The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-27 00:00:00

EMPEROR, hoWever pacific his own inclinations, will
find it a hard matter to restrain his people under

INTELLIGENCE.

the affront. In dealing with two military nations
like France and America diplomatists are playing
with edged tools. The one has an army first dis-
banded and reduced from the excitement and
fascination of a military life to the homely routine
of ordinary occupations ; and the other is never
found wanting where the spoils of the camp and the
baton of the marshal are to be won at the sword's
point. It is true that neither of them possess those
sinews of war which we are accustomed to think
it dispensable to a vigorous campaign, but both
I nations have learned how to dispense with them
when once thoroughly roused. The crisis is a
serious one, since it concerns not only the immediate
destinies of Mexico, but, by its result, may affect
two far greater nations and influence the future
fortunes of this generation alike in the Old and New
World.

As time passes on the dispute between Spain and
Chili assumes more and more serious proportions.
The remonstrances of the neutral Powers have pro-
duced no effect upon the Cabinet of Madrid ; and
indeed it was not likely they would do so unless
they had been accompanied by plain intimations
that England and France would not suffer the con-
tinuance of the blockade. Such a conviction
would have brought Spain to terms ; but as it is,
thanks to the extremity to which the doctrine of
non-intervention is pushed in these days, and the
well known terror with which the English Ministry
regard anything approaching to active measures, it is
not very likely that the Spanish Government will
consent to reconsider the situation, or to abate their
extravagant demands. Chili is meanwhile equally
resolute, and her Foreign Minister has issued a
circular, in which he declares to all friendly nations
the irrevocable determination of his Government
not to abandan the war until it shall have received
from Spain ample reparation and solid guarantees
for the future safety and repose of the independent
republics of South America. Chili has thus come
forward as the champion of the whole of the repub-
lics; and certainly, after the affair with Peru and
the present unwarrantable aggression, there would
be an end of all confidence and public security in

the Republics unless some distinct understanding
were arrived at. The Chilian Minister, in the cir-
cular referred to, declares that if Chili is forced to
carry on the war without allies she will still do so
with confidence and resolution ; and, in fact,
such an alternative is very unlikely. Eng-
land, indeed, may be too timorous or too dilatory
to come to her assistance, but America has no such
scruples. Prompt and vigorous action may be
looked for on the part of the United States, and it
is not thought improbable by those well acquainted
with the state of affairs that Spain may have to pay
the penalty of her outrageous aggression by the
forfeiture of Cuba to the United States, in which
case the slave trade would receive a death-blow.
Such a consummation would be very little to be

regretted ; but, in any case, it is to be hoped that
before very long Spain may be forced to abandon
an aggression which has in fact been only founded
on the right of the strongest. English interests
are sufficiently strong in Chili to make the strug-
gle one of very great importance to our commercial
circles, and the general public will watch with
eagerness the issue of a contest in which a small
state has stood so gallantly forward, even though,
thanks to the new theories of our modern poli-
ticians, they find it impossible to give their sympa-
thies any actual expression.

