The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 25, 1854.

THE ROYAL GALLERY OF ART.
EDITED BY S. C. HALL, F.S.A.

SPORTING NOTES.

SHARE MARKETS.

(THIS DAY.)

DERBY DEMONSTRATION.
The " ombardment" of the Derby favourites has
been carried on with a determination and effect which
have created no little sensation. Hostile operations Stir
were commenced against Autocrat towards the close of
last week ; but not until Tuesday was a full battery
opened against him. The charge was led in gallant St
style by a well-known captain on the railway platform at 20
Swindon during the " waiting interval," en route to 50
Bath Races. He kept up the fire pretty briskly, 1:3
discharging at first a random shot of 800 to 100, which
was received by the Leviathan. " Long shots" were 31
subsequently fired at intervals throughout the day, and 21
before midnight the retreat of Autocrat was signal.
This attack was followed up on Wednesday against
King Tom, whose position was speedily demolished. It
yet, however, remains to be seen whether the " aggres-
St
Hors" will come off with flying colours. Si
To indicate the origin of the Autocrat movement is 5(
almost impossible, so vague, contradictory, and impro-
bable are the reports in circulation. The horse has, it 21
is said, broken down, and this rumour apparently re- 21
ceives the readiest acceptation. People, however, who have II
good opportunities of knowing, assert that he is well and Rlj
fit. From the quarters to which I have applied for in- `
formation, I have received nothing which justifies the
supposition that he is "gone allto pieces." Whilst, how- 2
ever, his retrogression is attributed to unavoidable cir- 1
cumstances, yet other causes are assigned, w, f
sake of honesty and fair play, are, I trust, imaginary. S
The determined hostility which he has encountered is
calculated to destroy all hopes of his return into favour, S
but expectations are entertained of his "coming again."
And it is alleged that the rumours in circulation respect- s
ing him are merely " weak inventions of the enemy." 1
The ranks of his opponents have, however, greatly in-
creased since the first hostile operation was commenced, 10
and they number some of the most shrewd and influen- st.
tial members of the turf. Still, the fact of his having St.
been at the recent long odds somewhat heavily backed, St.
is rather significant, and must not be overlooked. St.
Turfites had scarcely recovered from the sensation St.
created by the " fall" of Autocrat, when they were sur- St.
prised by the suddenness of the demonstration which g
upset King Tom. This demonstration was commenced
yesterday, and apparently simultaneously at Bath and in 16
London. It was, too, sustained with a consider- St,
able show of spirit, and so discouraged were backers by 19
it that none seemed either capable or willing to arrest 14.
the horse's " downward tendency." King Tom has, it 50
is said, also broken down On the race course at Bath, 20
therefore, a disposition was evinced to back his stable 11i
companion Middlesex, on whom the investments at 1,000 ls-?.
to 15 and 1000 to 20 were heavy and numerous. St.
To use a railway term, Dervish was also shunted on 20
to the down line. No decided demonstration was, how- 10
ever, made against him. 12
On the retrogression of King Tom, Andover became St,
second favourite. He belongs to a " stable" that has 50
brought out more than one Derby winner ; and, what is 40
more, he is under the care of a man who knows bow to 25
train a horse for the Derby. Andover and his stable 25
companion Hermit have been heavily backed "coupled," 87t2;
and the " intended" will be a most dangerous antago- St.
nist. At present I have a strong fancy for Hermit. St.
Neville, too, is in good demand, and his party ealcu-
-50
late with confidence upon his success. So satisfactorily 25
do they deem his trial that they assert that Barrel could 100
not win were he " in" at 6st. 71b., and I believe it, al- St.
though no Neville were in the race. 6;
The above " rough notes" I collected at Bath. They 25
may be taken as a preface to the remarks which I shall 20
publish on the Derby chances.
The running at Bath requires no particular comment. St,
Mr. Parr was in luck there, and the race for the Somer. 50
setshire Stakes, and the race for the Aristocratic Handi- St,
cap, show that it is impossible, handicap horses how you 16
will, to " bring bad ones and good ones tegether." 168
Rataplan won the Somersetshire Stakes with evident
ease, and yesterday Defiance 4 yrs, conceded 2st. toso
Garforth aged, and beat him in a canter 1 10
May 25. A FRESH MAN. 10

BRITISH RAILWAYS.

