The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-21 00:00:00

PORTSOKEN WARD.

(F. G. Moon, Esq., Alderman; returns 8 members.)
A wardmote was held this morning at the Three
Nuns Inn, High street, Aldgate. After the inquestmen
and ward-beadle bad been elected, the following gen-
tlemen were proposed as fit and proper persons to
serve in the Court of Common Council for the year

c nsuing :
Mr. Wright, deputy.
kilbee.
Hay ward.
Danford.
Christie.
On a show of hands being
the new candidate, to the e:
poll was demanded by th©
tleman.

Mr. Thomson.
Barker.
Jutsum.
*Wylde.

favourable to Mr. Wylde,
xelusion of Mr. Jutsum, a
friends of the latter gen-

THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE.
M. Jullien is proceeding in his career as manager
of this national establishment in a manner which
leaves nothing to be desired. He last night pro-
duced a most successful English opera—English in
every sense of the word ; the story is English, the
composer is English, the author of the libretto is
English, and every artiste employed in bringing it
before the public is English, and, as old supporters
of the English school of operatic music, right glad
are we to say that the Maid of honour, the opera
produced here last night, composed by Mr. Balfe,
written by Mr. Fitzball, and in which the characters
were sustained by Miss Birch, Miss Miran (a
fine contralto, who made her first appearance last
evening), Mrs. Weiss (better known as Miss Barrett),
Mr. Sims Reeves, Mr. Whitworth, and Mr. Weiss,
need not fear a comparison with any other opera that
has been produced at any theatre in Europe of late
years. The plot will be in the recollection of the
greater number of our readers, inasmuch as it is pre
cisely similar to that of the ballet entitled Henrietta,
or The Statute Fair, which was produced here some
years ago (the only difference being that the scene is
laid in the days of Queen Elizabeth, instead of in
those of Queen Anne). Miss Birch, who ap-
peared for the first time on the English
stage, was the Lady Henrietta, and she perfectly
astonished us. As a singer we felt assured that she
would be all that could be desired, but we feared
that as an actress she would prove inanimate and
tame. On the contrary, she is as great as an actress
as she is as a singer. She was espiegle, animated,
spirited—the very Lady Henrietta of the story, and sung
in the most delicious manner imaginable. The part of
her companion, Lady Alison, was admirably sustained
by Miss Miran, whose rich contralto tells with im-
mense effect in the duet in the third act (supposed to
be sung between Orpheus and Eurydice in the masque
scene). Miss Miran is a great acquisition to the
Drury corps. Mr. Sims Reeves has in this opera
completely vindicated his right to be considered the
first of English tenors. In Edgardo he proved that
in the execution of Italian music he was without a
competitor on the English stage. In the Maid of
Honour he has shown that he can beat the English
ballad singers on their own ground. Nothing could
exceed the beauty, the pathos, and the effect with
which he gave the exquisite ballad "In this old
chair my father sat," which occurs in the third act,
and which is one of the most delightful melodies that
Balfe has ever composed. Indeed this opera is
replete with gems of melody, nothing can be
more beautiful for instance then the exquisite ballad
" The Red Cross Knight," which was deliciously
given by Miss Birch. In a fortnight this ballad will
be found on every pianoforte in the United Kingdom.
It will be the song rf the season. The music of this
opera is perhaps the most dramatic that Balfe has
ever composed. The music of the whole scene of
the statute fair is superior to that of any modern
composer, native or foreign. It is spirited, de-
scriptive, and full of fun. Why does not
Belle give us a genuine Opera Buffa ? The
opera was completely and deservedly successful, and
at the conclusion all the artistes, together with Balfe
and M. Jullien, were called before the curtain. The
house was crowded.

Among the fashionables present we observed the
Earl of Durham, Viscount Castlereagh, Lord Char-
leville, Lord Ward, Lord Henry Gordon Lennox,
Lord Dudley Stuart, Lord Robert Grosvenor, Lady
Lake, Lady Antrobus, and the Misses Antrobus, Sir
W. and Lady de Bathe, Sir John Macdonald, Right
Hon. Fox Maule, lion. Mr. Astley, Hon, Mr. Grey,
Miss Burdett Coutt and party, &c.

