The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-08 00:00:00

RA IL WAYS.

Cash. Account.
Orleans -
Northern ....
New. ditto
Lyons and Mediterranean 1050 .. 1050 —•
Geneva 496 25 .. 495
Southern
Western
Eastern ....
Sardinian .. 430 .. 435
Austrian
Lan. bard
North of Spain
Saragossa 675 .. 675
Ditto to Barcelona

THE GALWAY PACKET SERVICE.--A telegram
has been receive' announcing that the Hibernia, the first
steamer of the Royal Atlantic Mail Company, which left
Galway on the 18th ult., had arrived safely at St. John's on
the 26th. The first voyage has not been in point of time as
satisfactory as might have been expected, or as under ordi-
nary circumstances would be required. By the stringent
terms of the contract the passage should have been made in
six days instead of eight, We think, however, there is an
adequate explanation of the delay in the terrific hurricane
whi_th is reported to have raged in the Atlantic. The Great
Eastern, which sailed from Cork at the same time, experi-
enced the force of it. A brig in the United States service
was totally lost, with all hands, except one man; and
several other disasters occurred on the American coast.—
Dublin _Express.
THE NEW ROUTE TO WALES.—The Brietol and
South Wales Union Railway is to be opened this (Tuesday)
morning. The grestei n Daily Press observes that it might
have been opened 11 days ago but for the delay needlessly
interposed by the Board of Trade. Of course some people
will suppose the delay has enabled the inspector to see the

line again and pronounce it safe for the public to travel
upon. This is a mistake. The inspector has not been near
it again, he is absent in Scotland; but en Saturday the
secretary (Mr. Bruton) was favoured with a telegram, to

the effect that he had advised the Board of Trade to "re-
open " the line without further inspection. It is a pity it
should have required 11 days to arrive at this conclusion.
COLLISION AND Loss OF LIFE IN THE CHANNEL.
During the heavy squall of wind and rain on Sun-
day evening, a collision happened a few miles off Dunge-
ness, which resulted in the foundering of the barque Elvira,
Captain Haus, and the loss of several of the crew. The
barque was on a voyage from Jamaica with a mixed cargo of
rum, sugar, and logwood, and was bound to Hamburg. She
put into Plymouth on Saturday for orders, and resumed her
voyage the same evening. As she was making her way up
Channel, the wind blowing strong from the N.W., with
heavy rain, she was run into by the Ocean King steamer,
and she sustained such fearful injury that she sank. The
second mate, named Green, a seaman named Holman, an
apprentice, and another person, are reported to have pe-
rished. The steamer is stated to have bean much damaged.
MENDELSOHN'S OVERTURE TO " MELUSINA",--
A week ago I had a great treat. I had got the
proofs of my rondos in E sharp from Leipsic, and, not
liking to print them without at least one rehearsal, I in-
vited the combined musical talent of the place to try them
with me. As they would have been offended by an offer of
payment, I gave them a supper of roast veal and bread and
butter, and made them tipsy to their heart's content, This,
however, was not the treat, but the success of my overture
to " Melusina," which was then played for the first time.
The performers were no great things—yet I had more en-
joyment than from many a perfect representation, and
came home in the evening in a more cheerful mood than I
had done for many a day. We played it three times ; and,
the last time, the trumpets followed up the ultimate dying
strains with a flourish that produced a most ridiculous
effect. It was capital, too, when we sat at table, and some-
body made a long speech with elordium and everything
complete, and ended with my health, and the trumpeters
and drummers leapt up as though possessed, and rushed
to their instruments for another flourish, and I delivered
a masculine oration, for all the world like Sir Robert Peel,
wherein I recommended unity and Christian love, and
keeping time, and concluded with a toast to the everlasting
weal of the music of Dusseldorf Then they swore
it had been the happiest evening of their lives, then quar-
relled a little, by way of demonstrating the power of my
eloquence; then the sober part of the company (Schirmer
and I, to wit) interposed and made peace; finally, we
'parted about midnight—they rejoicing at the wine, and I
at " Melusina." Next morning at six I was on horseback,
on my way to Seam. Two merry days.--Mencleisows
Correspondence.
ENFORCEMENT OF PENALTIES FOR SUNDAY HAY-
MAKING.—A scene, which caused considerable ex-
citement and indignation, was witnessed at Leigh, on
Friday last. Mr. Superintendent Orton, the informant and
prosecutor of a number of farmers and their neighbours for
haymaking on a Sunday, proceeded to execute warrants of
distress against five of the defendants who had been con-
vioted. Mr. Orton was accompanied by a large body of police,
collected from various parts of the Warrington division.
Their first visit was.to Messrs. Cleworth's farm, near the
Leigh Vicarage. Mr. Orton stated that his demand was
£2 Gs., being 235. for penalty and costs, against AI essre.
Peter and John Clewoith. A valuable cow was taken
possession of by the police, and driven away. The police
then proceeded with the bailiff's cart to Mr. Joseph Ole-
worth's, in Thritelshawgate, whence they obtained a sofa for
their booty. After safely lodging it in the Town Hall,
they proceeded to the residence of Joseph Batteraby, in
Back Lane, Westleigh, and demanded £1 3s. The house
and premises bore evident signs of poverty, and Batteraby's
wife promptly informed the officers that they had much
more need to bring her something than take anything from
her. Her persuasions were successful, and Mr. Superin-
tendent Orton withdrew his men, The police then proceeded
to Mr. Robert Howarth's house, near Westleigh Mill. Mr.
Orton produced the distress warrant for £1 35., but the
defendant declined to pay; whereupon Mr. Orton seized
a handsome chest of drawers, which were removed by the
police. We may state that, although a considerable number
of people were present at the seizure, yet the utmost order
was. preserved by all. At the same time a strong feeling of
indignation was universally manifest. A subscription has
been commenced for the purpose of assisting the defendants
to test the validity of the oonviotione.

