The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-27 00:00:00

AMERICAN NEWS.

LIVERPOOL, MAY 26.
By the United States' msil steam ship Baltic,
Captain Comstock, which arrived in the Mersey
shortly before 8 o'clock this morning, we have ad-
vices from New York to the 15th inst. She brings
75,000 dulls. on frehrht. .

triumph .in the cue of the Great Britain. -This
The screw principle of propulsion has achieved a
vessel 1, fc the Mersey-on the Ist instant, and-not-
withstandiog very unfavourable weather, which ren-
dered her sails- nearly' useless, -she accomplished the
passage in 13 days 4 hours. On the 12th she ran a
distance Of 301 miles in 04 hours—a speed
hitherto
unattained by screw steamers.
Au apparently well informed correspondent of the
New York Herald, writing from Washingtoreon the
13th, tntimates that he had seen a letter
,_from a dia-
tinguishtei gentleeten in Mexich to a friend in that
city, which contained important and interesting infor-
mation at to the relations existing between the United
States and Mexico. It was underst;od'in the)eity of
Mexico ' that President Arista 'had, on the -10th of
April, after the rejection of the Tehuantepec-treaty,
addreeied i'letter to President Fillmore, stating all
the facts of the difficulty as regards the position_.: as-
sumed by Mr. Letcher the Ameeican Minister, who
was informed long before the treaty
was rejected,
by the American Congress that it had no -chance
of being ' ratified—there being but one man in
either 'House of Congress in *favour of it.
But it' was intimated to him . that the Government
was willing to grant the right of way across the
Isthmus of Tehuantepec to the New Orleans Com-
pany, if they would cease to press the Garay grant
claim—a claim which the Mexican people were unani-
mously opposed to, on the ground not only of its ex-
piration, but that it was obtained by bribery, and
conveyed a vast quantity .of land-10 leagues on both
sides of the road---for the purpose of colonisation.
Mr. Letcher wrote to Mr. Benjamin, the President
of the Tehuantepec Company,
requesting him to visit
Mexico and try to arrange the matter, by abandoning
the Garay grant, and accepting a new grant for the
right of way alone. But Mr. Benjamin did not go.
The Tehuantepec treaty was rejected by the Mexican
Congress with but two dissentient, votes. Imme-
diately thereupon Mr. Letcher addressed to
the Mexican Government the ultimatum of the
Government of the United States, which declared
that, the Tehuantepec treaty, recognising the va-
lidity of the Garay grant, trust be confirmed by.
the Mexican Government. No other arrangement
would for a moment be listened to. ' It was under
such circumstances that President Arista addressed
himself directly to President Fillimore. He ac-
knowledged the weakness of Mexico, and the great-
ness of the United States, , and made a touching
appeal to the magnanimity of a great nation not
to force a wrong upon a weak people. He de-
clared there must be some mysterious influence
which induced the United States to endeavour to
force Mexico -to ratify a treaty reviving a defunct
grant. The Government and people of Mexico had
every desire to throw open the Tehuantepec com-
munication, and he instanced the fact that the day
previous to his writing a Bill had been introduced
into the Mexiaan Congress authorising the Govern-
ment, to offer the right of way across the Isthmus to
any company which would build a road; but, as. for
the Garay grant, it would not be recognised, even
if the United States forced upon Mexico the full
extent of the threat contained in the ultimatum—
war. The Herald's correspoedent did not know
whether Arista's letter bad reached the President,
but he supposed not, as the new Mexican Minister
had riot been presented. ' ,
Further details had transpired relative to the con-
tents of Chevalier Hulsemann's note, to the President,
from which it appears that the letter is dated April
28,nnd states that in November and December Mr.
Hulsomann had remonstrated with the Secretary on
account of his communications. -and interviews, and
their subjects, being 'treated with ridicule and derision
in certain public journals of New York and Phila-
delphia. The Secretary's treatment of the Kossuth
affair, and particularly his speech at the Kossuth
Congressional Banquet, had made it the duty of Mr.
Hulsemann to Ascertain whether such sentiments as
the Secretary had made expression of were those of.
the Government of the- United States. The verbal.
CxPlanationa and assurances made to him on these
occasions had been followed by no change
in ,the manner in, which his transactions
with this Government were treated by the pub-
lic press. That, particularly, some articles pub-
lished in New Orleans had recently been the oc-
casion of the Austrian Ministry suffering considerable
unpleasantness and annoyance. Under these cir-
cumstances he considered it his duty to withdraw
from any further relations with the Government,
which could only be continued through the medium
of one who was a promoter of Kossuth and un-
friendly to the Austrian Government ; and there-
fore that Mr. Belmont, Austrian Consul-General at
