The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-27 00:00:00

Music Hall, Store-Street,

Lost evening a very excellent concert was given at the
Music Hall, Store-street, Bedford-square, in aid of the new
Italian Church, Hatton-wall. We believe nearly the whole
of the artistes, amongst whom were Miss Poole, Miss Herne,
Madame Andrea, Miss Leffler, Miss Ward, and Mr. Swift,
gave their gratuitous services, and with such talent at com-
mand; it was no wonder the programme was highly attrac-
tive. The concert commenced with the performance of a
grand march by the Italian band, and this was succeeded
by the charming glee, " Here in cool grot," by Miss Hersee,
Miss Leffler, Mr. Swift, and M. Do Fontanier. Madame
Andrea gave Sloper's scena " Joan of Arc in prison" with
great effect; there was a depth of feeling and pathos
throughout the rendering that produced the most marked
effect, and elicited universal applause. This lady also gave
us a pretty little song, "My dear Irish boy," with the
utmost sweetness, and from the applause that followed, it
may be reckoned as one of the gems of the concert.
Our queen of ballad singers, Miss Poole, delighted the
audience with her quaint old ditties, "The Bailiff's Daugh-
ter" and "Barney O'Hea ;" and Miss Leffler also made a
great impression by the admirable manner in which she
sang " Savourneen Deelish." "The Death of Nelson"
was well given by Mr. Swift, and Miss E. Ward is entitled
to great praise for the admirable manner in which she
played her two solos on the pianoforte. There were various
other pieces of music performed both vocal and instrumental,
but space prevents us noticing them further than by saying
they were all well executed, and elicited great applause.
Signor Rande,gger and Mr. Osborne Williams were the
conductors of the concert, and it is but justice to say that
they performed their duties to the entire satisfaction of per-
hapsne o •
of the most crowded audiences that ever assembled
in the Store-street Music Hall.

Despatch of Earl Russell to the Federal Diet,

The following is a re-translation of the official
German text of Earl Russell's second note to Sir
Alexander Mallet :

Sir,—You will be good enough to represent to the Pre-
sident of the Federal Diet that her Majesty's Government
have reason to believe that the answer which Denmark will
give the Diet will show her willingness to modify the
patent of the 30th March in the sense of the resolution of
the Federal Diet of March, 1860 ; that is to say, by making
the patent in question provisional until the definite position
of Holstein with regard to Germany has been settled. In
this manner the Estates of Holstein will retain their consti-
tutional privileges, as recognised by the royal patent. But
should this take place, Denmark hopes to obtain an ad-
journment of the Federal execution.
" You will represent to the President of the Federal
Diet, that Federal execution, even supposing it to remain
strictly limited to Holstein, could not take place without
increasing already existing difficulties. It is very likely
that the Danish Government would make reprisal and
institute a blockade very injurious to German commerce.
Such measures would cause as much bitterness in Ger-
many as would the Federal execution in Denmark. The
dispute would then become embittered, claims for damages
would arise on both sides, and new difficulties stand
in the way of a peaceful settlement. Should the war
then extend to Schleswig and Jutland it would
have to be remembered that Austria and Prussia,as well as
Great Britain and France, are bound by the treaty of 1852
to respect the integrity and independence of Denmark.
This obligation would of coarse be fulfilled, but might
bring about fresh complications at Frankfort.
" Her Majesty's Government full recognises the claims
of the Diet in Holstein and Lauenburg, but is of opinion
that if the demands of the Diet were limited to the German
Duchies, they might be satisfied without Federal execution,
end without exposure to the dangers attendant upon such
an extreme measure.

"You are requested to give a copy of this despatch to the
President of the Federal Diet."

INCREASE OF BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES,—Another
addition has been made to these useful institutions
by the establishment of an Auctioneers' Benevolent Fund,
to assist those who, from want of success, or adverse in-
fluences, have become reduced in circumstances. At a
recent meeting held at the auction mart of the most in-
fluential of the London firms, resolutions were agreed to
and a fund forthwith raised, amounting to £551 Ss., and
annual subscriptions of £9O 16s. &l. towards this deserving
project. It is somewhat strange, whilst almost every other
profession or trade is represented in the numerous chari-
table societies of the metropolis, such a body as the London
auctioneers should have been content hitherto to leave to
personal benevolence that aid which is much more readily
administered by a society. The result of this meeting was
so satisfactory that there is every promise of a great success
to this benevolent object.