A splendid series of engravings, we learn, may be
expected very speedily to issue from the press, under
the title of the " Royal Gallery of Art,"—a selection
of engravings published in the form of a costly
periodical. The enterprise altogether is one of a
somewhat remarkable character. It has been un-
dertaken, we are at once informed, with the
sanction and approval of her most gracious Ma-
jesty and his Royal Highness the Prince Consort.
In it the originators of the undertaking propose
to offer to the lovers of art a series of engravings
from a selection of the masterpieces (ancient and
modern) now in the possession of the Queen and of
the Prince either as the Art Heir-Looms of the
Crown, or as portion of the private collections of
her Majesty and his Royal Highness—paintings at
this moment adorning the walls of Windsor Castle,
of Buckingham Palace, and of Osborne. Con-
spicuous among the remarkable pictures which will
be thus placed in a manner within reach of the
community are several choice examples of the
' Dutch and Flemish schools, including, among others,
admirable specimens of Rembrandt, Ruysdael, Os-
-1 tide, Jan Steen, Teniers, and Vandevelde. Be-
sides these, which are chiefly, we believe, at Buck-
ingham Palace, there are, from the Windsor Castle
collection, numerous chefs-d'ceuvres of the different
Italian schools, comprising, besides many others,
productions of note from the master hands of Cur-
reggio, Titian, Guido, Guercino, the Caracci, and
Domenichino. At Osborne, we learn from the
Prospectus, " are principally collected works of
modern art, chiefly of the British school," but
including with these, examples also of the con-
temporary schools of Belgium, France, and
Germany ; among others, productions by Cooper,
Dyce, Fripp, Grant, Haglie, Roberts, Scheffer,
Delaroche, and Winterhalter. Added to all which,
must be numbered amongst the treasures of the
Royal Collection paintings by artists of celebrity,
such for example, as Reynolds, West, Hogarth,
Wilkie, and Gainsborough. When we are told
in addition to these particulars that the selec-
tions now being made from works of this
varied kind and undoubted excellence are to
be given to the public through the aid of some
of the most eminent engravers of Germany,
Belgium, and France, as well as of England
—that the engravings from the ancient and dead
masters, are to be " touched" by Mr. Uwius R.A.,
prior to their issue from the press—and that the
whole series of plates will receive one by one the
sanction and approval of H.R.H. the Prince
Consort, before their publication —it becomes
obvious that every care is about to be taken, if
reliance can be placed for once in the promises
of a prospectus, that the entire work shall be ren-
dered as worthy as possible of its title as an
enterprise avowedly conducted under Royal
patronage. Especial confidence will be reposed
in the success of the undertaking, we believe,
when it is remembered that " The Royal Gal-
lery of Art" will be produced under the personal
superintendence of Mr. Samuel Carter Hall, the
accomplished editor of the Art Journal—a circum-
stance of itself sufficient to guarantee the value and
elegance of the publication.
As, in a manner, inaugurative of this somewhat
ambitious enterprise, a collection of water-colours,
taken from the original pictures at Windsor Castle,
Buckingham Palace, and Osborne, is now on view
in Pall-mall. in one of the apartments at Messrs.
Paul and Dominic Colnaghi's establishment. A
visit to this apartment, in passing, afforded us on
Monday no small amount of gratification. Although
merely a few comparatively of the works of art
about to be engraved for the proposed " Gallery"
have been grouped together in this collection,
enough are there displayed to encourage. the most
sanguine hopes as to the merit of the forthcoming
periodical. Besides a variety of familiar favourites,
there will be found among this collection of water-
colour sketches several never before offered
to the notice of the community. A charming
" Landscape," by Hobbima, beautified with some
of his wonderful umbrage—a pastoral glimpse
of a " Homestead," by 'Paul Potter—a mar-
tial group of horse and foot on the tented
field gathered round a " Trumpeter," by
Wouvermans—a gorgeous "Sunset," by Lorraine—
a limpid view of " Venice," by Canaletti—a cluster
of booted sportsmen " Preparing for the Chase,"
by Cuyp, lit up from the centre by the glory of a
scarlet saddle—these are among not the least valu-
able or the least interesting pictures in the collec-
tion, as they are assuredly about not the least
characteristic. The visitors to this attractive
room at the Messrs. Colnaghi's will not fail to notice,
moreover, the luscious and affluent beauty of that
symbolism of "Abundance," byVanEycken, or the
pathetic charm of Le Jeune's " Liberation of Slaves
among the Ancient Jews"—any more than they
will fail to note with interest the quaint, little,
natural, life like group of the " Children of Charles
1.," by Vandyck, with the baby form of the future
James 11., King, only to be discrowned, and de-
throned, and expatriated, and beside him the plump
stolidity of the boy face of that embryo of the Merry
Monarch of the hereafter I A blue-eyed, golden-
haired delineation of the " Princess Charlotte " is
there too, copied from the original from the pencil
of Lawrence. There also will be found a glimpse
of the sensuous grace of the " Cupid and Psyche,"
by Uwins—a dingy sketch of " The Fisher Boys,"
by Collins—a better one of " The Young Shrimp-
ers," after the same master—and one exquisite
little grove or garden perspective by Jutsum, en-
titled " The Promenade." Almost every one who
sees it will recognise as an old favourite Mulready's
village scene of the " Wolf and Lamb." Horsley's
"II Pensoroso," moreover, and Frost's " Cupid
Sleeping discovered by the Nymphs of Diana,"
will scarcely fail, with the majority, at the first
glance to be well remembered. As a fa-
vourable specimen of Stanfield we have the
" Royal Yacht off the Coast of Cornwall"
—of Armitage, the blusterous animation of the
" Battle of Meannee," with its chaotic confusion,
among smoke and dust, of Asiatics and Europeans.
Cope's splendid representation of " Cardinal Wol-
sey," shortly before death, on his arrival at the
porch of the old monastery, and Danby's magnifi-
cent idealisation of the " Seraglio at Constanti-
nople," with several other water-colour sketches
scarcely less attractive or less interesting, will
be examined, we doubt not, during the next few
days, with something more than idle curio-
sity or passing admiration. As reflections from
the beauty of the originals, from the hand of the
painter, and as foreshadowings of the future copies
in another art from the hand of the engraver, the
water-colour collection now on view at Pall-mall is
eminently deserving examination. It augurs
well for the " Royal Gallery of Art," as a notable
and almost national publication.

