The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-23 00:00:00

THE EXHIBITION of ALUMINIUM and I miralty. All very well, certainly, in its way,
ALUMINIUM BRONZE. lif it lead to anything—this infusion of
29000* SPECIMENS, illustrating the appli-
cation (Ornamental and Useful) of these in- net' blood, as it is called, into our en-
. -estlnn- Metals, ARE NOW ON VIEW feebled Administration. Only, unfortunately, it
22, REGENT never does ! So that the consolation brought to
the advanced liberals, to the practical reformers, to
the political independents, in and out of the House
of Commons, ends precisely where it begins—is
simply summed up in the bare announcement of the
not very interesting fact, intrinsically, that Mr.
JAMES STANSFELD, M.P. for the borough of Hali-
fax, will take the post of Junior Lord of the Admi-
ralty, lately vacated by the Marquess of HAR-

MA PM N BROTHERS' NEW ROOMS,
SPREE

&Omission Iv Card.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.-
ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE WEEK.

1' I/ IS EVENING (Thursday), April 23 Subscription Night),
Debut of Madame Therese Ehinger, as MaffeoOrsini.
LITCREZIA BORGIA.
cters by Nidile. Titlens, Madame Therese
Signori Gassier, Sold', ['hal,ll, Bossi, Bertacchi,

Principal Ch
Eli

Ca a b'oni

Conductor, Shmor ARDITI.
ri,h the New Ball,t, L FARFALETTA.
Saturday Next, LUCIA DI L A 3IME RMOOR. New Ballet.
Doors open at half-past Seven. The Opera will commence
at Eight o'clock precisely.

T c 7.ncluct

TIN GTON.

. ,
Priced :—Stails, One Guinea ; Reserved Box seats, Ha7f-a-
Guinea ; Pit Ticket.,, Bs. rd.; Gallery tails, 53. and 7s. ;
G. ilery, 28. 6:1. ; Private Boxes, in the Gallery Cis die, to

The intelligence brought by the City of Cork
leaves the fate of war still undecided and the belli-
gerents in much the same relative position, neither
Iside having gained a decided advantage. It is re-
: parted, as it has been reported many times before,
1 that the bombardment of Fort Sumter, by the
I Federal fleet has commenced. On Monday, the 61h
Einst., the attack is said to have begun, and the
Southern journals of the Bth state, in confir-
oration of this intelligence, that the Federal gun-
boats and transports had crossed Charleston Bar
and had anchored; while the Confederate iron•clads
lay between the forts waiting the attack. The
Federal land forces, meanwhile, were waiting to see
how their naval brethren fared before they lent
their aid. Possibly they share the very doubtful
views of Federal success which are current in this
country, especially where "Greek meets Greek" on
the waters. NEPTUNE is decidedly unpropitious
to the Federals, and in spite of the vast advantages
with which they started, they have seen a formid-
able fleet spring up against them, and many of their
own vessels have been captured ; while the exploits
of the daring Sculiern privateers have been the
terror of their commerce. And all this has occurred
while they profess to maintain a blockade!

three per:

•
Notice. it will ht. necessary for Mos., partio s who intend
visiting the Reserved B x Seats (at lcs. ed. each), to attend
in Evenin, Costume.

---- -----
Boxes, Stalls, and Tickets may be had at the Box-office of
the Theatre (und-r the Colonnade in the Haymar, et', which
is open daily, under the superintendenceof Mr. Nugent. from
Ten till Sis ; and at all the principal Libraries and Music-
sellers.

11 HE AT R E-R YAL, I) itURY- LANE.-
Lessee and Manager, Mr. Fdrnund Falconer.

I4'. r the Benefit of Miss Lydia Thompson

TUTS EVENING, April 23, for the 36.2 d tame in London,
PEEP O'DAY. 3ie4-re. Henry Lorraine, Welter Lacy, C.
Verner, Addiso3, J. Graham. G. Spencer, &c.;
Misses Cleveland, tiara Weston, M. Hudson, &c. •
- • • ---

To conclude rith MAGIC TOYS. Valentine, Miss Lydia
Thompson.

COTlllnell at

AT ft

HAI MARKET.