New York, would hereafter, if occasion required,
be the means asuch communications as the Austrian
Government might have to make. The Chevalier
then thanks the President for his kindness, urbanity,
&c., and asks the secretary to accept assurance of his
high consideration, &c. The letter is said to cover
several pages of foolscap, and to be written in very
ill-humour, The reply is by the acting Secretary, of
.cmmunications as the Austrianect a loan was proposed to be
State, and is dated, m
ay 3d. It acknowledges the
receipt of the Chevalier's letter very briefly, and
merely says that such o
Government may
have occasion to make through Mr.
Belmont will be respectfully received. 1
Among our miscellaneous items we find .that at
1,
Rochester the democrats had ,called a mass meeting,
relative to the enlargement of the Erie Canal, to
ou
effected on the' credit of the State. The Mount
Morris darn which project
Genessee Valley Canal had given
waythe navigation.
and put a stop to It would take
carry
on the
some weeks, and a large amount of money, to repair
the break. A bridge
' built at Darien, Georgia, for
the Panama Railway,
to span the Chagres river, was
about to be shipped to its destination. Considerable
interest had been created by a
decision in the' New
York State COurt of APa
---P e I be which the Canal-
law was declared to be neeo at,
kti
Delegates in favour of •iii ss' ", titutifon
the Presidency
had been elected in Tioga, 1 more or
The Anti-Slavery • count
Society Rochester had passed
some very strong resolution;
at
condemnatory of slavery.
The Louisiana Legislatureh
hadpassed a law pro-
hibiting the emaneipatioe o l a -
Pn
that State, ex-
cept on condition of their beins avesti
out of the United
States. A Bill recently reportedsen in the Maryland
Legislature has a, similar prnv.
A very stringent
Bill against free negroes had
beenion.
reported in the
Virginia Legislature, the
enforcement of which would
drive them cut of the State.
In the New York stockmarket there was an active
demand for the various des s
of
'securities, at
firm prices. There was no incription
.h. -
ment, the present rates of qtury for
specie for s ip
vibe. of butlioh in England- exchange, with
of
the low
tation, unless at a loss to ditaloth. admitting
_ expor-h.
London was quoted at 110 .IS
_ippeir..
pEx.chingeloto
5.17 i; Amsterdam, 4014 to 41 11042,
harts,
356
36: Bremen, 781 to 781. , ; 11 ra urgh, i- to
-tuoney was, more abun-
dant than ever. The
available means of the banks
were on the increase, and
much difficulty was expe-
rienced in employing their heavy balances. Among
the private bankera.'the same State of things existed,
and lower fates ef interest
Were the inevitable result.
nie strictly prime. business Paper there was no diffi-
culty in obtaining money at 4,0 5 per cent., while
loans had been effected as law as e, _
J- For cotton there
had been a good demand, and the upward tendency in
cl. Flour
prices still continue .
..
was still, depressed. For
corn there was a E
E ?f!EIY demand. For tobacco the
demand was qu.iet, without change in prices. Iron
was
littl e firms
offeri Freights were
for shipment. heavy, owing rather
ng
The folleiving is from the New York ilerald:—
'" The screw steam-ship Great
, Britain, Captain Mat-
thews; has arrived from Liverpool.
She left that port
at half-,pest_ nine..9'clock .Oil, Saturday morning, the
Ist inst., and has, therefore, made
the Passage in thir-
teen days and four hours—the shortest on record of
a screw steamer.
brings - - " The' Great Britain
,one hundred and six
Passengers. She was oerrigthaaaily called the "Monster," but she is no larger
fromhn the
Collins steamers.
She is built of iron, and_e a variety of circum-
stances,ha considered a tamous vessel.
may
The following is an extract of
THE LOG OF THE sax AM BRITAIN. '
May I—At 9.10 A.H. lett Wellington dock; at 10.40
stopped to put owners, friends,
e as a
with ncitlot on board steam-
tug; 8, P.M. exchanged slut R. M. steam-ship
and •
barque Argyle slur, a
Africa, passed .• antrum Fine
of no service.
pleasant weather; • sails _
i 1 t 5
.May 2.—WrLa
• d, norther y, a . I 25, long
Lieu, bathe - • 9 20, dis-
tance run 280 miles---e4se g winds throughout;
sails of little service.
A '—
'Vir. to N.E., lat. 51 17
May 3—Winu
calms , long. 15 39,
232 milea—Light winds and__.........__,throughout._ I
May 4—Wind N.B. to".b bww. let 50 45. long 22
17, 252 milese-Most part lightm winds and fine weather.
May s—Wind S.S.W. to vv.b.W., lat. 50 12 long.
27 53, 216 miles—Strong breezes, increasing to heavy
gales, and high cross s, to W., lat 50 ea.
May 6—Wind W.S.iv. 55, long. 32 25,
170 miles—First part strong • gales, latter
part strong
breezes and high seas.
May 7—Wind W. to b 'Ai_.....„._
by
vir
-,let, 49 48, long. 3,
19, 191 milesgoderate gales and squally ; latter part
strong gales.
en-in - a w to N.W., let. 48 53
May 8— , ~long. 40 55,
150 miles—Fresh gales and heavy squalls ; very high
seas.
N May 9—Wind W• • to N.N.W., lat. 46 09, long. 45
38, 254 miles—Strong winds and
_decreasing.
May 10—Wind S.W. to S.W._hy W., lat 45 21, long.
Si 29, 248 miles—Strong winds and hazy ; drizzling
rain.

