Prime
"Minister of Bagland, is, we repeat, a thing just
nearly incredible even now. Still, ineomprehensible,
almost incredible though it is, that the fruits of this
yet surviving Administration of so-called Liberals
should be precisely what we have, point-blank, de-
scribed them as being, is a fact wholly and abso-
lutely undeniable nevertheless. It is so undeniable
that the simple force of the rec'ignition of it has of
itself—without any extraneous effort whatever
'being made to bring about suoh results in the
-way of internal and external penalties—the
;simple force of the recognition of the truth
of its being so has so operated that it has led inside
the House of Commons to a distinct change in the
Balance of Parties, and outside the House of Com •
mons, among the electors, and not simply among
the elected, to the setting in steadily and strongly
.of a positive reactionary movement. Call it what-
lever you like, it is impossible to deny any longer
'the reality and the almost universality through-
out the United Kingdom of that reactionary
movement. But, for something indubitably
of that character we should not have been
witnessing, what we have for some time past
been witnessing, again and again repeated,
the rejection of the Government candidate, and the
triumph of the avowed candidate of the Opposition.
An incident so often repeated, that the small majo■
rity originally appertaining to the Ministerialists,
upon the first formation of Lord PALMERSTON'S
, second Government, has long since faded out alto-
gether, giving place on the contrary to as clear a
majority to the Conservativq Opposition. Daring
the last four sessions, in effect ever since
the transfer o: Power from the Derbyites
to the Palmerstonians;the Opposition has remained
almost wholly apathetic and inactive as an instru-
ment of Party—upon the whole, so inactive, so
apathetic, that the old parrot cry directed against
them in preceding sessions, by way of reproach,
usque ad nauseam has dropped almost entirely out

of parliamentary phraseology, the old monotonous
taunt about a Factious Opposition. Loyal consi-
derations of an affecting earnestness have,
during half of the interval, during two out

of the four sessions last past, led the leaders
of the Conservative Opposition to foregoing
the often very tempting opportunities before them,
the opportunities more than once clearly upon the
cards, for assaulting the position of Ministers, with
every reasonable prospect of worsting them in the
encounter. Those loyal considerations no longer
interfere between the confronting parties, between
her MAJESTY'S Government and her MAJESTY'S
Opposition. Besides which the powers of endu-
rance without the walls of Parliament, the
powers of toleration within the walls of
Parliament have long and long ago been
utterly exhausted. Nothing whatever of any
kind of interest or value is being even attempted by.
the Ministers of the Crown in the matter of our
internal administration—everything that is intoler-
able, vexatious, and:galling to the national spirit is
unhappily being done by them only too sedulously
in regard to the making the already visible and
flagrant confusion of the Foreign Policy of the
country, worse confounded. There is no earthly
consideration inducing us to wish further to retain
in power these do - nothing Reformers, these
meddling and muddling Diplomatists. The
signal for the change that is looked for has
become more and more audible at almost every
hustings to which the electors, whether borough
or county, have for a long while past been summoned.
The assault upon the Treasury Benches can no
longer be delayed. Something in earnest is ex•
petted—not merely by their own party, but by the
country at large, immediately upon the reassem-
bling of the House of Commons after Easter—from
the:resolute Leader and the serried rank-and-file of
the Conservative Opposition.

There appears to be in some quarters a strong
opposition to the Government Annuities Bill, not-
withstanding the forcible arguments urged on its
behalf by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the
evidence which he adduced in support of them
Setting aside interested opposition, however, it is
difficult to see what reasonable ground for cam•
plaint or antagonism can exist. The Government
are not interfering with private business in any
arbitrary manner. They are not suppressing the
existing Friendly Societies or preventing the esta-
blishment of new ones. They are imposing no new
tax upon their incomes, nor are they compelling
them to publish an annual balance-sheet. The
Government insurance department is simply to enter
the field as a fair competitor, possessing the one
great superiority over all others, of possessing un-
limited capital and credit, it is true, but labouring
also under several disadvantages which will enable
more daring or more unfettered rivals often to out-
strip it in the race. Mr. GLADSTONE asked very
reasonably what cause good and sound industrial
societies had to fear the competition of the Govern-
ment,' and proceeded to point out many points in
which the chance of money-making is all in favour
of the private societies. One main feature of the
Government scheme is, that it is to be entirely self-
supporting, since none of its shortcomings can with
any justice or propriety be charged upon the public
revenue. Consequently, while it is proposed to offer
liberal terms to those who are compelled to drop their
policies, for a time, that indulgence mast be charged
for in the premiums. Then, again, the lives of young
persons which form one half of the lives assured by the
industrial societies are excluded by the Government,
who limit their assurances above sixteen years.
The Government, too, will of count:, be enable or
nw g to employ those commission agents who
secure
much
business to this class of company,
ui unwilling in
so
while a still stronger argument in favour of private
insurances with many persons will be the difference
in the investments of capital. The Government
cannot invest their premiums at a higher rate of
interest on the average than 31 per cent., while
private companies, as Mr. GLADSTONE pointed out,
can with safety obtain 4, 41, or even 5 per cent.
This difference of income must, of Course' make a
corresponding difference in the rate of the pre-
miums, and when we remember the many collateral

and incidental advantages which private societies
can offer besides effecting assurances at a cheaper
rate, we shall see that there is no reasonable ground
for anticipating any overwhelming preponderance
of Government influence. The claims of Mr,
GLADOTONE'S echeme to support are not numerous,
but they are powerful. We have alluded to the
favourable terms offered to those who, from illness,
are compelled temporarily
accident, or lona work,