We learn by the City of York that the Confede-
rates have succeeded in capturing another war
steamer, the Diana, which started on a reconnoiter-
ing expedition in the Atchafalaeza River, was
stopyed by some Confederate masked batteries at
Petersonville, and surrendered after a sharp en-
gagement. The position of General Foster, in
Washington, North Carolina, appears to be very
precarious. The Confederates under General Hill
have surrounded the town, mustering 10,000
strong, while General Foster's forces are only from
2,000 to 4,000. The Confederates have cut off his
communications with Newburn,by erecting a battery
five miles below Washington, which commands the
channel which separates it from Newbern. The
besieged General sent for reinforcements, and
several gunboats started from Newbern, bat were
unable to pass the batteries. A steamer from
Beaufort also attempted to come to his relief, but
the guns of the opposing battery compelled her to
retreat. General HILL has notified his intention of
shelling the city, and the next mail will probably
bring us tidings that the town is in the hands of the
Confederates. Meanwhile hostilities are threaten-
ing in another quarter, according to Southern
despatches, which tell us that the Federals,
15,000 strong, are advancing on Columbia, Ten-
nessee, where a battle is imminent. If the report
of the attack on Charleston be correct, all other
intelligence is comparatively without interest, for
it has long been recognised on both sides of the
Atlantic that Vicksburg and Charleston are the
key-stones of the arch of victory, and that on
their fate rests mainly the fate of the Northern
cause. Should they fall, the South might pos-
sibly recover from the blow—nay, might even
gather strength from fury, but the pretensions of
the Northerners must hopelessly collapse should
they prove incapable bf reducing these strongholds.
The wavering adhesion of the North-west provinces
to the Federal cause depends on the navigation of the
Mississippi. Strong symptoms of an inclination to
join the Confederate side have already shown them-
selves, and as, in spite of the canal device: which
the Federals are again in desperation resorting to,
the hopelessness of the attack is becoming more and
more evident, President LINCOLN may soon cease
to reckon these important provinces among his sup-
porters. That the Federals fully realise the impor-
tance of gaining possession of Vicksburg, is shown
by the desperate expedients they have resorted to.
The failure of the canal has not prevented them
from making another attempt beyond the range of
the Confederate batteries, probably with similar re-
sults. Admiral PORTER has entirely failed in his
attempt to reach the Yazoo by way of the creeks
which it was conjectured led into it. His official
report tells us how, during eight days, he worked
his way up 70 miles and back again, receiving
his final check within 800 yards of the point he
desired to reach. It certainly appears surprising
that he should have taken a whole fleet of gunboats
up the river without first ascertaining whether it
was navigable up to the necessary point. He may
think himself fortunate that he succeeded in safely
accomplishing the latter half of the old woman's
journey. He tells us that "many planters mani-
fested affection for the Federal flag, and the negroes
were unanimous in devotion to it." It is to be hoped
that Admiral PORTER considers the value of these
two striking pieces of information sufficient to com-
pensate him for the failure of his expedition.
But while the eagerness of the Federals to obtain
the navigation of the Mississippi is unquestionable,
their anxiety to reduce Charleston is probably even
greater, and of the strength and bitterness of that
feeling none are more cognisant than the Southerners
themselves. The capture of Fort Sumter by the
Confederates has never been forgiven, and its con-
tinued occupation by the armies of the South has
been a standing reproach to Federal arms. The
disaffection to the supremacy of the North long held
its headquarters in that city before it became the
scene of the Second Declaration of Independence.
The famous " stone fleet" by which. Federal
animosity sought to block up the finest
harbour of the South has not prevented the
issue of the Confederate vessels that swept
away the blockading squadron for a time at
[net. The Sarah know well ;what they have to
expect from Northern mercy. The scenes of New
Orleans will never be re-enacted with their consent
Gen. BUTLER has proved more strength to his foes
than to his friends, not only in the universal feel-
ing of Europe, but in the sense be has given them
that they are fighting to the death. It has often
been remarked as a curious circumstance in the
longest and most disastrous civil war on record,
that it began and ended on the same spot. What
if the coincidence should recur, and Fort Sumter
should prove to be alike the opening of the drama
and the last scene before the falling of the curtain ?

PRINCESS'S

. _
cgs s. Linda_ and Vining

Mr. GLADSTONE seems to think it incumbent
on him, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, to do
his utmost to render his office as opprobrious as
possible to the people of this country. For many
years has he strenuously upheld those portions of
the Income Tax which pressed most heavily on
those least able to bear them. In vain, however,
were the claims of those who had precarious in-
comes set forth ; nothing could move the iron will
of the skilled financier. Also, Re have had to
bear the burden of an augmented tax for so long,
that the day of deliverance seemed not likely to
coma at all. Now, when at last some important
red:lc:Lion is made, and the politicians of both