57 04
May 11--Wind S.W. by W. to N.W., lat. 44 06, long.
268.milea—Strong winds and hazy.

May 12—Wind N.W by W., lat. 42 33, long-62 55,
301 miles—Calm and clear ; ends moderate, with rain.
May 13—Wind S. to E., lat 41 01, long. 68 27, 264
miles—Fresh breezes and gloomy, with fogs,; at 3.45
took pilot on board.
May 14—Wind W. to N., lat. 40 28, long 74 02, 256
miles—Strong winds from the northward ; paned Sandy
hour.at 10 50 A M.—making the passage in 13 days 5i
.

This speaks well for the G. B. It will be seen that
in one day she accomplished the distance of three, hundred
and one miles. The Canada, one of the Cunard line
which has made the shortest run on record to 'Tali:
- fax, sailed from Liverpool on the same day
with the
Great Britain, and therefore must have had pretty much
the same weather; yet size only anticipated the G. B.
seventeen hours and thirty minutes.
ANNEXED ARE TWO SHORT STATEMENTS OF THE VOYAGE.
"On board the steam-ship Great Britain,
" New York, May. 14, 1852
"My dear Sir,—lt affords me great pleasure to inform
you that I have been deputed by my fellow pa sengers
to offer you their sincere congratulations on the very
satisfactory result of the application of your patent scri,w
propeller to the Great Britain steam-ship, en her re=ap-
pearance on the broad waters of the Atlantic.
Our voyage of thirteen days has not only been accom-
plish:A in less time than might have boon anticipated,
when the small proportion of power (500 horses) to the ton-
nage of the ship (3,500 tons) is considered, but it,has Licen
performed hoth in rough and smooth sea with a compa-
rative degree of freedom from that disagreeable vibra-
tion which i.tcso generally complained of in paddle-wheel
steamers.
Individually, I have been a close but quiet observer
of your untaring exertions in the cause of steam-screw
propulsion, and most of the subscribers to this testimo-
nial have heard from your own lips something of
the difficulties and prejudice that you have had to en-
counter in the introduction of your invaluable invention
into the naval and mercantile services of your country,
which I am sure cannot fail to render your present suc-
cess the more gratifying.
" In conclusion, I am to thank you for your ready and
straightforward explanations as to the arrangement and
working of the beautiful machinery with which th© Great
Britain has been fitted by the eminent firm which you
represent on this occasion, and before we part, to wish
you a continuance of the well merited gratification
which you have experienced on this, your first trip to
the United States.

" EDWARD FRANKLIN, Commander, R.N.
"Mr. F. P. Smith, &c., &c., &c.
" On board steam-ship Great Britaile,
New York Harbour, May 14,1852.
" We, the undersigned passengers on board the Great
Britain screw steam-ship, beg to offer our sincere con-
gratulations to you on the very successful termination of
this your first trip, as commander of the largest steam-
ship afloat, and through you to the spirited proprietors,
who have so efficiently restored to Atlantic navigation
one of its finest ornaments.
" Of the performances of the vessel, we feel we cannot
speak too highly. They have been such as we believe
must call for official inquiry from the highest naval
authorities both of England and America, and that the
-great merits of its improved machinery will thereby be
brought under the notice of the public in the most em-
phatic manner.
" We have much pleasure in bearing testimony to
your unceasing vigilance and ability in the command of
your noble ship, and to the very satisfactory conduct of
your officers and crew throughout our passage."
Signed by the whole of the passengers.
" To Captain B. R. Mathews."
HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE GREAT BRITAIN.
(From the Liverpool Courier.)
With regard to the Great Britain, it may be truly'
said that she made and lost a reputation; and that now,
under more favourable auspices, she is recovering her
character again. The early history of the Great Britain
was not unmarked by features of interest. When she
was building at Bristol, she was the observed of all ob-
servers; and even then, in what might be called the in-
cipient state of the vessel, she was the theme of conver-
sation in this and every other civilized country.
On Saturday, the 26th of July, 1845, the Great Bri-
tain took her departure from this port on her first
voyage for New York, with forty-five passengers, and
520 tons of goods. The vessel took the north passage,
and arrived at New York, on the 10th of August at
noon. On her return voyage she left New York on the
30th of August, and arrived at Liverpool on the 15th of
September, at 8 A.m. The Great Britain was gradually
working up her way, and her reputation was established
as a matchless vessel. The race, however, was short. On
Tuesday, the 22d of September, 1846, the Great Britain,
under the command of Lieut. Hosken, R.N., lett Liver-
pool at half-past eleven in the morning, with 185 pas-
sengers, and a crew of 90 hands. The vessel had been
adapted to give her superior speed, and the circum-
stances under which she left this port were of the most
auspicious character. The wind was fair and free, and,
immediately after she discharged the pilot at the North-
west light-ship, the whole of her sails were set, and she
ran at a speed of eleven knots per hour. In duo time
the Calf of Man was sighted, and the vessel continued
her course without deviation, and with a strange infatu-
ation, until half-past nine o'clock at night, when she ran
aground in Dumdrum Bay. The disaster was never suf-
ficiently explained. In Dundrum Bay she remained
during a severe winter, and endured the buffe:ings of the
ocean in a manner which bespoke her qualities. She
was finally released from her awkward position, and was
towed to Liverpool by steamboats, arriving here on the
25th of August, 1847.

