The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-11 00:00:00

she St. Petersburg and Warsaw Railway. The driver of a

train saw on the line before him a large fire ; the train was
stepped, when a quantity of burning logs were found to
have been placed between the rails. They were removed by
the guard and engine-driver, and the train proceeded on its
journey, but on arriving at its destination the discovery
was made that two goods waggons had been detached from
the end of the train during the stoppage. They were after-
wards found, but entirely plundered of their contents.
A SHILLING'S WORTH IN LONDON.—It has been
said—and I am inclined to believe it—that if any one were
to take an empty room and invite a pleasure-seeking public
to the contemplation of its bare walls, the speculation would
be a paying one, provided only that the price of admission
was fixed at one shilling. It would be a problem not without
some interest to the metaphysician to determine the causes
which have led to the adoption of this particular sum as the
almost universal equivalent for modern amusement of every
kind. Why should a poor, half-starved, half-stupefied, bark-
ing seal command exactly the same price, for instance, as the
incalculable treasures of the World's Fancy Fair ? On
what mercantile principles does an enterprise, whose cost
is reckoned by hundreds of thousands, rely for its success
upon the identical sum as that which is calculated to pay
for the weekly hire of a small back room ? Why, in
short, should neither the quality nor the cost of the en-
tertainment offered affect in the slightest degree the price
demanded or the readiness with which it is paid ? It
is not so in other matters. If I wish to buy my wife a
gown, I am painfully sensible of the difference in
cost between cotton and silk. If, after a hard day's
work, I indulge myself in the brief elysium of
nicotine, I at once realise the pecuniary distinction between
the aristocratic regalia and the " shag" or " bird's-eye" of
humble life. But if for once in a way we sally forth to-
gether for a day or a night of "popular" amusement, I find
that quality is no longer an element for consideration. From
comic songs to science; from Leotard to light literature;
from Coruhill to Cremorne ; from the high art of South
Kensington or Trafalgar-square to the high rope of the
Crystal Palace or Highbury Barn, the price is still the same
and when once we have made up our mind to expend each
our shilling, the world seems all before us where we choose.
Once a Week.
The Cardinal Archbishop of Lyons has presented
to the new Catholic cathedral of Geneva a handsome stained
glass windpw. The composition of the subject is divided
into two parts. Cardinal de Bonald is represented on the
Light, of natural size, under the eagis of St. Louis, King of
France, one of the patrons of the cardinal. On the left is
St. Maurice, the second patron of his Eminence. At the
upper part, over the heads of those personages, are angels
supporting the armorial bearings of the donor.
THREATS FOR THROATS.—" Neck or nothing !"
as the ticket-of-Leave said when he garroted his victim.--
Fun.

OUR MEN OF WAR OF OLD.—There is some-
thing about the build of these old three-deckers that looks
more majestic than even larger ships of a later build—the
" tumbling-in" of their sides gives a proud, defiant look to
them which we miss in the straighter sides of newer
models. Compare them, for instance, with the Duke of
Wellington, or the Victoria and Albert, the three
leviathans riding at anchor higher up the harbour ;
each of these fine ships is at least a third larger
than Nelson's old ship, but to our eye they do not
make such a proud appearance when viewed from a dis-
tance. These latter ships are the last efforts of a bygone
age; the paint is scarcely dry upon their sides; the masts
of the two latter have, if we mistake not, never been
shipped, yet they are as completely things of the past
as the Royal Harry. Their large bulk, instead of
being a source of strength to them, is a cause of weak-
ness. A single shell pit 'hed into their hulls from a
mimic gunboat by an Armstrong at a mile's distance
would as effectually demolish them as Goliath was
demolished by the smooth stone from David's sling. What
will they do with these bulky toys, just completed at a cost
of a quarter of a million each ? Is it their fate to be cut
down to the water's edge, like the Royal Sovereign ? We
fear so, for they will never ride the waters like a thing of
life again in their present form.—Once a Week.
EAST INDIA COMPANY.—A general court of
proprietors was held yesterday at the office of the company,
Lothbury, Colonel W. H. Sykes, M.P., in the chair. The
minutes of the last court having been read and confirmed,
the Secretary read the financial report, exhibiting the state
of the Security Fund on the Ist of June last, from which it
appeared that the total amount invested at that date was
£5,581,647, at a cost of £5,110,043, consisting of £756,420,
in the Three per Cent. Consols, and £4,825,227 in the Three
per Cent. Reduced. The sum of £26,750 stood at the bank
as dividend. There had since been invested £13,301. The
chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, said ho
had much pleasure in informing the proprietors that their
new office was now furnished with all books, papers, and
documents necessary for the use of the proprietors gene-
rally. After being buffeted about for some time he trusted
they had now got a permanent habitation. *.l'he report was
then adopted, and after some discussion the proceedings
concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman.
A SKETCH NEAR PORTSMOUTH.—Let us pass by
the steam ferry over to the Gosport side, in order to inspect
the gunboat ship. If anything in England can be like
China, we should say that the country in the neighbour-
hood of the Government establishments very much re-
sembles it. There are salt-water swamps in any number,
with creeks running through oozy mud banks, and across
a small inlet of the sea a bridge, which rises at a pitch that
reminds us of the bridge on the "willow-pattern" plate.—
Once a Week.
CHANGE OF FASHIONS.--" More than 60 millions
of dollars have been given in private bounties since the war
began, of which sum, it is thought, one-third, or 20 mil-
lions, may safely be said to have been contributed by mem-
bers of evangelical congregations." So writes the Western
(American) Christian Advocate, and Cincinnati Inquirer,
quoting the statement, adds that this is more than the whole
amount given to the missionary -cause during the last 30
years, but that the truth is that fashions have ()hanged.
"Peace on earth, and goodwill towards mon" is about
played out, and the lofty arches of heaven now ring with
" We're coming, Father Abraham."

If a new apostle were to appear, "he would be discovered
in a black coat and white ' choker,' mounted in a pulpit,
and haranguing his audience, not of righteousness, tempe-
rance, and a judgment to come, but on the great wickedness
of the Democratic party, telling them that the nation needs
a bloody baptism, and that destruction to political unbe-
lievers is obedience to God."
The fortifications that girdle round our naval
treasures, like everything else at Portsmouth, are ren-
dered useless by the long ranges of our modern artillery.
Of old the only means by which our arsenal could be
reached was by way of the deep channel inside
the spit and close alongshore ; this passage was
sufficiently guarded by the outer forts; but now that a
hostile fleet can anchor three miles off and plump
down shell out of their reach, the whole existing line of
fortifications is rendered useless. Hence an outer range of
forts is rising out to seaward; we see the piles driven for
ocean forts in the various spits of sand, and along the crest
of Porticlown Hill the deep chalk cuttings show the pro-
gress made in covering the dockyard in the roar. The
question may naturally be asked, why go to such an expense
to defend stores that could much more securely be moved
to an arsenal in the interior P but this, we know, is darngk a
er-
ous ground to tread upon, and we have no wish to is
collision with our reader, or with the powers that
are .
Once a Neck,