The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-02 00:00:00

onin

The celebrated Pas de Quatre and Pas de Deesses will be revived,
and an entirely new Divertissement, introducing another Grand Pas
by M. Ferret, which, uniting all the peculiar attractions of the Pas
des Deessea and Pas de Quatre, will present a novel feature of strik-
ing originality, and will combine the talent of all, to be entitled LA
CONSTELLATION.

The Snbscription will consist of the same number of nights as last
eason.

The Theatre will open in the middle of February, when will be
produced, fbr the first time at her Majesty's Theatre, Donizetti's
adm'redi fters, of LA FAVORITA, in which Signor Gardoni and
Signor Patel:weld will make their first appearance in this country,
and ea entirely NEW BALLET, by M. Paul Taglioni, in which
Madam°Selie Caroline Rosati will appear.

TBEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE.
THIS EVENING
Will be performed the now Grand Opera of THE BONDMAN.
Marquis de Vernon, Mr. Weis!: FlOreillie, Mr. Rafter; Morllere,
Mr. Horncastio; Ardenford, Mr. W. Harrison; Mal-a-Propos, Mr.
Harley ; Madame Corinne, Miss Bower; Grisette, Miss R. Isaac's ;
Frivol% Mrs. Hughes.
After which, the Grand CORlifs Christmas ranto,nime, being
mixture of the historical and legendary, entitled HARLEQUIN
AND ST. GEORGE AND TEE DRAGON.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
I nder the Management of Mr. B. Webster, sole Lessee.
THIS EVENING
Will be performed the Comedy,of LONDON ASSURANCE. Cha-
racters by Messrs. Farren, Tilbury, Roll, Webster, Brindal, Buck-
atone, Hudson, Mrs. Seymour, Miss Bennett, and Mrs. Ilumby.
During the evening the Band will perform the Overtures, "Le
Pidele Berger," " AntoinCtte" Cellaflus, " Dublin " Waltz, and
the " American Polka."
To conclude, with the Original Grand Fairy Extravaganza,
called the INVISIBLIi PRINCE; or, the Island of Tranquil
Delights. Principal characters by Mr. James Bland, Miss P. Horton,
bars. L. R. Buckinxham, Miss lt,,ynolds and Miss Julia Bennett.

KoYAL, I.2t;EUM.
Under the Manairement of Mrs. Keeley.
Will be
TDB EVENING
performed a new Comic Drama, called .£5OO REWARD.
Characters by Messrs. A. Wigan, Meadows, Emery, 11. Butler, Miss
vlllars, and Miss Forster.
Alter which a new Farce, called TIIE WIGWAM. Characters by
Messrs. Matthews, Oxherry. Keeley, Miss Arden, Miss Turner,
Miss Foster, and Miss Mary Keeley.
To conclude with the Drama, founded on the New Christmas
Annual of Charles Dickens, Esq., and adapted to the stage (by the
exclusive permission of the author, from the proof sheets) by Albert
Smith, Esq.. called TUE BATTLE OF LIFE. Principal cha-
ractere by Messrs. Leigh Murray, Turner, F. Matthews, F. Vining,
Meadows, Keeley ; Mrs. Woollidge, Miss Daly, Miss May, Miss
Grove, Mb? Foster, and Mrs. Keeley.

THEATI:E ROYAL, ADEI;PHI.
UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MADAME CELESTE.
THIS EVENING
Will be performe4 an original romantic Drama, called CO-
-I.OAIBA. THE CORSICAN SISTER. characters supported by
Madame Celeste, Mrs. Yates ; Miissrs. Wright, Worrell, Bedford,
0. Sella& Ste.
Betwelin epieces the celebrated ENTORTIATIONISTS, Mr. .lohn Lees an p d his three Pupils fettle Masters L
Hanlons, will ex-
hibit their wonderful Jetta Gyinnastiques.
Ater which a graml Fairy Spectacle, founded on the Ballet
of LA fiISELLE, entitled THE PHANTOM DANCERS ; or, the
Wills Bride. Principal characters by Mr. Wright, Mr. P. Bedford,
)l r. 0. Smlth, Mr. CulleutOrd, Madame Celeste, Miss Marian Taylor,
WPM Emma Harding, Miss Ellen Chaplin, and Mrs. Laws.

OtINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET.
J. M. Maddox, sole Lessee and Manager.
THIS EVENING
vnii be performed a Grand Opera, entitled ANNE Henry VIII., Mr. Both ; Percy, Mr. Allen ; Rocllford, Mr. Wal-
ton; Smeaton, 311ss S. Flower; Harvey, Mr. Wynn; Lady Jane
Seymour, Miss Roark ; Anne Poleyn, Miss Rossano.
In the course of the evening Professor HEM ,lING and his ta-
tented CHILDREN will go through their wonderful performances.
Previous to the Pantomime the Band will perform " The Ame-
rican Polka," introducing "The Railroad Overture."
To conclude with a new Grand Comic Christmas Pantomime, entl-
tlAl The ENCHANTED BEAUTIES of the GOLDEN CASTLE;
or, The One-eyed Gent. Harlequin, Mr. Bologna; Pantaloon, Mr.
Paulo ; Columbine, Miss Barbidge ; Sprite, Mr. H. Marshall ;
Clown, Mr. Flexmore.

FRENCLI FLAYS. --ST. JAMES*;; THEATRE.
Lessee, Mr. John 31Itchell.
TO MORROW EVENING
WM be performed the popular domestic Melodrarne, entitled LA
DAMES D SAINT TROPEZ. Georges Maurice, 31ous. F. Le-
malfre ; Eforteme d'Aulierrve, Mdile. Clarisse.
Te conclude with tke Room:Ito Vaudeville of LiOrISETTE ;
of., La Chanteuse des Rues.
Bors, is., Pit, 3s. ed. , Stalls, 35.; Gallery, 2s. Doors opened at
half-past, Stren, sod the performances commence at Eight.

ETHIOKAN ii,ERENADERS, ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.
The celet,rated ETHIOPIAN SERENADERS, Pell, Harrington,
White, fitanweoil, raid C.:crown, will have the honour of repeat-
ing their Inimitable ENTERTAINMENTS, at the above Theatre,
THIS ETEXING (Tuesday), and every Tneßday, Thursday, and
Saturday. Doors open at Eight o'clock, and the Entertainment com-
mences at Halt-past Eight. And, in consequ-nce of the continued
demand fiiir places, wal repeat their DAY PERFORMANCE on
Wednesday Morning next, Feb. 3. and every Wednesday Morning
until Es*trr. Doors open at Two o'clock, and the performance
cummenees at Half-past Two. The Programme will be varied on
each eoesston.

Boxes, 43.; Pit, 25.; Amphiteatre, 2s.
Private Ilexes, Stalls, and Places may be engaged at Mitchell's
Library, 33, Bond-street; and at the Box-9Mce.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE
Proprietor. Mr. W. Batty.
Under the patronage of the Queen, Prince Albert, and the Royal
Family.—Mr. BATTY respectfully begs to acquaint the public
that he pnrposes giving a free night, for the relief of the destitute
Irish and Scotch, on TIIURSDA Y, Feb li. The evening's receipts
will be given, and the extensive resources of the Theatre will
be broetht into action.

EVENING
Will be performed THETHIS ROYAL FOX-lIHNT; or, Life's Course
of Men and Steeds.
Entire change of the SCENES of the CIRCLE.
To conclude with the succtoftil Comic Equestrian Fairy Pantomime
entitiet THE FORTY ; or, llarlequin and Ali Bala and
the Robber's Cave. Clo4n, Mr. Rochez ; Harlaquin, Mr. W. Har-
veY Pant.aloon, Mr. Laffarfni ; Columbine, Miss Louisa Walte.lL-
Box-otlice open trom eleven till rive o'clock.—Doors open at Mx
air I o-mmence et ball-past six o'clock.-1-Stage Manager, Mr. W.
Broadfoot.

ROYAL SURREY THEATRE.
Lessee, Sirs. Frances Davldge.
THIS EVENING
WM be porfoarned a new Drama, entitled RARY RATTLER; er,
The Progress of a Scamp. Characters supported by the whole
Stgenath of the Company.
Tosonelnde with a grand fairy Pantomime, called THE KING
OF THE CASTLE ; or, Harlequin In the Land of Dreams. Har-
lequin, Herr Denlfni Pantaloon, llerr It. Deulin ; Columbine, 3fdlle.
Theodore Clown, Herr N. Dentin ; Punch, Herr E. Dentin.

ROYAL VICTORIA THEA,
THIS EVENING
WITI be performed THE GUNSMITH OF ORLEANS ; or, The
Laid Wnroan's Seerert. In which Messrs. Hicks, Forman, Searle,
BIM, Howard, Mlv Vincent, Mrs. Hicks, Mrs. Lee, and .Mise
Pearce will appear,
After which THE ratrnE's JOURNEY. In which Messrs.
Searle, Howard, Forrnan,'Miss Vincent, Mrs. Lee, &c., will appear.
To conclude with the grand Christmas Pantomime, en-
titled ' MTh' OF THE STEAM ENGINE ; or, Harlequin
ead," and Joe Miller and h,e Men. Clown. Mr. T. Barry.