" The ill success which had attended the vessel dis-
pirited her owners from further proceedi❑gs, and the
Great Britain Iv in the north docks literally a sheer
hulk.' Her dilapidated appearance was not calculated to
lead to the hope that she Was capable of a❑ything more
than being kept in port as a mornento mori of herself. To
the eye of the sailor, however, and the lover of a fine
ship, there was much to admire under her unsightly
exterior. Her beautiful lines and evident capabilities
were so apparent to the practised eye, that it was felt to
be a pity that she should lie a wreck in pert; and with
these views we have oft times urged that some capitalists
should purchase her, and again place her in that position
she ought to occupy. A peculiar purchaser was evidently
required to do what was necessary. Those who bought
the vessel would require in the first place to effect their
purchase for much less than alio cost origi❑ally, and they
would also require to ba men of capital and enterprise,
to plan and execute new arrangements in the ship. For-
tunately Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, and Co., of this town,
who had formerly acted as agents for the company,
coincided in the opinions just expressed, and became the
owners of the vessel. As soon as the contract was com-
pleted, the new owners set to work with energy to carry
out their views. Three large contracts were immediately
entered into for the principal part of the work required,
and the contractors wrought at the same time with each
other in their different contracts.

" The contract for the iron work and shipwright's
alterations was signed on the 23d of February, 1851,
and the vessel was placed in their hands on the following
day, since which time the work has been proceeding
with as great rapidity as it could safely progress. One
of the first operations of the contractors was to get the
vessel into the Sandon Graving Dock, where she was
placed upon an even keel. As soon as the vessel was
dry in the Graving Dock, the civil engineer struck a
straight line through the entire length of the ship, which
was duly marked, and from this line all the subsequent
workings were carried on. This is mentioned not so
much as to the fact, but as to the results arising from it,
and the consequent accuracy of the work. This accuracy
will be more apparent, when we state that the bed plates
upon which the engines rest were found not to vary the
sixteenth of an inch from a true line. The contract em-
braced the whole of the repairs of the iron work, and
also the shipwright's work. Its magnitude may be
judged of from the fact that they erected a steam engine
to aid the work, and employed 350 men during the time
she lay in the Graving Dock,
" It is not, however, to be supposed that the Great
Britain has undergone any alteration in her Le= ; that
is precisely as it was before. The only alteration as re-
gards the hull is the removal of the rolling plates for-
merly attached to her sides, which were found insuffi-
cient for their object. And whereas she has had for-
merly nothing more than an iron plate about two inches
deep for a keel, she has had an oak keel 17 inches deep
added, and bolted through with iron bolts, this is
covered with zinc, to neutralize the effects of the water,
and to make its surface smooth. The object of this
keel is to prevent rolling, which it is believed it will ac-
complish.
" We have already stated that the vessel will be un-
usually strong, and we are correct in saying that at the
present moment she is twice as strong es ever she was,
au amount of skill having been bestowed upon her fasten-
ings such as we believe has never been known in a ship
before. To give some idea of what has been done we
may Fay that her bottom, amidships, for about 150
feet in length, is entirely new, and wherever there has
been any chafing, new plates of the best iron have
been substituted. To increase the strength of the
ship the floorings have been made- of double instead
of single an iron, as formerly. The bows and
stern of the vessel have been strengthened by
the addition of double angle iron framing,
and this
has again been further secured by three tiers of iron
stringers, two feet three inches wide and five-eights of
an inch thick, riveted to the frame-work at right-angles.
There have been ten new iron kelsons p thelacen the e
shiphip,,
running fore and aft for the entire length of
half as deep again as those formerly in her; and there
re box kelsons to support the engines, made of one and
a a
quarter inch plate iron, and three feet six inches deep.
And not only have the owners made the vessel stronger
than she was, but they have arranged all matters of de-
tail in such a superior manner that she will now be able
to carry a much larger cargo than before—probably to
the extent of 1,000 tons additional. This capacity will
be gained partly through the space saved by new boilers,
and partly through the construction of a deck-house,
300 feet long, and 7 feet 6 inches high. The deck-
house will be used for passengers, and will thus make
the lower cabin available for cargo. New bulwarks have
also been erected around the ship, at an elevation of four
feet six inches aove those she previousl had, and these
will be of further use in protecting the deck-house in
severe weather, whilst the roof of the house will form a
promenade 300 feet long, and perfectly protected from
any seas the vessel may ship.
The dimensions of the Great Britain now are as
follow
Length over all .330 feet.
Beam 51 feet 6 inches.
Depth from promenade deck, 40 feet 10i inches.
Capacity for cargo, about ............3,000 tons.
Ditto for coals 1 200 tons.
_ - -

An alteration has been made in the masts cf the
ship, the number being reduced to four instead of five, as
she formerly had; but this in no wise affects her sailing
power, as she will be able to spread 6,000 square yards
of canvass. Two of her lower masts, we should say, are
iron cylinders, especially constructed with a view to giv.
jug them lightness and strength. The two centre masts

ztre rigged es in a ship, carrying sails us high as ' royals,'
and the first and I.e,L, masts r.),re rigged with fore and att
sails, as in a schooner.

