The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-26 00:00:00

Trying it on again at South Kensington,

The Queen of to-day, commenting upon an article which
appeared in the Observer of last Sunday, headed, " The
Brornpton Exhibition Building," remarks,—This to the
cursory observer would, at first sight, appear to be nothing
more than a mere piece of reporter's gossip about the pre-
sent state of those ruins of the monster shed over which
Messrs. Belk and Lucas reign triumphant. Some attempt
was made at gr iphic description, and a word-picture pro-
duced something after the usual " liner" fashion. The
reader is informed that "the whole of the flooring is re!
moved, and here and there tall Weeds raise their heads in
various parts of the grkund, just as they peered up through
the open spaces in the flooring when the Exhibition was in
its full glory, as though anxious to see some of the wonders
beneath which they were buried. The stumps of the trees
which once formed an orchard, are seen in long rows in
the western transept, and they still give forth some
signs of vitality. A few pipes of an organ, which. an exhi-
bitor apparently does not think worthy of removal, lie in
the western gallery. There are some foundations of brick
and concrete, which tell where once stood some heavy trophy
that helped to fill up the nave, and spoil what might otherwise
have been a noble promenade. Huge letters still point to
where the dinners were provided. A few birds chirp and
flutter amid the solitude, and occasionally the silence is
broken by the footsteps of Mr. Mason, who is the guardian
of the building," Marius mourning over the ruins of Car-
thage sinks into insignificance beside Mr. Mason pacing,
with resonant footsteps, about the ruins of the Great Exhi-
bition building. The destination of different parts of the build-
ing is then referred to ; one of the domes is being packed up
to be removed to the Alexandra-park, at Muswell-bill,
and portions of the annexes have already been erected "as
sheds and workshops at tllillwall, the Isle of Dogs, and
other places ;" whilst another portion "has been converted
into a chapel, at Notting hill, for a brother of Mr. Spur-
geon." In addition to this, the agreeable information is
imparted that "Mr. Sandford, the secretary, has returned
to his duties at the Committee of Council en Education;
and Mr. Lindon, the tireless and assiduous assistant secre-
tary, has transferred his services as agent to the firm of
Ruinart and Co., the well-known champagne-growers."
It is not, however, until we come to the very end of the
article that we arrive at its real purpose for (like certain
fabled reptiles) it carries its sting in its tail. " The re-
freshment-rooms," says the writer, in the most un-
concerned tone possible, and quite as if he were merely re.l
minding the reader of something that was perfectly notori-
ous, " which have the frontage in the Horticultural Gar-
dens, are to be fitted up as the museum of natural history,
where Professor Owen will, it is hoped, have sufficient
space to display all the beasts of the field, and the
fowls of the air, and the fish of the sea, which are under
his care at the British Museum.' There now, the cat is
out of the bag. The House of Commons (siding with
every scientific man of mark in the kingdom, save one) has
decisively pronounced against the project for splitting up
the collections of the British Museum. It has been
denounced in the press as a public sin, and the officials of
the Museum themselves are, for the most part, utterly op-
posed to it. When Professor 0 wen's plan for erecting a
great Natural History Museum upon the ruins of the Bri-
tish Museum collections, and under the shelter of the
monster sheds, was first mooted, it was almost universally
scouted by the public, and, in spite of Ministerial influence,
was rejected by a large majority of the House of Commons.
And yet we hear (on the authority of a semi-official paper
like the Observer) that the thing is to be done after all.

Address of the Polish National Government
to the Youth of Poland.

The Klepodleglosc, the official organ of the Polish
National Government, published in its number
which appeared at Warsaw on the 12th inst. the fol-
lowing proclamation to the pupils at the schools :
Young pupils, a new scholastic year is commencing, and
with it will return for you the study which is to endow your
intelligence with fresh knowledge, while it ennobles your
hearts. At the moment when the nation is struggling
against the enemy it is well to remind you of your duty to
the country.

You have imbibed the love of country from your earliest
infancy, and you have carried away from the paternal roof
a knowledge of your duty towards it. We will not repeat,
therefore, what your fathers and mothers have taught you.
Young pupils, you ought to engrave deeply upon your
hearts the words we address to you, for they aro the echo
of the sacred voice of the country which regards you as ita
future citizens and its future defenders.

Just as it is the duty of your elders to defend the country
with arms in their hands, or to deliberate upon public
affairs, so it is your duty, children of Poland, to seek to de-
vote all your strength to the development of your intelli-
gence and the elevation of your hearts.
The soldier who sheds his blood upon the battle-field and
the pupil who studies equally accomplish their duty to•
wards their country.

Children of Poland, remember that in a future genera-
tion you will reap the fruits of the sanguinary work of the
present day. Remember that if your fathers and brothers
fall for Poland, the hour will come fur her to rise again,
and then it will be your turn to serve the country and loth
it the support of your arms.
You will only be able to serve the country well, when
your mind is full of lofty thoughts and your hearts of noble
sentiments. Young pupils, do not forget, too, that the
country disdains its degenerate sons.

Chalren of Poland, better days than those your fathers
have seen await you. You approach a moment in which
the fetters will fall from the hands of the mother country.
Remember you prove yourselves worthy of serving a free
Poland. To your studies, therefore, children of Poland ;
they are your sole duties—your most sacred duties towards
the country."

Foreign Mail Packet List.

MAILS DUE.

Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton ..Oct. W,
is 'Marseilles Oct. 13.
brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. Oct. 6.
Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena Sept. 2S.
China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton Oct. 2.
via Marseilles Sept. 27.

Falkland Islands ** - -
Gibraltar, via Southampton
LONDON GAZETTE—Yeiterday.

FOREIGN-OFFICE, SEPT. 25.
The Queen has been pleased to approve of M. Abel Fre-
deric Gautier as Consul-General in the British Provinces
of North America, to reside at Quebec, for his Majesty the
Emperor of the French.
The Queen has also been pleased to approve of Don
Manuel J0;26 Palacios as Consul-General in the Polynesian
Islands for the Republic of Peru.