The late King of the Belgians.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sra,—The death of the King of the Belgians, who, to the
generation which is now well nigh passed away, was bet-
ter known as Prince Leopold, is the final extinguisher to
what was 48 years ago looked upon by the nation at large
as the death, not of one individual, but the decease of a
race. All readers of history are full well aware (for those
who were alive at the time, and can recollect the fact, are
now fast passing away and becoming few in number, it
being wellnigh half a century ago) that on the 6th of No-
vember, 1817, the Princess Charlotte and her child were
on one and the same day consigned to the tomb, by which
sad and melancholy event the line of the virtually reigning
monarch (George IV. being at that time Prince Regent)
was put out and entirely at an end. The disconsolate
widower alone (of what had been looked upon little more
than a year and a half previously as a long and happy
union) survived, as did the unhappy parents of the la-
mented Princess. The hopes of the Coburg family
were entirely at an end, and blasted as regards establish-
ing themselves and their descendants upon the English
throne. It is true George 111. and Queen Charlotte had a
numerous family living, but not one of them had any
children who could succeed to the British Throne. By a
most singular interposition of Divine providence, as it would
to many appear, one of the unmarried sons of George 111.
married a widowed sister of Prince Leopold, who gave
birth to an only daughter, which said only daughter, as
we all know, in the course of a few short years (historically
speaking) succeeded to the Throne of Great Britain, and,
within a short time after her accession, married the nephew
of the once popular Prince Leopold, now become King of
the Belgians. A youthful family shortly succeeded, and
thus the hopes of the Coburg family towards establishing
themselves on the Throne of England, which in 1817
seemed to be completely blasted, and atan end in 1840, and
in 1841 were re-established and resuscitated. Her most
gracious Majesty, Queen Victoria, has numerous descend-
ants, both of children and grandchildren, and little are the
chances of what appeared in 1817, as not at all a remote
and improbable contingency, i.e., ever taking place now,
as far all human foresight can go, the whole royal line
being entirely put out.
The chances of Hanover being reunited to the British
dominions are slight indeed, but here a most important
question is forced upon us, I mean the utility or non-utility
of that most pernicious and obnoxious measure commonly
called the Royal Marriage Act. How really cruel and un-
just it appears that not only are the descendants of the
Queen unable to marry without her Majesty's consent, but
neither the King of Hanover, nor any of his descendants,
either on account of their being next in succession to the
crown of England, in the event of the entire line of Queen
Victoria coming to an end—it must be owned happily a
remote and most improbable contingency.
How perfectly monstrous does it not appear that the
king of a foreign kingdom, like the King of Hanover,
should be unable to contract matrimony without the con-
sent of the English monarch. Their chances towards the
English throne are even more remote still. Then, too,
there is the family of the late Duke of Cambridge, consist-
ing, as we all know, of the present Duke of Cambridge, his
sister, the Princess Mary, and their other sister, the
Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (the children of the last-
named lady were of course emancipited by one of the clauses
in the said Royal Marriage Act, which accepts the issue of
a princess married into a foreign family), when the last-
named lady married now more than 20 years ago, she was
obliged to obtain the consent of her Majesty signified un
der the Great Seal and declared in Council.
Now, Sir, surely this is an abuse which, in the liberal
and enlightened days we live, requires revision and amend-
ment. Her Majesty seems most desirous that all her daugh-
ters shall marry early in life, unlike the family of George the
Third, who did not marry until they were far advanced,
and then made unfortunate, and by no means happy, mar-
riages, as is too often the case where women marry late in
life. And no doubt Her Majesty, judging by the early mar-
riage of the Prince of Wales, is equally anxious for her
sons to enter early in lifo into the connubial state. Now
familyi enriae
lseosl to
vs
h Et
taski heneh g reignithat
weren as bo f
a wed George
Ilawremember
emassuming such to be the fact, why should Her Majesty be
desirous to perpetuate an act which is, in itself, a standing
disgrace
mene
entailed tmuh
be ee Third hird ? It would be
an
theatyueopuon
s
r et
mht troubles
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on a
and
I.elaveduingfuarticle writtenra.gladi:istitutuhetoafowrhesicahidfßewoyoaf uswould
l Marriage
four years ago. Not to bo allowed to choose our
,:
submit with calmness and resignation. -What, then, is to
t about
he thought of au enactment which forbids people to select
their own partners for life. Princes and Princesses do
know who they are, and if left to themselves will not
select husbands and wives from those to whom it would be
a disgrace for them to intermarry with. I trust, if we are
to have a reformed Parliament, one of the first results of it
will be a bill, for the total repeal of this, together with
many other obnoxious, antiquated, and bygone Acts of
Parliament.--I am, sir, your faithful servant,
A LOVER OF HISTORICAL DATES AND FACTS.

837 50

LAW COSTS AGAINST THE CROWN.—Under an Act
of Parliament which will take effect on Monday next it is
provided that in any action or suit the Commissioners of
the Admiralty shall be liable and entitled to pay or receive
coots according to the ordinary law and practice relative to
coats.

THE SUN, LONDON, VVEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 27, 18b5.

CHRISTMAS AMUSEMENTS.

DRURY LANE.
Another great triumph is the result of the exer-
tions of Messrs. Falconer and Chatterton for the

gratification and entertainment of the Christmas
holiday makers of 1865. Again has Mr. Blanchard
given to Old Drury, the " head centre " of true
English pantomime, an entertainment, entitled

" Little King Pippin, or Harlequin Fortunatus

and the Nagle Purse and Wishing Cap," which
will, if we do not greatly mistake, eclipse in its

successful career all his former triumphs, brilliant
as they have been. Never have we seen a more
crowded, enthusiastic, and good-humoured audience

than that assembled within the splendid theatre—

stalls, boxes, pit, and galleries were all filled to
overflowing, and Old Father Christmas, had he
even waved his magic branch of shining holly,

could not have found accommodation for another
visitor without extending the four walls of

the classic building. The rush at the opening of
each of the doors was something terrific, even to

look at. Yet so eager were her Majesty's lieges to
gain admission that in less than ten minutes every
vacant seat was occupied, and hundreds who had

gone through the toil and excitement had to receive

their money back and seek another place of enter-
tainment. The opening farce, as usual on such
occasions, was mere dumb show, but it allowed a
few more persons to partake of the fun at Christmas
tide, as the ladies and gentlemen engaged in its
performance had a rare opportunity of contemplat-
ing a Christmas audience in all its glory, a circum-
stance, judging by their smiles, which affordedthem
the greatest pleasure. The first piece over, the
overture commenced for the pantomime, and
here again we had another " sensation," as
nearly all the popular ditties of the day were woven
together for the purpose of giving a fitting welcome
to the pantomime, and each one in its turn was
vocally illustrated by the hilarious and jolly occu-