'rho cabins of the vessel are cernmedious and ele-
gant. The cabins of the captain and chief officer are
upon deck, and have been so arranged that they entirely
overlook the operations of the ship.
• " Tae next, and one of the most important considera-
tions in the vessel, is her motive power. The old engines
were nominally of 1,600-horse power, but it is a tines-
tioa if they ever worked over 500-horse power; the new
' engines, on the other baud, are nominally of 500-horse
power, but there is er-ny reason to hope that they will
Work up to 600-horse power. The Great Britain has
been fitted with a peir of oscillating engines, by John
Penn and Son, engineers, Greenwich, and are of the
collective power of 500 horses. The cylinders are 82}
inches in diameter, and six feet length of stroke, and,
by the intervention of cog wheels, the screw shaft
sankes three revolutions to one of the engine. The
screw ce fan has three arms or blades, and is fifteen
feet six inches diameter and nineteen feet pitch. Tnere
are-six either of which can be usedindepend-
ently of the other if necessary. About seven hundred
tons of coal can be stowed in the bunkers in the engine
room, and provision has been made to take—Geo-at-
-500 tons in other parts of the vessel—in all more than
enough to take the ship to-New York and back. The
engines are of the most beautiful workmanship, and do
credit to their constructors. To lessen the vibration
formerly experienced from the motion of the screw and
machinery, eight new wrou2ht iron beams have been
placed transversely through'the vessel, which lock her
Bides firmly together. The bases on which the machi-
nery rests are much stronger than formerly, and she has
further been strengthened 'by the addition of massive
iron entablature beams to the engines, which again are
buttressed by a framing of teakwood,' each piece being
20 inches deep and 3 feet wide, running on each side of
the engines, transversely and diagonally, to the sides of
the ship (the distance in- which this solid timber extends
being 17feet 6 inches on each side of the engines), and
the whole of this framing being bolted together, and
through the sides of the ship, by wrought iron bolts, so
as to form a solid mass of timber."

EVENING ENTERTAINMENTS FOR
THE PEOPLE.
(From Eliza Cook's Journal.)
An exceedingly praiseworthy scheme of public lectures
for working men has recently been set on foot in con-
nexion with the Museum of Practical Geology, where
the directors and professors of the Government School
of Mines have undertaken to deliver a series of Penny
Lectures on special subjects in science and art.
We remember very well when Mr. Simpson, the
Edinburgh advocate, got up a Working Man's Institu-
tion in that city, for the delivery of a course of lectures,
the admission to which was a Penny, that a very loud
guffaw of laughter was raised thereat. Such phrases as
"penny wisdom," " a little learning is a dangerous
thing," " penny philDsophers," and such like, were very
much in vogue then, as applied to Mr. Simpson and his
lectures.

It was certainly a startling innovation! The idea of
bringing the lore of colleges, the wisdom of philosophers,
the speculations of savans, the scientific knowledge of
great practical thinkers, within the reach of working
men, for the small price of a penny a lecture:
But the laugh is now on the other side. We have
now learned to smile at much that formerly went by the
designation of " wisdom of our ancestors." There may
have been " great giants in those days;" but we have
advantages which they did not enjoy. The giants may
have seen far; but we, who sit upon the giant's
shoulders, see still farther than they do. We have the
advantage bath of their knowledge and of our own too.
The power of the Penny has only been discovered of
late years. The Penny Magazine, and the Penny Cy-
clormdia, fairly inaugurated the discovery. Penny lec-
tures are the necessary corollary from it; and before
long the Penny Newspaper may fairly complete it.
It is true, the special lectures on practical science, now
being delivered at the Museum of Practical Geology,
are not designated as Penny Lectures, though in reality
they are so. Six lectures in all are to be delivered—
the first on Glass, by Dr. Lyon Playfair; the second, on
" The reason why Fossils are collected and exhibited,"
by Professor Forbes; the third, on " Photography and
its applications," by Robert Hunt; the fourth, " An
Explanation of Geological Maps," by Professor Ram-
say; the fifth, on " The occurrence of Metals in Na-
ture," by Professor Smythe; and the sixth and last, on
" Iron,' by Dr. Percy. In announcing the lectures, a
register was opened, in which the occupation of etch
artizan who applied for admission to the course of lec-
tures was enrolled; and he then paid sixpence for regis-
tration, vb hich entitled him to admission to the six lec-
tures. It is gratifying to be able to state that the de-
mands of working men for admission to the course were
far greater than it was possible to grant; and the disap-
pointment of those who were too late in their applica-
tion induced th© professors to announce a repetition of
the course for their accommodation.

It will be observed that these lectures are of a very
special character, being calculated to impart accurate
scientific instruction on several branches of trade in
which a considerable number of artizsns are more im-
mediately interested. In fact, the object is educational,
practical, and definite. The lectures are such as might
have been delivered from a professor's chair in any of
the universities. The lecturers are all first-rate men of
their class; and they have no other end in view but to
improve the scientific culture of the artizan class. This
object is very admirable, and the lectures, as a whole,
are calculated to prove of great value to working men,
not merely to the actual extent that they may impart
knowledge, but by putting them into the way of work-
ing out knowledge for themselves, and informing them
as to the methods by which a true scientific culture is to
bo attained.