I Paid.' RuLWAYS.

01011111 ff Prices
yesterday.

MA RKET NEW.-(THIS DAY.) 120
10

GENERAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN
For the week ended May 25,1854, made up from the Returns of tile
In,pector* in the different Cities and Towns in England and Wales,
per imperial Quarter.
WHEAT. BARLEY. I OATS.I RYE. 1 BEANS. PEAS.
78, 22 37s 2.1 293 41 48s 62 49s 31 478
THE SIX WEEKS' AVERAGE.
WHEAT. P ARL ET OATS. RYE. I BEANS. I PEAS.
79s id j 378 Id 288 6d 508 6d 47s 6d 44* Ild
DUTIES ON FOREIGN CORN.
WHEAT. I I
BARLEY. OATS. I RYE. I BEANS. I PEAL
Is Od Is 02 Is Od lls 02 Is Od Is Od
QUANTITIES OF GRAIN SO LD LAST
Rye,E 90 ; Beans,
WEK.
Wheat, 51,981; Bar'ey, 13.83'; Oats, 13 3183 1
4,659; Peas, 329 quarters.

HAY MARKETS.
SMITHFIELD.--Meadow hay, 2/ 10s to 5/ 5s ; clover
litto, 3/ lOs to 6/ Os ; and straw, 1116 s to 212 s per load.
Supply moderate, and trade rather dull.
CUMBERLANI3.—Meadow hay, 21 15s to 51 5s ; clover
ditto, 31 103 to 61 OP ; and straw, 1117 s to 213 s per ]oad.
fair average supply, and a steady demand.
WHITECHAPEL.—Meadow hay, 2110 s to 51 Os; clover
ditto, 31 8s to ti/ 6s ; and straw, 1116 s to 21 2s per load.
Both hay and straw moved off slowly.