FRENCH PLAYS, ST. JAMES'S.
Two new pieces were produced here last night, and
both were successful. The first, a vaudeville entitled
tine Jeunesse Orageuse, may be briefly described as
the adventures of Joseph and Charles Surface after
marriage. There are two young men, one a model
of propriety, the other a rattler; they are both mar-
ried, and the wife of the rattler is the object of the
greatest commiseration with the wife of young " pro-
priety." The rattler, however, turns out to be merely
a rattler, while it is discovered that young " pro-
priety" is a thorough scoundrel. The success of this
piece is mainly owing to the admirable manner
in which the principal characters were sustained
by Madame Valmy, Mademoiselle Baptiste,
and Monsieur Montaland. The .
next piece
is a broad farce, entitled La Fille Terrible, in which
Mademoiselle Lagier made her debut as La Fille Ter-
rible, and achieved a great triumph. She is very
young, very pretty, very fascinating, and possesses
that which few French artistes possess, a
thorough appreciation of the humourous. La
Fille Terrible is the
.daughter of a coquettish
widow, who would fain dress la file as a
child, and keep. her as a child, albeit she has
attained the marriageable age of eighteen years, and
has, of course, without mama's knowledge, a
lover. She refuses to dress in a girl's frock and pina-
fore, and in order to force her to adopt the juvenile
costume, the mother deprives her of her only dress,
and she is seen running about in a petticoat. Her
lover approaches, she hides behind a screen, and in
order to meet they both mount on a chair, their heads
thus meeting above the screen. The mother tries
to marry her to an old man, and she be-
comes a child again, playing with a skipping-
rope, and forcing the old beau to skip also. So the
fun goes on, until, of course, sundry unexpected
discoveries are made, and she is permitted to marry
her
youn6 lover. The audience was in a roar the
whole time ; in fact, the farce is a regular screamer
Mademoiselle Lagier is, we think, destined to become
an especial favourite here. She produced an immense
effect last evening.
The performances were attended by the following,.
among other distinguished personages Excel-
lency the French Ambassador, the Duke and Duchess
of Beaufort, his Excellency the _Russian Minister,
Baroness Brunnow and Mdlle. Olga de Lechner,
the Earl of St. Germans, Viscount Cantalupe,
Viscount Clifden, Lord and Lady Holland, Lord
Suffield. the Count and Countess de Jornae, Hot:.
Spencer Cowper, Sir 11. Meux, Sir J. Walsh, Sir
W. Ball, Mrs. Sandford, &c. &c.

ADELPHI THEATRE.
A new grand magical spectacle, entitled The Pearl
of the Ocean; or the Prince and the allerinaiden, was
produced here last night with the most complete
and the most deserved success. For grandeur and
magnificence of spectacle, of costume, and of scenery,
it surpasses anything of the kind that has hitherto
been produced at the Adelphi, and is just the sort of
thing to take children to see at this holiday season of
the year. It must become unboundedly popular, and
e give due " notice to parents and guardians," that
their children and wards will teaze and teaze until
they have been taken to see The Pearl of the Ocean,
winch to Webster will most assuredly prove not only
a pearl of price, but a pearl of value. The fol-
lowing is the plot of this superb dramatic romance
The piece opens with a series of dissolving views, la
which the story is told. Coralie, a beautiful mer-
maid, has saved the life of a Prince of the Pearl
Islands on the night of a great storm, when his ship
was wrecked, and having carried him to the shore
near a convent, leaves him in the care of a nun, who
had discovered him lying exhausted on the beach.
In the first scene of the drama we have a fairy cave
in the Pearl Islands, in which Mr. Wright makes his
appearance, and relates a wonderful story of his being
caught by a mermaid ; Grimgrowlino, an old pearl
diver, follows suit with a stronger yarn, and the
scene closes with Mr. 'Wright's taking a dive to make
his fortune by bringing up some of the treasures
from the Sea King's palace. In the next scene,
which is at the bottom of the sea, Madame Celeste
appears as the mermaiden, with the usual appurte-
nances of a fish's tail, looking-glass, golden locks,
&c. This scene is very beautiful, and capitally
managed—the working of the waters, and the appear-
ance of Madame Celeste and her five sisters most
beautiful and picturesque. Coralie having dis-
covered that the Witch of the Whirlpool
has power to deprive her of her tail, and
permit her to go on earth, determines to pay her
visit She accordingly proceeds to her abode, and,
after a Freischutaian incantation, finds herself " on her
legs," executes a grand scene of pantomime, and a 6;
tends to the earth—so ends the first act. The second
act commences with the appearance of the Prince
(Miss Woolgar), who sings a very charming song hi,
Auber ; the mermaiden then rises from the sea, and
has an affecting interview with him ; but being for"
bidden by her compact with the Witch to inform him
that it was she who saved his life, he remains in ign°'
ranee that he is indebted to her. The Ambassador
from the Khan of Circassia next appears, and offers
his master's daughter to the Prince for his bride. The,
Prince consents to accompany him to Circassia, and
departs with his Court, and accompanied by Coralie
disguised as a Greek nobleman. The next scene 1'
in Circassia, and discovers the Khan and his Court
waiting the arrival of the Prince. A golden Oil,
soon appears, bearing the Prince and his suite, an"
the scene conclndes by the Prince discovering
in the Khan's daughter the nun who (as he
believes) saved his life. Coralie, in despair,
is about to throw herself into the sea, as
the act drop falls. Act 3d. A kiosk and garden
of the Khan's palace. Coralie sends the Pearl
Diver to intercede with the Witch of the Whirlpool'
The next scene is a grand hall in the palace, with the
wedding fete; it is opened with an Arab dance, after
which Madame Celeste appears at the head of a corps
of Amazons, all clad in complete suits of steel armour
—the armour is most beautiful and costly, having,
been manufactured expressly in Paris. Coralie an
the Amazons carry off the Princess. The next seen°
a grand fight takes place. A basaltic cavern is the
next scene, where Coralie and the Princess have an
explanation, which is by no means satisfactory to the
former. The Witch of the Whirlpool then appears?
and urges Coralie to assassinate the Princess, as het
only chance of winning the Prince. Coralie, work"'
on by the 'Witch, consents, and leaves the stagedecer
mined "to revel in blood ;" but her resolution being
very weak, she breaks it in the next scene, and Tares
her intended victim. The last scene shows the ls.le
and the Prince and Court, waiting for the bride, who
at length appears in the person of Coralie, the Princess
having, with most unfeminine generosity, resigned
her claim. The Witch of the Whirlpool then appears'
and after stating that all was but a trial of the mer-
maiden's heart and constancy, invites the party to
grand fete at the bottom of the sea. A grand ningl";
transformation then takes place, and all of
made
ends happily. Great alterations have been d
behind the curtain to enable this piece to be
A room quite as large as the stage has been
.built :soles
joining to and communicating with it by wide arches
so that a large galley can make its progress irn.a.let
directions, and then be completely hidden. This
directions, and then be completely hidden.
lways
pro.duce
improvement is what Frederick Yates was always
striving for, and Mr. Webster has only been enabled
to carry it into effect by his purchase of the ground
in Bull Inn-court, where some time since a nuix!ber
of houses were burnt down. The whole building,
extensive as it is, has been constructed with extraor-
dinary rapidity in a little more than fourteen days.

EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE AT DERBY. -- On
Tuesday last the conference of Nonconformist ministers
and delegates connected with the congregational union
was held in the school-room connected with Victoria-
street Chapel. A large number of ministers and laymen
attended ; Dr. Hamilton occupied the chair. The great
object of the conference was to devise practical measures
for the promotion of religious and secular education,
upon the voluntary principle. The Rev. J. Fletcher, Of
this town, detailed a self-sustaining plan of operationp
by which, in his opinion, 43,0001., by small weekly con-
tributions, might be annually raised in their congrega-
tions in support of the system. The plan was much
admired, and elicited the warmest expressions of appro-
bation. A series of resolutions, embodying a plan 0;
education, exclusive of Government aid, were proposed
in excellent speeches by various gentlemen, and adopted.
The conference was concluded on Wednesday, and in
the evening a crowded public meeting was held in the
chapel, H. Forbes, Esq., in the chair. Excellent ad-
dresses, in support of resolutions for carrying out th•
objects of the conference, were delivered by the chair-
man and by Mr. E. Baines, jun. (Leeds), ReZB-
Ainslie, London ; Dr. Hamilton Leeds ; Dr. 'mass,
Manchester ; Mr. J. Condor, editor of the
Rev. A. Wells, London; and the Rev. J. Gaw
greathorne. The
proceedings proceedings were characterised by the Patriot;
una-
nimity.—Stafford Mercury.
*vß LOST.
EXPLOSION OF FIRE DAMP.--SETEN L-,5,,, re
—The inquest on the seven unfortunate men ^h at
killed by an explosion of fire-damp a short time 4."ted
the coal works of Messrs. Bailey, Nantyglo, terminate
on Wednesday, when the jury returned a verdict to t' d
effect that the deceased died from suffocation produce
by an explosion of carburetted hydrogen gas.
°
SINGULAR ACCIDENT.—On Tuesday last a N °rl4
man, in the employ of Mr. Barnett, of Marstovv,
Whitchurch, went to the top of a rick of bay, for si:!,
purpose of cutting some trusses. Having finished hQ
job he threw his hay knife upon the ground, whilst §
descended the ladder. In doing this one of the ran.
broke, and the poor fellow fell on his back from C 0
siderable height upon the edge of the knife. ~°
of
nearly severed through, and lies without any hope
recovery. , „, of
The bank notes and cheques, to the wilt's'

• ---
7,8661. 7d., stolen from the clerk of Messrs. Still!, to
Paul, and Co., in February last, hare been sent bac":01
the banking-house, in a parcel, containing the
notes and cheques, with the exception of one collo'
bank note of the value of fire pounds. for
A writ was moved last night for a new election. t,
the borough of Wells, in consequence of the pleinte.
ment of G. W. Hayter, Esq., to be Judge-Adoocltuici
We stated some days ago that this appointment w°the
probably be made—the only doubt being wbetherhbt
office would be accepted by one of the oldest, ataunc4o:
and most respected of the Liberal party, H. W•
,ich
cred, Esq. Mr. Hayter's appointment is one for o'ceo
while the Government may be congratulated, it deser.p. t.
the highest credit. The most recent judicial apP°; to
ment before this—that of Master Tinney—was io
the very reasonable objection of having been mad ;b°
forgetfulness of the superior party claims of men But
are at least his equals in professional attainments• ie.
about Mr. Hayter's politics thero is no doubt, A 6,eept-
tion more creditable to Ministers, or generally se`y,-co
able to the whole Liberal party, could not have -
made.—Chronicle.