There are, however, many large classes of artisans
and operatives who have no such interest in special
scientific subjects, but for whom the cheap lecture sys-
tem might be adopted with equally great advantage.
The present lectures at Mechanics' Institutes are, for
the most part, of too cursory a character. Their object
is rather to provide an agreeable stimulus for an even-
ing than to direct a man's mind towards higher culture.
Now, we do not see why evening lectures, of as high an
order as these delivered at our colleges, should not be
offered to the working people at a low rate. We can
imagine how instructive a course of lectures—for exam-
ple, on English History--might be made to such an
audience. And to hold the attention of a thousand
auditors or more, and send them away full of their sub-
ject, with their patriotism roused, their political views
enlarged, and their knowledge extended, is really a
worthy object of ambition for any public man. In the
same manner, courses of lectures on English Literature
might' be delivered on a systematic plan, and in a man-
ner that would be calculated to rivet the attention of
even the most unlettered audience.
It might be objected that unlettered men have no de-
sire to cultivate letters, and would turn aside from such
lectures. But this is a great mistake. Working men
are every day becoming more and more disposed to re-
cognise and look up to the guidance of cultivated minds.
Those who read newspapers and periodicals—and the
number of such is daily increasing—unconsciously ad-
mire thinkers and writers, who are now almost their
only recognised aristocracy. You also find that work-
ing men especially look up to those of their own class
who have acquired some degree of literary culture, and,
in fact, the adulation of their fellows is, not unfrequently,
the bane of self-educated men, and precociously inflates
them with a sense of their self-importance, which proves
injurious to their further intellectual growth and deve-
lopment.
As a sufficient proof that the taste of working men
for literary culture is growing, we need only refer to
the courses of lectures, on purely literary and historical
subjects, which snch men as Thomas Cooper and
Henry Vincent have recently been delivering, through-
outu.
the country, to audiences of wodrouibg
not that
these have proved attractive, .
superior
excellence by
For, depend
highest culture, would prove still more so. .
lectures of a similar kind, delivered men of the
peinrcelvesti
sustainedargum argument,
excellence in any forra,—in literature, . history,
upon it, the popular mind is quick to
politics. We have seen audiences of operatives and ar-
tisans
delivered efollow
such a
r menain ofa s _closel
lue h u edemonstrativek,
such a tumult of applause as showed that they had stration, the quorl erat demonstrandum,
fol-
lowed the argument, and individually shared in the tri-
umph of its demonstrative conclusion.
There is still another series of public evening enter-
tainments which might be offered to working men at a
low price; and which, wo firmlych, believe, would r
the most attractive, though, l3 ove
probably, not the most
instructive, of all. We allude to public readings
Lest authors. We have often from the
wished that public
lecturers, instead of laying before
progenY, should introduce to us their own feeble
us the undying
of the great departed. The chief works
here, is that of selection, and gift wanted
man who can read well, give
us
goodthe utterance. Let a
Poems, or the best of Byron's, or the
bestbest of Campbell's
and we venture to say that he will excite of
Tennyson'',
plea-
sure in the minds of his audience thanif a greater
us an entirely original " lecture" of la. he ware to give
those poets. What can be more interesting,ls own on any of
than Fanny Kemble's Readings ? And for instance,
gent readings merely. Apply the they are intelli-
exhibition of our best prose writings, or
power S the
and equally delightful affects
ngs, or our best poetry,
produced. would certainly be
A series of lectures, or readings,
was tried in Paris in 1850, of this character,
entirely composed of the 1 the audience being
though they have, we !ibouring classes; and
believe been since sup-
pressed by the iron rule of Louis Napoleon (who smelt
" socialism" or something
was, on the whole, of an
else in them), their success
character; and doubtless they" exceedingly gratifwy2
will be revived again
Paris is at liberty to take its once art in
and social culture. These once active Parsolinverea by
readings were a
men of literary distinctio • of the city;
n, in different p
and the following are entertainmentparts
which they offered to their
of the
.e_:t
their respective sum DC
the Charlemagne L
es= M. Just Olivier occupied one
evening in reading I ,es from J. J.
severe. eloquent rg ,
Rousseau, follow School
,for
Husbands. by two acts of Mohere s
Husbands. lie offered the least possible criticism on the
Pth'sEges, but by reciting them with gusto, left them to
make their can impression. At the same time, suffi-
cient explanation was given to put the audience in a
proper position for appreciating and understending the
true beauties of the extracts. Then, again, at the Pa-
lais Royal (in the Nemours Vestibule), Dr. Lernsout
read, with fine emphasis, and amidst great applause,
The Two Sons-in-law. But M. Emile Souvestre, one of
the most distinguished poets of France, was by far the
most successful in his readings. One of these was ?he
Battle of the Franks, from Chateaubriand'a " Martyrs; '
previous to which he put his auditors in the proper
point of view by a few brief and graphic explanations.
The reading of the paaspge from Chateaubriand spoke
for itself.