ALHAMBRA PALACE.

--.^-

Last evening Signor Nicosia, a violinist of consi-
derable continental reputation, made his first ap-
pearance in England at this splendid eetablis:2ment.
The pieces selected for the display of his rare abili-
ties in the first part of his performance, were a se-
lection from "11 Trovatore," and a fantastic kind of
polka, the latter, of course, being his own composi-
tion. The first piece, however, was the great effort of
the evening, and fully established his claim to rank
amongst the greatest violinists of the day. The
tones he produced from his instrument, were deli-
ciously clear and powerful, the lower notes more
particularly so; and n the plaintive air enng
by Manrico in the last act, he fair!y
enchanted his audience by his masterly and facile
execution. The great charm of Signor Nicosia's
playing is, that he accomplishes everything he at-
tempts with the greatest precision and correctness
of intonation, and during the whole of his perform-
ance, which extended over a considerable portion of
the evening, not a single false note was heard. In
the polka, or, rather, we should say, the sensation
piece, he eatecuted several novel movements in the
neatest manner imaginable, and, of course, elicited
the most enthusiastic applause. As a second part
he gave a selection from "Lucia," performed a la
Paganini, viz., on the fourth string, and in this he
was as successful as in his preceding pieces. lie also
played a new arrangement of the "Carnival of
Venice, in which he introduced the harmonics
with extraordinary effect, which brought the per-
formance to a most triumphant conclusion. We
most cordially congratulate Mr. Wilde upon the en-
gagement of this talented artiste, and from the vo-
ciferous applause his playing elicited, it must have
demonstrated to the spirited proprietor of the
Alhambra, that crowded and delighted audiences
can be attracted without the assistance of perfor-
mers on the traptza To the brilliant attractions
of the Fairy Fountain, a pretty ballet company has
been added, and various other pleasing addaions
have been made to the entertainments which now
render the Alhambra one of the most entertaining
places of amusement in the metropolis.