NEWGATE AND LEIDENHALL.—The general demand
ruled steady at this market to-day, at full prices.
Beef, from 3s 2d to 45 4d ; Mutton, 3s 8d to 45 8d ;
Lamb, 5s 2d to 6s 4d ; Veal, 3s 10d to 5s 2d ; Pork, 3s 6d
to 4s 8d per Sibs, by the carcase.
SOUTHALL, May 24.—Beasts sold readily, at a further
advance of 2d per 81bs. Other kinds were in but moderate
follows :—Beef, from 3s 6d to 4s 8d • Mutton, 3s 10d. to
54 01 ; Lamb, 5s 4d to 6s 8d ; Veal, 4s Od to 5s Od ;
Pork, 3s 6d to 4s 8d per Sibs, to sink the offals.
ROMFORD, May 24. —We have a fair demand a
this market to-day for each kind of stock, on the following
terms :—Beef, from 3s 6d to 4s 10d; Mutton, 3s 8d
to 5s oa ; Lamb, 58 6dVeal, 4s 4d to 5s 2d ;
Pork, 3s 8d to 4s Bd. per Blbs. Quarter old Store Pigs,
21s to 27s each.

ST. PETERSBURG.—The letters from St. Petersburg
are to the 16th inst. The effects of Sir Hamilton Sey-
mour had been slopped on board a Prussian vessel. It
is also said that the Ann McAlister had sailed from
Cronstadt on the 15th. The total number of vessels
entered since the opening of the navigation had been 16,
and, although the period had arrived at which the
blockade was understood to be intended to commence,
an attempt would be made to load them, in the hope of
getting them away. The rate of exchange was 351 d.
THE LATE MAYOR OF RYE.—A deputation, consist-
ing of many members of Parliament and other influential
gentlemen on Tuesday waited upon Lord Palmerston, to
present a memorial, addressed to her Majesty, praying
for a free pardon for Mr. Jeremiah Smith, the late
Mayor of Rye, who was convicted in March last, at the
Central Criminal Court, of having committed perjury
before a committee of the House of Commons, appointed
to inquire into alleged acts of bribery at the election
for the borough of Rye. Mr. De Nicoll stated, that
Mr. Smith in his evidence denied having paid with Mr.
Mackinnon's money for a certain dinner given to the
electors of Rye, feeling himself to be justified in
making this denial, because Mr. Curteis, the retiring
member, openly professed to give this dinner, for which
he issued invitations in his own handwriting, as had
been proved by a recent statutory declaration and by a
letter from Mr. Curteis, in which that gentleman took
upon himself the responsibility of the dinner. Neither
of those facts had been produced upon the trial. No
less than 40 testimonials to the high character and in-
tegrity of Mr. Smith were presented to Lord Palmer-
ston. His Lordship said, that nothing could be stronger
than the testimonials ; but what he should have to con-
sider was, not so much the former character of the per-
son as the act for which he had been convicted. Lord
Palmerston then asked why the facts in question bad
not been proved at the trial ? and remarked that it was
impossible they could have the same validity now as if
they had been brought forward at that time. He, how-
ever, would look at the case with every possible atten-
tion, and would consider all that had been urged by the
deputation in favour of Mr. Smith.
THE ARGENTINE CONFEDERATION.— -The treaty for the
free navigation of the rivers Parana and Uruguay, signed
on the 10th of July by Sir C. Hotham and the pro-
visional director of the Argentine Confederation, has
been laid before Parliament. The conferation concedes
the free navigation of these rivers, wherever they may
belong to her, to the merchant vessels of all nations,
and agrees to maintain beacons and marks pointing
out the channels, such navigation to remain free to
the merchant flag of all nations in case of war between
any of the States of the River Plate or its confluents,
excepting in what may relate to munitions of war, such
as arms, gunpowder, lead, and cannon balls. A uni-
form system is to be established by the confederation
for the collection of Custom-house, harbour, and other
dues. No favour is to be granted to the flag of any
other nation which shall not equally extend to the
British. Tho high contracting parties, considering that
the i.lalid of Martin Garcia may impede free navigation
„Ali, confluent, of the Plate, agree to use their influence
to prevent that island being held by any State which
shall not adhere to the principle of free navigation. The
treaty was ratified CHZ the 11th of lAaroh.

Business done St.
this day. 50
St.