The readings of Emile
-83'aveatrtrItrere chiefly gleeit
;I at the Conservatoire de Musique, situated iu the
Faubourg Poissoniere. The place ,is not far from the
Clos Lezeee,,evhereeteuie
,of the hardest fighting
occurred during the late revolution; and, doubtless,
many of the shaggy, wild-looking fellows, who formed
the bulk of his audiences, • had been combatants
I during the struggle. Yet, by the softening influence
of literature, the poet was enabled, for .the time, to
I tame, and mollify. and humanize these men. One of
his readings was from the Memoirs .of Madame de la
j Rochejaquelin, descriptive of the horrors of civil war in
La Vendee, which he selected for the purpose of dis-
gusting his auditors with such monstrous scenes. The
effect produced by this lecture was very great. But in
the extracts which he afterwards read trim Michelet,
descriptive of the battles of Agincourt, Poiotiers, and
Cressy, the patriotic feelings of the audience kw emed to
be frightfully shocked, and murmurs arose among them.
At the reading which i'cllo*ed, he explained that he did
cot seek to probe the old wounds of his cr,untr ; that
I the misfortunes of their common mother .were Lot her
shame; but he had not come there to hailer patriotism,
only to enlighten it. His explanation was riceived with
great applause.
The readings which excited the grentestintereat were
the historical and dramatic. The reading of XI icholet's
chapters, descriptive of the history of Juan of Arc,
produced an immense effect, .and also the reading of
Maire and Corneille'. pieces.. SLveral tales were also
read, of which those extracted from Cr.tteaubriand and
Bernardin de Saint Pierre wernenest successful. Strange
to say, the songs of Beranger fell Comparatively fiat upon
the audience—for those need to be enter.. The rafthin,
or chorus, so happy when chanted, 4-becomes almost
freezing when recited.
.;
Another wide field of entertainment for such evening
aojece,s, is to be found in the biographies of cele-
brated men, sprung from the people themselves, end
who, by their industry and energy. nave carved fur
themselves a name deep in the world's core. The life)
of Benjamin Feankliu is a capital instance of this sort
of subject. And we speak from experience when we
say, tnat no lectures, or readings, are listened so with
deeper interest than those which deal with the strug-
gles and achievements, the fortunes and histories of dis-
tinguished men. There, of course, needs considerable
eompre.,sion in handling such subjects ; but by giving
the salient points in a great man's life, the lecturer or
ilnegctuiriref,rrtmo
aintitornodcuoenen
reader will rarely fail to produce a powerful effece At
the same time, biographies, if well managed, enable the
Such are the evenaeiengreatre-
commendevening
herat dell onefmhueisnsetftosurlynaonefdw theios iutledt
mest -a
va ant in the And there is nothing extra-
g plan. It can at once be tried in any town
or district.

ST. JAYIES'S THEATRE.
Mr. Mitchell's benefit last evening was patronised by
one of the most fashionable and crowded houses
ever
collected within the walls of the theatre in King-street.
This brilliant attendance was a tributejustly due to the
extraordinary and successful exertions of Mr. Mitchell,
in producing the elite of the modern French school, in a
style never previously approached in this country. The
performances, which were under the specild patronage of
her Majesty the Queen, consisted of Scribe's Yelva, and
two new vaudevilles, Le Piano de Berthe, and Un Ser.
vice a Blanchard. A new artist, M. Tony Blonde],
made his first appearance here last night, and must be
pronounced a meritorious acquisition.

The Queen's box was occupied by her Royal Highness
the Duchess of Kent, her Royal Highness the Duchess of
Cambridge, the Princess Mary, attended by Lady 6uf-
field, Lady Fanny Howard, Colonel Seymour, and Sir G.
Cooper. There were also present the Belgian Minister
and Madame Van de Weyer, the Duke and Duchess of
Beaufort, the Duchess of Sutherland, the Earl and
Countess of Grovesnor, the Marchioness of Westmins-
ter, the Sardinian Minister. the Marquis and Mar-
chioness of Worcester, the Marquis of Aylesbury, the
Marchioness of Downsbire, the Marquis of Normanby,
the Countess of Lichfield, the Countess of Waldegrave,
the Esrl and Countess of Stamford and Warrington,
the Earl end Countess of Shelburne, the Comtesse de
Flahault, Earl Bruce, Countess of Buckinghamshire,
Lord Bolingbroke, Lady W. Russell, Viscount Cannitr,g,
Lori Harry Vane, Lady Frederick Beauclerc, Lady
Jodrell, Sir William Abdy, Mr. and Mrs. Montefiore,
the Hon. Edward Ellice, Colonel Tierney, Mr. Agar
Ellis, Mr. Augustus Oom, Mr. Milner Gibioa, Mr. and
Mrs. John Sanford, Mr. and Mrs. Augustus Craven,
Mr. H. Viilebois, Mrs. Garwood, Mr. henry Baring,
Mr. and Mrs. Tunno, Mrs. Amer, Mr. W. Rose, Captain
Sartoris, Mr. Kenneth Macaulay, Colonel Haygarth.

LONDON SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY,

.EXETER- HALL.
This society gave an extra performance last night of
Haydn's Creation, and notwithstanding the inclemency
of the weather, the Derby, Vauxhall-gardens, &c., the
Hall was exceedingly well filled. The oratorio was
given in the society's usual admirable manner, and al-
though we could particularise many passages of the music
which were really finely executed, it is almost unnees-
sary to do so, where all was so excellent. The solo
artists were the same as on former occasions, viz.. Ma-
dames Birch and Fridel, and Messrs. Lawler and
Lockey, all of whom were in good voice. Mr. Sunman
conducted, and was very warmly received on making his
appearance in the orchestra.

VAUXHALL-GARDENS.
As an ancient and well recognised wind'-'up to the
sports of the Derby Day, the .1“yal Property eons-
menced its season by a Bal Masque on the usual scale
of splendour. In spite of the ungenial state of the
weather, the company was unusually numerous, and the
proportion of masques as great as we ever remember
having seen it. The crowd was of the usual description;
crusaders, Choctaw Indians, Highland chiefs, Spanish
cavaliers, flower girls, court dames, and debardours, all
mingled together on the. most amicable footing, and
everything passed off with the greatest order and hila-
rity. Considerable additions and improvcw&nts have
been made in the gardens since last year—the circus has
been abolished, and the ring, floored over, forms a large
and elegant ball-room, which for the future will enable
the dancers to set the weather at defiance; two or three
additional supper-rooms have been added, and the lights
and the music—the two great ingredients in the attrac-
tions of such a plsce of amusement—:.re even on a more
liberal scale than ever. We believe that, as consider-
able disappointment was anticipate' from the wet
weather of yesterday, the lessee, Mr. Wardell, has an-
nounced a second Bal Masque for Friday.

