The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-20 00:00:00

ROYAL OPERA, DRURY LANE.

Although the Sonnambula was performed last night,
for sixteenth time, by the Drury-lane operatic company,
it was Mr. Sims Reeves's first appearance as Elvino,
and the performance had all the attraction of a novelty.
The enthusiasm which greeted him throughout the opera
last evening must have satisfied all concerned in the
government of the theatre that a great mistake was com-
mitted in not before joining Mr. Sims Reeves's Elvino
to Mademoiselle Agnes Bury's Amina.
Mr. Sims Reeves's Elvino may, we think, be ranked
with that of any Italian artist who has made himself
famous in the part. The music suits his voice even better,
perhaps, than that of Edgardo. There is more delicacy
and more pathos required for the former, and for both
of these qualities Mr. Sims Reeves's singing is remark-
able. The tenderness in the two duetts in the first act
last night could not be surpassed, while the passionate
grief in the scene where Elvino discovers Amina in the
Count's bedroom must have gone home to any heart.
Of course the emphatic hit of the evening was the famous
"Tutto h sciolto," which made the audience frantic with
delight ; but even the fine energy and grand vocalisation
displayed in that scena did not, to our thinking, surpass
the exquisite feeling of the " D'un pensiero" duet, half
the beauties of which were apparently lost upon the
hearers.
The performance last night was one of great excite-
ment. Mr. Sims Reeves was called for, with Mdlle.
Bury, four times during the evening.
The theatre was crowded in every part.

COURT CIRCULAR.

OSBORNE, JULY 19.

The Queen and Prince walked out early yesterday morn-
ing, and again in the afternoon. The Royal children also
took their usual exercise.
The Duchess of Gloucester visited the Duchess of Kent
yesterday, at her residence, Clarence House, St. James's.
The Duchess of Kent, attended by Lady Anna Maria
Dawson, and Sir G. Couper, honoured the Opera Comique
with her presence last evening.

A deputation of the None Valley Drainage Commissioners
had an interview with the Right Hon. E. Cardwell yester-
day, at the office of the Board of Trade. The deputation
consisted of Mr. Childers, Mr. Stopford, Mr. Marshall, the
Town-clerk of Wisbech, Mr. Higgs, Mr. Cox, Mr Brad-
field, and Mr. Mein, Messrs. George G. Day, and John
Archbould, solicitor to the commissioners, and Mr. Parkes,
parliamentary agent.
Despatches were sent yesterday from the Colonial-office
to the Governors of Ceylon and Hong Kong.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer bad a dinner party last
evening at his official residence in Downing-street. The
company consisted of the Right. Hon. Henry Goulburn,
Mr. Glyn, M.P., Lord Robert Clinton, Sir Alexander
Spearman, the Governor of the Bank, Mr. Robert Philli-
more, M.P., Lord Monck, Mr. G. H. Vernon, M.P., Mr.
Alexander Wood, Mr. Pressly, Mr. Fleming, and Mr. J.
Wilson, M.P.

CONTINENTAL MONEY MARKETS.—The last accounts
from the Paris Bourse yesterday evening show. an aver-
age advance of about a quarter per cent., with a prepon-
derance of money purchases. At Vienna there is a
diminution of distrust in the money market, the exchange
on London having experienced a reaction of nearly two
per cent. Simultaneously with this movement there has
been a decline in the funds ; but, as it was not nearly
equal to the enhancement in the value of the currency
from the difference in the rate of exchange, the altera-
tion that has taken place intrinsically amounts to an Ina-
provement. At Amsterdatn there has been a decline in
most descriptions of stock, and especially in Spanish and
Russian.

CONTINENTAL EXCHANGES.—The Continental letters
generally yesterday mentioned no alteration in the ex-
changes. At Paris business of all kinds is stated to be
dull. At Trieste several failures are reported to have
taken place, but they are not understood to be of im-
portance.
GOLD FROM AUSTRALIA.—The Samuel Boddington has
arrived from Port Philip with 24,266 ounces of gold,
valued at 98,0001. The Leonidas is also reported from
Sydney, but the amount by this vessel has not been
ascertained. It was mentioned on Tuesday that the
Maid of Judah had sailed from Sydney with specie
valued at 88,025/., and the Nile with 69,2761. From
Melbourne the shipments during the five weeks preced-
ing the 3d of May had included 25,646 ounces of gold
by the Prince Alfred, 38,033 ounces by the Tudor,
14,254 ounces by the Nelson, 42,304 ounces by the Med-
way, and 21,505 ounces (or, according to some state-
ments, 36,000) by the Marian Moore, making a total of
141,712 ounces, worth 566,9681., or, together with the
Sydney shipments, an aggregate of 724,2691.
SHIPMENTS OF SPECIE.—The shipments of specie by
the Peninsular and Oriental steamer Euxine amount to
300,0991., of which 246,2681. is silver and 53,8311. gold.
The silver is still principally despatched to Calcutta,
Hong Kong, Canton, and Shanghai, and 35,0001. of the
gold consists of sovereigns for Alexandria.
A court-martial assembled .en board her Majesty's
ship Impregnable, 104, Captain Wise on Monday,
Admiral Stopford, president, to try Lieutenant Fre-
derick G. Leigh, on a charge of drunkenness. The
court sentenced the prisoner to be discharged from her
Majesty's service.