The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-15 00:00:00

SOIREE MUSICALE.

The eminent pianist, Mr. Cohan, gave a grand entertain-
ment of this class at his residence in Soho-square. on Thurs-
day evening. The company was fashionable and exceedingly
numerous, and was evidently composed of persons who had
the most perfect appreciation of the art which they were
assembled to patronise. Indeed, the rapid advance of high
musical taste amongst us is in no way more remarkably
manifested than in the extemporaneous criticisms, and judi-
cious fervour (if one may so speak) of the visitors at those
musical reunions, which are becoming more and more in
vogue every season. The professor on this occasion was
supported by a large number of professional artists, but our
space will not allow us to go in detail though the partku-
lars of his very rich programme. Miss Lee, Miss Williams,
Miss Isaacs, and Miss King, with Mr. Maurice Davis, Mr.
Lee, Mr. John Cohan, and Mr. Mingard, were very much
applauded and repeatedly encored in their several
performances. A. prominent feature of the evening's
entertainment was the introduction of several of Mr. Cohan's
young pupils, some of them young ladies from seven to ten
years of age, whose powers of execution, brilliancy, and ex-
pression upon the pianoforte surpassed anything we have met
with amongst the infant performances upon this instrument,
who have, however justly, been produced in public as
phenomena. A young lady, Miss Levesque, not more than
ten years of age, performed some of the most difficult fen-
t tasies of her "very difficult master with precision, delicacy,
expression, and power, to which it would be impossible to
do justice in terms which might not appear to be exagge-
rated. The same remark applies to the performance of a
young Greek gentleman, Master Mayrogorjani, to whose dis-
tinguished father Mr. Cohan's great piece, " The Revolution
of Greece," is appropriately dedicated. The professor himself
performed for the first time in public his last work, a sonata
Iu E major, which in the unanimous and loudly expressed
judgment of all professionals and amateurs present, is likely
to throw into the shade all his former productions. These have
been remarkable to a great extent for their brilliancy of effect—
this for its classical structure, grand expression, and profound
inspiration. The first movements took the audience by sur-
prise, and it was generally and unhesitatingly taken as a
newly-discovered work of Beethoven's, likely to prove as ef-
fective as the lately celebrated "quartet." The sonata has
every characteristic of the great master, to whose school Mr.
Cohan of right belongs, as the pupil of Rees, who was Beet-
hoven's only pupil, except the present King of Prussia.
Cohan's sonata cannot fail to make a great impression on the
musical world, bei,g totally different from all that he has
hitherto produced.
Mr. Cohan performed several pieces on the violin in the
couse of the evening, in a style which proved that he is even
more a master of that " sweet entrancing viol" than of even
the pianoforte itself. He was most ably accompanied on the
latter by Mr. Maurice Davis.
The delighted company separated at a late hour.
T--- T--

..jiiE IBElt.—Captain Bingham, the commander of
the unfortunate steamer Tiber, with his officers and crew,
have arrived at Southampton, from Oporto, in the Madrid
Captain Bingham reports that it was during the prevalence
of a very thick tog the ship struck on a reef of rocks, and
that in less than twenty minutes she parted amidships, and
became a total wreck. It is known that the cook, a little
Spanish boy, and the Spanish General, Lecarte, perished.
Immediately after the disaster was known her Majesty's
ship Bloodhound was dispatched to England with what small
portion of the mail was saved, as well as letters, papers, and
dispatches to the Peninsular and Oriental Company. So
sudden was the break up of the vessel, that not a bit of the
passengers' luggage, or in fact anything of consequence, has
been saved. The beach was strewed for three or
four miles with portions of the wreck, stores, trunks, &c.;
and these were speedily seized upon by the natives and car-
ried away. Captain Bingham and some of the officers and
Oporto walked to Ope° after the wreck, and obtained a
guard for the protection of any property that might be saved,
but previous to their return to the scene of disaster, almost
everything had been plundered by the thieves who crowded
round the wreck in great numbers. What little was secured
WAS sold on the beach previous to Captain Bingham's leav-
ing. The Tiber was an iron ship, built by Messrs. Tod and
M'Gregor, in 1846, expressly for the Italian line. She was
a remarkably fast and very handsome boat, of 800 tons,
fitted with two engines of 280-horse power. She has only
made three voyages to Gibraltar. and in the last was com-
manded by Captain Bingham, who succeeded Captain
Russell, now in the Erin.
A NEW ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.—The Eco Sau-
COMPANY•—The first
u m rois states, that at this moment there is being established
VICTORIA LIFE ASSURANCE •
on the Tours and Nantes Railroad an apparatus composed of
septennial meeting was held on
.Thursday at the offices. of the
an iron wire extending from one end of the railrQad to the
pass constantly along the
company, No. Is, King William-street. The chair was
other. An electric current is to
wire, and, by means of small pistons placed. at intervals of
Ratray, that d .
taken by Benjamin Hawes, Esq. Mr. the actuary,
read the report of the directors, which stated . during
200 yards, whenever a train is in motion its passage at each
point of the railroad will be indicated to the fixed machire
the past year 188 policies had been issued, covering in-
surances to the amount of 117,844/. The receipts of the
b
company during that period were 21,507/. 98. 9d.; and they the movement of a small piston, which, by interrupting
expenditure, including claims by death, &c., 9,064/. 17s. 4d.,
the electric current for a moment, will designate the number
of the post before which the train is passing. By these means
which left a balance of 12,4421. 12s. sd. to be carried to the
the director of the fixed machine will receive information
general fund, which, including the subscribed capital,
amounted to 80,305/. Os. 6d. The total number of policies
almost every second as to the speed of the train in motion,
issned since the coin,nencennent of the company was 1,578.
and as to the position occupied by it. It is unnecessary to
The income of the company was nearly 22,000/. per annum,
nsist on the importance of such an indication. By always
The directors ric,ommended a dividend of 16 per cent. on i
k
the amount of the paid-up capital; equal to 12s. 6d. per share knowing the exact position of a train on its passage, it will
to the proprietors and the insured, on the participating scale enable the conductor to moderate the speed of the trains,
—a bonus averaging 23 per cant. on the amount of premium and to send assistance with greater promptitude in case of
paid. accident, so as to prevent the interruption of the road as
THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH IN THE CITY- The much as possible.
intention of forming the central telegraph station at the THE LATE DOWAGER COUNTESS OF SHREWSBURY.
Royal Exchange has been abandoned, owing to the limi ed —Her Ladyship, before her death, transferred to her chaplain
space that could be allotted it in that building,
ood
ficirhamore
..
the Rev. Aloysius Staples, the yearly annuity of 3,100 f.
commodious and extensive site Ia the nei
twelve legatee,
from her French funds, and has secured to him an annuity
of 250/. from her English property. He is also:; the residuary
Moorgate-street. It is expected that in leasg than
legatee, and one of the acting executors under the will. Her
months the proposed subterranean
several metropolitan railway stations will be completedelectric telegraphs from the
and Ladyship's personal property in this country is estimated at
I brought to one point. 25,0001.