MAYNOOTH AND THE COUNT-OUT.
ilouron attention the
to Maynooth
the facts of
As an impudent attempt has been made by the Go-
vernment journals to saddle the Opposition with the
dreesbpaotne:iibtilmityayt
wtbeell tcooucnat
the case. In the first place, it was at Mr. Gladstone's
instance that the debate was enabled to come on at all.
House, s en,
oat:::
(cthheoeurght the Minister."
t w
as
Minister."
Secondly, the debate being adjourned from six o'clock
to eight, it was the business of the Government to
make the House. Canning has defined the du.
the Secretary of the Treasury to be 4. t dudes of
o make a
Now, riot only did the "Protestant
Govern-
ment" ,
Govern-
' tioned in the course of the debate men
morn-
ing that there was likely to be a difficulty in the not keep
maake
but it is a remarkable fact, that not on the subject),
the Administration was present a tingle member of
counted out. We leave Mr. when the House was
business it was to make the HForbes Mackenzie, ;whose
M'Neile at Liverpool why he °llse, to explain to Dr.
And no doubt Mr.
for the accident of his Napier will have some apology ready
to render to absence at so interesting a mo-
ment, Trinity C
miss in the list of Members present
Dublin. We also
New degate. The mbers present the name of Mr.
Governme t marked absence of any member of the
Government which
the obstinate professed to court the inquiry, and
Disraeli, to refusal of that eminent Protestant, Mr.
give up a day discussion,are a suffi-
cient proof that for the
the " count-out" was a dodge cf the
Treasury Bauch, and that their Protestantism is as
much a sham
4% their Protection.—Chronicle.

in The Sun
THE DEA.TEL ----
on Friday last that
OF THE HON. J. C. TALBOT, Q.C.—
The death of this lion. and Learned Gentleman was announced
Ir. Talbot was engaged in the active prosecution of his pro-
of yesterday. It was only
fessional duties, but it is feared that a too energetic applies-
tion to them superinduced the sudden event. On Friday
week the Learned Gentleman was occupied for several hours
in addressing the Committee in one of his usually powerful
appeals, in favour of the proposed line of the Oxford. Wor-
cester, and Wolverhampton Railway, from Oxford to Brent-
ford, from the effects of which he felt much prostrated, but
rallied sufficiently to attend the Committees last week,
though he had discontinued doing so for the last few days.
The Honourable Gentleman, who was in his forty-eighth
year, died at Brighton on Tuesday evening, and since 1836
was one of the leading and most affluent members of the bar.
The last brief he held, in the case above, was endorsed with
300 guineas. It is said to be the intention of the Parliamao-
tary bar to go into mourning for his memory. The causal of
death was ascribed to water on the chest. Mr. Talbot, 4110
was called to the bar in 1829, and
belonged to the Oxford
circuit, was a bencher of the Middle Temple, Recorder of
Windsor, and Attorney-General to his Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales, as well as a member of the Council of the
Duchy of Cornwall. Ile was a son of the late Earl Talbot,
and brother to the present peer. lie married a daughter of
the late Lord Wharncliffe, and leaves an amiable young
family to regret his loss.
A CLOCK TOWER IN THE eirr.--A very interest-
ing ceremony took place on Tuesday by laying the founda-
tion-stone of what is a complete novelty—a clock tower in
the city of London. The site is in the new street from
London-bridge to St. Paul's, and the historical recollections
of the place and its vicinity are unusually interesting.
The site is that on which the old church of St. Martin's,
St. Martin's-lane, formerly stood. The church was de-
stroyed during the Great Fire of London, but the tower
was saved, and stood until it was reelently pulled down
in consequence of the City improvements. FrorN the
period at which the church was destroyed a chapel wag
erected for the use of French Protestants, but Divine ser-
vice has not been performed therein f©r nearly 40 years.
The churchyard adjoining contains the aglaes of many
eminent foreigners, but, the graveyard having been covered
over with plain flag stones, no monumental record has been
Preserved. The parish of St. Martin Ungar h •
of St. Mary Fag, having been
joined with that . . cheap, the parishioners
determined on re-erecting the tower, and at
so a rectory
house, preserving the old clock and bell.
Tie latter bears
the inscription, " Made by one Thomas Barton, 1670."
The Rev. William Johnson, the rector laid the foundation
stone of the new tower, in the _
of the parisioners, and beneath presence of a great dumber
the stone was placed` a re-
cord of the original foundation and subsequent demolition
of the church. The remains ed were care-
r of those interred
fully preserved and . • ti of St.
rs.nterred in the burial-ground
Mar -i
y, Eastcheap.
UNIVE, T .ITY .../iTELLIGENCE.---OXFORD, MAT 26.
The Regius Professor of Divinity proposes to begin a course
of public lectures on Thursday, the 3d of June, at one
o'clock, at Christ Church. These lectures are intended for
students of divinity who have poled their examination AM
• the degree of B.A.