The Sun.
London, England, 1849-11-27 00:00:00

STRAND THEATRE.

It has often struck us what ruin would result to
dramatic authors if love were to them a prohibited
theme, for amorous intrigues appear to be their stock
in trade, and nothing issues from the fountain of their
imagination that does not turn upon some incident of
the affections. It is surprising, too, how these nothings
—to use a Germanism—become somethings in the
hands of skilful artists. Aided by the talent of a
Farren' and bewitching vivacity of a Stirling, the
merest trifles assume an air of importance, and
become palatable and'interesting. Impartial critics
will doubtless trace to that cause much of the success
that attended the first representation of the 211 a- Trap,
a musical comedietta in one act. Of course the litan-
Trap is laid and baited by a woman—mantraps gene-
rally are now-a-days. A drawing-room is the scene,
a father and son, a mother and daughter, 'the
actors ; while he plot turns upon a not
unfrequent occurrence in every-day life. Co-
lonel Beaument's son Alfred, a young gentle-
man who has just attained his majority, falls a
victim to the attractive beauty of a charming widow,
the Marchioness de Roseville, not "fat, fair, and
forty," but just verging 03 mellow thirty-two, and
makes her an offer of his hand and heart. The fact
finds its way to the ears of the Colonel, with the
unpleasant addition that the widow's age is sixty at
least, while her personal attractions spring from the
rouge pot, the perfumer's shop, and the dentist's
laboratory; and he seeks an interview with the lady,
determined to thwart her designs upon his son. The
widow, however, fortunately overhears a soliloquy in
which the Colonel discloses the delusion he
labours under, and she determines to encourage it
by disguising herself as an antiquated dame, whose
length of years has not destroyed but fostered her
vanity. The deception succeeds so far, that when
the widow retires for a few minutes and returns in
her propria persona, displaying to the best advantage
the unsophisticuted simplicity of her mind, with the
faultless beauty of her person, and introduces
herself to the Colonel as the daughter of the
venerable Marchioness whom he has just
parted from, the old Colonel is so over-
powered by her simple, elegant demeanour, and
charming exterior, that he resolves upon introducing
her to his son, and insisting upon his; sacrificing the
mother for the daughter. Meanwhile his son suddenly
encounters, for the- 'first tithe these four years
Florence, the dauter of the Marchioness, who has

, ripened from the budding girl of 14 into the blushing
1 maiden of 18, and with dismay he discovers that tne
heart he has offered to the mother is ash by
).daughter. But there is no retracit74, ,
his father now appearing upon th-k"'" e t •
Marchioness, he is dumbfoundedOfigethe r-47,e.pnc,
sion that has taken place in the 'C.* 's:feeli4 t
wards the object of his former tiaaion... - The Mar:
chioness, too, is annoyed at 104, coolness, the
enthusiasm with which he had lAel/46*b_y_t to retveiitvi
her has given place to a freezingiftigidiK44o she-,
devines the cause of the change, anti generously de.;
termines to accept him as a son instead of a husband.
The real state of things now breaking in upon the
mind of the old Colonel, and resolving to marry
the Marchioness himself, the piece ends with
the mutual congratulations of all the characters.
The piece is interspersed with songs and duets,
composed by Tully and Rodwell, which afford Miss
Rebecca Isaacs and Mr. W. Farren ample opportuni-
ties for displaying their musical abilities. The for-
mer made her first appearance this season in the
comedietta. Her reception was most flattering, and
in two of her songs, " A Pretty Young Maiden," and
" There's not a Cloud," she was rapturously encored.
Mrs. Sterling, as the Marchioness, was really delight-
ful, while Farren, as the warm-hearted old Colonel,
was gentlemanly and natural. The piece was put
upon the stage in excellent taste, and, as its first re-
presentation, was more than an average triumph. It
will, in all probability, prove as profitable to the
treasury, and attractive to the audience, as most of
Mr. Farrell's other productions at this compact little
theatre.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
PORTSMOUTH, MONDAY.--The Constance, 50, Cap-
tsin Courtenay, was towed into harbour this morn-
ing by the Stromboli steam-sloop, and moored along-
side the dockyard jetty, for the facility afforded
thereby of landing her freight, which will be conveyed
to London to-morrow morning by the agents, in u
special train on the London, Brighton, and South
Coast Railway, in charge of Mr. Superintendent
Sutton. Captain Sir Baldwin Walker, R.N., K.C.8.,
Surveyor of the Navy, came down to-day to pay the
Constance (his last ship) a visit, when, it is almost
unncessary to add, his reception was of a most gra-
tifying character, his pleasing manners as well to
men as officers, wherever in command, having
endeared him to their recollection. He afterwards
made a tour of the yard with Mr. Fincham, the master-
shipwright, and crossed the harbour in the evening to
the Railway Hotel, Gosport. We have high autho-
rity for stating that the rumoured courts-martial on
sundry officers of the Constance will not be held, the
affairs alleged as the reason for calling for them
having been most amicably adjusted to the satisfac-
tion of the officers and the Admiralty.
The Stromboli steam-sloop, Commander Lord
Amelius Beauclerk, sailed this evening for Plymouth
and Queen's-town, with newly raised men for the
Indefatigable and the Superb, fitting out at those
ports.

