The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-05 00:00:00

SCOTLAND.

In some parts of Scotland the snow storm seems t•
have made its appearance before visiting England. On
the night of Monday week there was a heavy fall of
snow in the neighbourhood of Inverness, continued, with
little intermission, till 'Wednesday morning, the effect of
which was immediately visible in the irregularities of
the mails.

THE MAILS BETWEEN ABERDEEN AND DUNDEE.—On
making inquiry after a missing mail at the Post-office on
Monday night, we were informed there had been no
arrival from Aberdeen since Thursday. This, however,
appears a singular fact, and little creditable to her Ma-
jesty's mail service, let the snow-storm be as severe as
it may. The railway train may very likely find it im-
possible, even with all its power of steam, to make way
through the masses of snow with which the deep cuttings
of the Aberdeen Railway are blocked up, but when the
mail-coach used to stick fast in the snow (and what we
refer to is still exemplified beyond Aberdeen) the guard
r —always a bold pushing fellow—took to horse, or, fail-
ing that, plunged on a-foot with the mail bags, never
ceasing his exertions until the point for which he was
destined had been reached. Before the era of railways,
scarce a winter passed over that we did not hear of the
heroism of these mail guards, displayed in thus battling
with and partially overcoming elemental obstacles.
Now, it seems, if the train comes to a stand-still, there
is no further exertion made to forward our letters, else
it is incredible that no mails should have reached Dun-
dee from Aberdeen since Thursday last ; and, proof as
it may be of the severity of the snow-storm, such a fact
is a still more striking instance of the degeneracy which
has overtaken the postal arrangements of this country.
—Dundee Advertiser.

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR, JAI. 4.

The Royal dinner party yesterday included the
Duchess of Kent, the Lady-in-Waiting to Her Royal
Highness, Lady Frances Bruce, Colonel Hall, Com-
manding Officer, Ist Life Guards ; and Lieut.• Colonel
Sir Charles Hamilton, Commanding Officer 2nd Bat-
talion Scots Fusilier Guards.

Her Majesty's private band was in attendance in the
evening, and played the following selection :
Overture (Op. 15)
Solo, Violin M. Sainton.
Sinfonia (No. 4) Mozart.
Selection " Marco Spada"
_ __

Prince Albert went out shooting this forenoon.

The Duke of Beaufort had an audience of the Queen,
to deliver up the Insignia of the Order of the Garter
worn by the late Duke.

The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone has been invited,
and is expected to-day.

The Commissioners for the Reduction of the National
debt had a quarterly meeting yesterday at the official
residence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer in Down-
ing-street. Present : The Chancellor of the Exchequer
the Governor of the Bank of England, and the Deputy
Governor. Mr. Higham was in attendance.

The Cathedral commission had a meeting yesterday.
Present : The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Marquis
of Blandford, the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Ox-
ford, Sir. John _Dodson, Sir John Patteson, the Rev. Dr.
Wordsworth, the Hon. and Rev. Canon Villiers, the
Rev. Canon Selwyn, and the Rev. Richard Jones (Secre-
tary).

The Lord Chancellor will receive the Judges, Queen's
Counsel, &c., on Wednesday next, the first day of
Hilary term, at his lordship's residence in Upper Brook- --
street, at 12 o'clock.

Despatches were received at the Colonial-office yester-
day from the Governors of the North American Pro-
vinces.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

One of the great evils of London existence is, that the
majority of persons cannot go to a theatre or other place
of amusement, without running the risk of having to
traverse on his way home, miles of streets in a pouring
rain, or during a cutting north wind. To be sure, there
are omuibusses and cabs, but you may just be in time to
miss the last of the former, and as to the latter convey-
ance, " cabby" has always got some mysterious prior
engagement, though politely hints he will break faith,
if you only pay him something like 200 per cent, extra.
This inconvenience is felt at all times, but doubly so
during the present inclement season, when few can visit
a theatre without taking a whole string of juveniles to
see the Christmas pantomime. Let all who have not
been subjected to the annoyance of the journey home-
ward under such circumstances, take a glance at the
misery of Paterfamilias, as cleverly depicted this week
by our amusing friend Punch, and they may easily
imagine some of the attendant "pleasures" of a family
expedition to our West-end places of entertainment.
The enterprising lessee of Drury-lane, who seems to take
an especial delight in catering for the amusement of the
rising generation, has done his best to overcome the
scruples of their papas and mammas to venturing out at
night, by giving morning or rather afternoon perform -
ances. The next of these, since the production of the
pantomime, is to take place on Wednesday, January
the 11th, when the boys of the Royal Military School,
Chelsea, with their celebrated band, will attend. Th
afternoon performances will be continued every Wed-
nesday at 2 o'clock, as long as the excellent pantomime
of Harlequin King Humming Top and the Land of
Toys runs, which will, no doubt, be for a very conside-
rable period.