The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-15 00:00:00

THE OXFORD MUSIC HALL.

Without closing the doors for a single night Mr.
Morton has succeeded in effecting the entire re-
decoration of this noble hall, which now presents
an appearance of unparalleled splendour. The
gold and colours used in the embellishments have
been most artistically blended, and although in
many instances the use of these materials is rather
too free, the remark does not apply to the
Oxford, which is now ceriainly one of the most
splendid salons in the metropolis, or out of it,
as far as we know. The ceiling is a perfect marvel
of the decorative art, the quaint monogram
of the spirited proprietor being introduced with the
happiest effect. With respect to the entertain-
ments, we have only to repeat what we have
often said before, viz., that they are of first-rate
excellence. Unsworth, the great stump orator, is
as sarcastic and telling as ever, and Eugene is as
coquettish and bewitching. We have to thank Mr.
Morton for introducing to us a genuine and legiti-
mate comio singer, in the person of Mr. A. Lloyd,
for certainly his effusions, more especially his
" Song of Songs," are the most witty and humorous
that have been heard for years. The operatic se-
lections, with Miss Russell as the prima donna,
nightly give unbounded satisfaction to a most nu-
merous audience, whose comfort seems to be the
great aim and object of the enterprising and untir-
ing proprietor.

THE BLIND, DEAF, AND DIIMB.—When the
census was taken there were in England and Wales 19,352
blind persons, and 12,236 deaf and dumb persons.
GOVERNORSHIP OF JAMAICA,—It was reported
at Kingston, Jamaica, at the date of the last accounts, that
the government of the land had been offered to the Duke of
Buckingham, but that he made known his unwillingness to
accept it unless the salary attached to the office were in-
crease
IMd to X 7,000 or £B,OOO per annum.
PROVEMENTS IN PONTOONS.—At Strasbourg
a bridge was, a few days ago, thrown across the
Rhine, at a spot 800 feet wide, and completed in 12 minutes
from the placing of the first pontoon; when General
Lebosuf, the Inspector of Artillery, rode over with his
staff, and exchanged compliments with the commander of
the garrison of Kehl, on the opposite side.
THE COMING EXHIBITION OF STAINED GLASS.
—The Science and Art Department having invited
the leading firms engaged in the production of stained glass
to meet at South Kensington, and explained to their repre-
sentatives the nature of the plan and its means of carrying
it out, that department now proposes to hold the exhibition
in a gallery in the west wing of the South Kensington
Museum, which contains 15 windows, each 11 feet high, by
4 feet 9 inches wide, and could, if necessary, apply the win-
dows of a gallery adjoining that in question to the same
purpose.
THE GREEK FIRE the Americans are now using
against Charleston is not known in this country.
The ancient Greek fire was invented in the 7th century,
when the Arabs besieged Constantinople in 663, by
Calli-
nicus of Heliopolis, who deserted from the Caliph to the
Greeks. Its nature is unknown, although the Baron Cotta
is said to have discovered a MS. in the library of Munich,
containing a formula of its composition. It would almost
seem to have been a kind of gunpowder, or to have had
saltpetre for its basis, as sometimes it was fired, wrapped in
flax on javelins, to set fire to buildings, and at other times
for throwing stone balls from metallic tubes against the
enemy, It was continued in use during the 13th cen-
tury. The American missiles, probably, contain naphtha
or rock-oil.—Loqon

MANHATTAN SKETCH
OF THE NORTH, i, IN NUBIBUS."

A BLACK CLOUD.

It is now doubted whether Gen. Gilmore can do
anything more at Charleston. The gun that pitched
Greek fire into Meeting-street has burst. The other
forts that surround Sumter have not yet been
harmed, and our flag does not float upon Wagner
or Sumter, and Gen. Gilmore has sent on word to
Washington—" Send me 30,000 more men, or I
shall have to raise the attack, and go back to Port
Royal with the remnant of my small force." I
suppose Mr. Lincoln would be very much obliged
to the scientific+ Gilmore if he would raise men as
scientifically as he does breastworks, parallels, and
other engineering things. It will be really mortify-
ing if Gilmore makes a fiasco, and should give the
electoral vote of South Carolina for Lincoln in 1864
at Port Royal, instead of Charleston ; and then to
have Southern fellows in this city crowing over
you, and saying, " How about Charleston ?" as was
the case yesterday. That is what's the matter.
For my part, I will not believe a word of anything
that comes to us from our own side. The lies are
fearful. That is a dark cloud. My private opinion
is that Charleston will not be taken.
A BLACKER CLOUD.

General Meade, like Gilmore, is short of men !
If the former had two millions of men he could whip
Lee, or chase him to the Gulf of Mexico, where he
could volunteer in the French army under General
Forey. Meade is like the Welsh Glendower, who
said, " I can call spirits from the vasty deep," and
we can reply, as Percy did, " Why, so can I, or so
can any man; but will they come when you do call
for them ?" No, sir. There is the trouble. Lincoln
is calling in New York, but few answer. Out of
19,000 drafted, 17,320 have proved themselves
cripples, exempt, aliens, over age, or something
else. They are cleared by hundreds. So it is all
over this State. So it is everywhere. In Ohio
there will be no draft. Reason is, that the State
may be disgusted, and vote for Valiandigham. I
have my doubts whether out of 300,000 Mr. Lincoln
will have over 17,000. Of course he can draw again.
Still, this is a very dark cloud—very black, and
very lowering. It may burst and deluge us. Sup-
pose Lee should pitch in while Meade is in the
situation of a soft crab ? The result would be that
we should lose Washington.