The Fire Queen steam-vessel, late a post tender
on this station, is ordered to be a packet on the Holy-
head station, vice the Flamer steam-vessel, whose
officers and crew are ordered to be turned over to the
former on bringing the Flamer to this port.
ROY AL MARINE ARTILLERY.

First Lieutenant Meade, 2 sergeants, 2 corporals,
1 drummer, and 40 gunners are under orders to
proceed by rail to Woolwich to embark in the steam-
frigate Terrible, just re-commissioned there.
Wind, N. by E., fresh breezes and cloudy weather.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE SQUADRON.

SIMoN's BAY, &Fr. 27.—The Southampton, 50,
flag of Rear-Admiral Reynolds, C. 8., left this on
the 12th inst. for Rio. An accident occurred on
board the ship on the 27th ult., during the sending
up of topgallantmasts at eight A.M. The main-top-
gallantmast rope broke, and the mast coming down
brought the topgallant yard with it, which struck a
seaman named Cladinbole, and fractured four ribs, au
arm, and a leg. He has been removed to the hospital
and is doing well.
The Castor, 36, Commodore Wyrill, arrived here
on the 29th ult.' last from Ascension. The Commo-
dore has assumed the command of this station, and,
from his well-known activity and experience, the
duties of the station are likely to be carried on most
efficiently. Dr. Munro, of this ship, has been re-
moved, in a very sickly state, to the hospital at this
place.
The Reynard steam-sloop, 11, Commander era-
croft, arrived here on the Ist inst. from England, last
from Rio, and having been replenished with coals,
&c., sailed on the sth for Singapore.
The Geyser steam-sloop, Commander Brown, is
preparing for sea. She was ordered to tow the Dee
troop steamer to Mozambique, but those orders have
been countermanded. A man named Hawkes, a black-
smith of the Geyser, fell overboard whilst in a state of
intoxication a few days since and was drowned.
The Dee steam troop ship, Master Commander
Filmer, lately returned from Algoa and Buffalo Bays,
whither she had conveyed.the different detachments
of troops that arrived here in the Kent frieight ship.
She has coaled and provisioned, and the Commodure
has sent two of his boats and 40 men, under the
orders of Lieutenant Crowder and Mr. Albert, second
master, and will dispatch her on the 2d proximo to the
Mozambique, to cruize after slavers, which have be-
come very numerous and bold of late. Lieutenant
Crowder will command her, as Mr. Filmer is still
sick in hospital, recovering from an attack of
apoplexy.
The Orestes, 14, Conunander Hawker, arrived here
from the Mozambique on the 15th inst. She has been
to Zanzibar, where she got on shore and remained some
hours, but was off again without damage. She is to
sail to-morrow for the Mauritius.
The Seringapatam store-ship, Master Commander
Russell, is in Simon's Bay.
The Neptune convict ship, Dr. Deas, surgeon
superintendent, arrived here on the 19th instant.
Seven deaths have occurred amongst the prisoners on
the passage, and there are a few cases of scurvy still
on board. In consequence of the Governor refusing
to have them landed till the arrival of .fresh instruc-
tions from England, the Commodore has ordered 120
to be placed on board the Seringapatatn, as the hot
weather is coming on and the ship is so crowded. "I
think the people generally (says a correspondent at
Simon's Town) are beginning to be weary of our red-
hot agitators."
Dr. Deas has been removed to the hospital, suffer-
ing from a very severe attack of epilepsy.
ET.
\VooLwlcu,
Nov. 26.
APPCINTM