AN ATROCIOUS YOUNG CRIMINAL.--On Saturday,
at the Wigan police-office, William Metchinson, a
powerfully built lad of 16, was brought before Mr. J. Meek
charged with no less than three diabolical outrages, and
attempted outrages upon women. From the statement
made to ''he magistrate it appeared that on the previous
Monday a Mrs. Cunliffe, the wife of a farmer residing
in the borough of Wigan, was passing through the Haigh
plantations when she was followed by the prisoner, who
attempted to assault her, but she escaped from him and
took refuge in a house a short distance away. On the day
following a young woman of 2.5, named M‘Whinney, was
passing the fishpond in the plantation when the prisoner ap-
prc ached her, and, throwing her to the ground, attempted
to violate her. She struggled with him some time, and at
length succeeded in extricating herself from his clutches.
lutormation of these attacks having been given to the p ,lice
they were, of course, on the look-out, but nothing was seen
of the prisoner till Friday, when a person answering his
description was noticed by a son of Mrs. Cunliffe, and
followed into Wigan, and the/0 apprehended by a police-
constable, Ho was taken to the station and there identified
by the woman. While this was going on in the office,
another woman appeared to prefer a more serious charge—
one of rape—which had been committed on a short time
previously, also in the Haigh-park, and on being placed
before several young men, among whom was Metchinson,
she at once identified him as the offender. The name of the
complainant was Costellow. She resided at Gathurst, and
was aged abaft 20. She stated that, hearing a gentleman
in Haigh wanted a servant, she was proceeding to his house
through the park, when she saw Metchinson, and asked him
the way. He proffered to show her; but, instead of taking
her to the place, he led her to a deserted part of the planta-
tion, and there endeavoured to violate her. She struggled
some time, and screamed for help, when the young mis-
creant, drawing a knife from his pocket, threatened to stab
her, and then, while fearful of murder and exhausted with
her struggles, he effected his purpose. Afterwards he
searched the pockets of his victim, and robbed her of 6d. in
copper—all the money she possessed. The spot where this
occurred was pointed out to the police, and it was found to
be near o group of almshouses, the inmates of which, it was
learnt on inquiry, had heard the screams of the complainant.
Having also heard of the previous assault, the old people
were in great terror till they knew that the young criminal
was in custody. As the offences were committed in Haigh
the prisoner was handed over to the county police. We
imprisonedle arnthat
forheh aassoinmliylarjucrsitmleof._t gaol,iverpool
where he had been
ACCIDENT ON THE HEREFORD AND NEWPORT
SECTION OF THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.
On Friday afternoon, as a London and North- Western
train was proceeding as usual from Hereford to
Newport
from some cause it left the rails between the Train Inn
and St. Devereux stations, put happily without any
personal injury, except the breaking of the guard's van.
As soon as Mr. Brown, the guard in charge of the train,
felt that something was wrong, he went to apply his
break, but whilst in the act, a large coupling chain, sus-
pended from a part of the van, struck him as it swung to
and fro with the movements of the van on the rough road,
and broke it, Although of course the whole of the pas-
sengers were violently shaken, none of them, fortunately,
sustained any serious injury. The traffic was impeded
for several hours, but a large posse of labourers cleared
the line in time for the passing of the last passenger train
from Worcester to Newpore-3irea4ham Tot._
AN AGED CLERGYMAN.--The Rev. Joseph
Stephenson, who is supposed to have been the oldest
member of the University of Cambridge, died last week.
He was educated at St. John's College, and graduated in
1791, three years previously to the late Lord Lyndhurst.
In 1802 he was presented to the rectory of Selworthy, near
Minehead, Somerset, and held it up to the day of his death.
The benefice, which is worth £3lO a year, is in the gift of
Sir T.,1). Arland.

THE BUDGET of TURKEY.--A long balance-sheet
of the finances of the Turkish Empire has been
published. The sources of revenue are divided into five
classes, viz.: 1, direct taxes; 2, indirect taxes ; 3, postal
service, crown lands, and the profits of Imperial Printing.
office; 4, rent of Government farms, salt 'monopoly, mines,
tax on land sales, forests, &c. ; 5, Egyptian, Wallachian,
Moldavian, Servian, &C., tribute. The expenditure is dis-
tributed under the heads of foreign debt, home debt, and
cost of administration. The result is as follows :—Total
receipts, 3,010,539 purses, 335 piastres, equal to £13,684,271.
Total expenditure, 2,969,004 purses, 492 piastres, equal to
£13,495,477. Surplus, 41,534 purses, 343 piastres, equal
to £183,794,