pants of the upper regions with such hearty good
will that an encore was only prevented by the rapid

rising of the curtain. The first scene is the Temple
of Mammon (Mr. H. Drayton), where the votaries

of the ruler over riches aro making sacrifices to pro-

pitiate his favour. Fortune (Miss E. Falconer)
solicits an inexhaustible purse for one of her favou-
rites to try the question whether money can ensure

perfect happiness, and Fancy (Miss Hazlewood) is
to name the individual who is to be the subject of this
interesting experiment. To the Haunt of Fancy,
which is on the summit of Mount Olympus, both
accordingly go, and this gives Mr. William
Beverley an opportunity of showing one of
his enchanting ballet scenes. A grand ballet
takes place, and the story of Fortunatus com-
mences, according to the old legend, in the
city of Famagosta, in the Island of Cyprus,
where the merchant Outatelbo (Mr. G. Belmore)
is discovered in the state described in modern Eng-
lish as " hard-up." Literally bankrupt, inasmuch
as the bench outside his store is broken, in accord-
, ante with ancient custom, before his eyes, he bewails
his hard fate to his sympathising wife, Gratiana
(Mr. George Weston), and the ruined pair resolved
to make the best of it, fall to and occupy themselves
with their household work. In this dismal plight
they are discovered by their son, Fortunatus (Miss
Augusta Thomson), who arrives at home to find his
household gods not shattered, but simply sold up.
Lamenting his fate by the " sad sea wave," he en-

counters first the Earl of Flanders (Mr. Barsby)
returning with his crusaders, and then King

Pippin (Master Percy Roselle), who, as the
King is possessed of the wonderful wishing-cap,
having the power of transporting its fortunate
owner to any possible distance in rather less than
no time at all. The wary King is not, however,
prepared to part with his cap without sufficient con-
sideration, and Fortunatus finds himself compelled
to renounce so inestimable a possession. Fortune
now appears, and revives the disconsolate youth,
by presenting him with the inexhaustible purse
given her by Mammon. Fortunatus employs the
magic purse to replenish the empty coffers of
Outatelbo. Fortunatus purchases the wonderful
Wishing Cap of King Pippin, who has very little
in his treasury, but who rules over a people con-
tented with the discreet employment of moderate
means. This gives rise to the most novel scene in
the opening. The Court of King Pippin is exhi-
bited, with upwards of 200 children engaged in the
ceremonies proper to royal personages, but no
sooner does Fortunatus fill the treasury than an in-
surrection takes place of the people. The King, who
has sold his Wishing Cup for the sum produced by
the contents of the Inexhaustible Purse, is glad to
escape with Fortunatus ; and, after wishing them-
selves a thousand miles away, when they find them-
selves in Flanders they get into such a remarkable
difficulty that they are glad to wish themselves
some miles above the earth, when Fortune re-
appears, and the transformation follows, reveal-
ing the Fairy Factory of the Wheels of Fortune.
The entire scenery of the opening of the pantomime
by the celebrated painter, Mr. W. Beverley, and his
illustration of Fortunatus, has produced something
more wonderful than has ever yet emanated from
his brilliant imagination. The Haunt of Fancy on
the summit of Mount Olympus is a scene of re-
markable beauty ; but the Transformation Scene!
—what shall we say of that ? To convey an idea
of the remarkable brilliancy of the Fairy Factory
of the Wheels of Fortune is almost impossible, but
a detailed description of it is quite out of the ques-
tion. It is a splendid combination of gold jewels
and fairies in glittering garments, accompanying
the gigantic fly wheels of the factory in their revolu-
tion, the " workshop" being at the same time deco-
rated with thousands of strings of reflecting beads
of emerald, ruby, and diamond. The applause it
elicited was enthusiastic, and, of course, Mr. Beverly
had to make his usual Christmas appearance and
bow his thanks for the complimentary recognition of
his talent. The harlequinade then succeeded. We
have a double troupe of pantomimists, consisting of
Messrs. Cormack and Saville, as Harlequins ; Messrs.
Harry Boleno and C. Lauri, as Clowns ; Messrs. W.
A. Barnes and J. Morris, as Pantaloons ; and
Madame Boleno and Miss Laura Morgan, as Colum-
bines. The tricks, changes, and incidental dances
are all of unusual excellence, and, what is extraor-
dinary on a boxing night, nothing occurred through-
out the evening of the slightest moment to retard
the success of the pantomime, which was complete,
enthusiastic, and indisputable.