Second Muter—C. R. B. Wilkinson (IM9) to the
Wellesley, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral the Earl of Dun-
donald, G.C.13 , Commander-in-Chief on the West
Indies and North American station.

The Horatio, 24 guns, of 1,090 tons, to be fitted as
a steam guardship, with a screw-propeller, is to be
taken round from Chatham to the Thames to be fitted
with her engines of 200-horse power by Messrs.
Seaward and Co., at the City Canal Works. The
day for bringing her round is not yet fixed, but it
will be during the next spring tides, and the seamen
riggers who will navigate her are expected to take
the Vulcan steam-frigate from Woolwich to Chatham
on their return. It was at first intended that the
Vulcan should be taken to Sheerness only, but it has
been considered advisable to have her taken to Chat-
ham until she is complete and her services are required,
as the water at Chatham will not act so strongly on
her as it would at Sheerness.

The Terrible steam-frigate, Captain James Hope,
C. 8., had her pendant hoisted this morning by Lieu-
tenant Robertson, of Captain Austin's steam de-
partment, and within a very short period he entered
six first-class, and 19 other of the 36 stokers
required for the ve.,sel. A number of petty officers,
able seamen, and others, assembled in the dockyard
to-day, many of whom had previously served
in the Terrible, and were anxious to be re-engaged
for that favourite vessel ; and those who had previ-
ously served in her, and had received good certificates,
had their names taken down to be submitted to Cap-
tain Hope, when he arrives here, which he is expected
to do to-morrow from Scotland, where he was at the
time of his appointment to the command.
A letter, dated Hong-Kong, Sept. 29, has been
received from Rear-Admiral Sir Francis A. Collier,
C.B , K.C.H., Commander-in-Chief on the East
Indies and China station. The letter was written by
the gallant officer himself, and he again assured his
friends that " his general health is perfect, and if all
remains quiet at Canton he hopes soon to go to the
north." The letter is written in good -spirits, and
what he has stated himself is confirmed from other
sources of information as to his general health.
The St. Vincent, hired convict freight ship, has ar.
rived in the Warren Bight, opposite the Royal
Arsenal, to take convicts to Van Diemen's Land.
She is at present under the charge of Mr. John
Young, master.

HANDSOME DONATIONS TO THE PORTSMOUTH
HOSPITAL AND THE DREADNOUGHT SEAMAN'S HOS-
PITAL.—We have great pleasure in announcing that
Admiral Sir Charles Ogle, Batt., has given
1,372/. 10s. 6d. Three and a-Quarter per Cent. An-
nuities, to the Portsmouth, Gosport, and Portsea I los-
pital, established during the period of the gallant
Admiral's service as Commander-in• Chief at Ports-
mouth ; and a similar amount to the Dreadnought
Seaman's Ho.,pital, off Greenwich; these sums having
been placed at Sir Charles Ogle's disposal for the
benefit of any casualty hospital.
CALIFORNIA.—STOPPING THE SUPPLIES.—We
hear by the arrival of her Majesty's ship Constance, at
Spithead, that previously to her departure from Val-
paraiso, on the 28th August, Admiral liornby had
started her Majesty's frigate Inconstant directly to
San Francisco, on the coast of California, to protect
British subjects. Everythin. gat California is in a very
unsettled state; in fact, Commodore Jones, in the Ohio,
had stopped all arrivals of provisions 'by sea,- as the
inhabitants had refused to obey the Government orders,
and the inhabitants were too strong for him to use force
on shore.