- ---------- - . -
A statement has reached us of the proceedings of a
Oerman Railway Company in effecting a contract for rail-
road iron, which requires immediate publicity to put the
Erode in this country on their guard against the possibility
of its repetition. It appears that the company in question
requested tenders for 8,000 tons of railway iron, and in con-1
seqiience, received tenders from three parties in England at
the respective prices of 101. 105., IC/. 55., and 10/. per ton
all the faith, as is the pra •tice with us, of the parties being
equally situated as competitors. Instead of this, however,
the contract was not only not completed with the party of-
fering at the lowest price, but it is alleged that the board of
'directors, without communicating with the English houses
(whose proposals, it must be obsorved, had resulted from a
special request), made use of their lowest offer to induce the
..!igent of another party to reduce the amount of his tender
unt'Yti7s•upoear;
this concluded
ton, thus bringing it 2e. 6d. below the 10/.
but for the
,:concluded an agreement. It is evident that,
l'i'lb.Ls';.,,,diffteTsat 10/. the company would have had to pay
• on their adroitnlarsoba,ble they may congratulate themselves
(which it must be admitted.4lie injury
of the proceeding, however
*lona] character), rn,,st was out of piece with the na-
saomPanieff, since Englishtitril chiefly
on the other German
ottl,maeters will not be likely for
the future—at least, in the sence of efficient guarautees—
any siincilaortlcßof,aorpetition.
to enter,inte
A Nun, RAce-
Stated that a site has at lengthola) AIANCIIESTER.—It is
verted into a race-cot rs _ been fixed upon to be
1 e, and that in a f con-
raeckasary lease will be signed. .1 he 'w days the
bw ground near Agecroft Bridpe, placel,,,fi chosen is the
party of John Fitzgerald, E,3,1, of the pe 'it eton, the pro-
ig we have rot heard the extent
of
thend eton collieries;
goun
price which is to be given for it. It appearrslhdo,wner theey
be a prevalent opinion that an enormous sum mustbeer' eto
pendcd brltxe it can be got into a proper condition
forx
-
horse-racing. The races at Newton are, this year, to take
plane in Wh-I;trun week, doubtless, in consequence of there
being no rams on Kersal Moor at that time.-41fanchester
guardian.
Prices on the Amsterdam Bourse have further
fluetuated withM the last two or three days. Russian and
Mexican, in consequence of sales, have gone down, while,
on the other hand, Austrian has slightly advanced. Portu-
-oese tour per Cents. have also been a little firmer, but
tnish was not so yell held.

LONDON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1847,

The returns moved for last night by the Earl of
MOUNTCASUEL, in the House of Lords, had for their
object the attaining of some degree of certainty as to
the amount of encumbrances affecting Irish estates.
The melancholy fact of the onerous character of the
burdens, the heavy interest payable by the Irish land-
lords as a body, the sad result of their own or their
predecessors' extravagances and imprudence, does not
require the confirmation of official returns to obtain
easy credence. It is a well-known fact that from
five to six millions of pounds sterling are required to
keep down the annual interest of the encumbrances
affecting real property in Ireland, which, as the
average interest of money in that country may be
reckoned at five per cent. per annum, would show from
one hundred to one hundred and twenty millions
sterling as the amount of debts, the repay-
ment of which is secured on the land of
that country. We do not think that the Noble Lord
would have made the sad reality more certain, if he
had obtained the information he required. In the
first place, he would only hare the rental of the lands
which are already under the control of the Court of
Chancery, but he should not thereby be enabled to
state what portion of the rental was applicable to the
purposes of the present owners, after providing fur
the payment of the annual charges; and, secondly, he
would know nothing of the cases where the proprietor
still received his own rents, and devoted a large por-
tion thereof to the satisfaction of the accruing interest
on the charges, where the encumbrancers were satisfied
to leave the collection in his hands without having re-
course to the machinery of the Court of Chancery.
Whatever legislation may be contemplated on the
facts desired to be proved by those returns may
fairly be introduced on the universally-admitted
state of things.
Perhaps, among the many causes that have contri-
buted to the lamentable condition of our sister king-
dom, few have had a greater effect in producing that
result than the embarrassments and pecuniary diffi-
culties of the proprietors of the soil, coupled with the
strict settlements and entails, and the other laws by
which the free disposal and transfer of property in
land was fettered and restrained. The apparent pos-
sessor wits not really the owner, nor could he deal
with the property in that capacity. The nominal
owner of extensive districts and wide-spread domains
had a large and showy rent-roll, but in reality a small
income. He was little better than the agent, the trustee
of others. He could not maintain his position in
society on the small balance remaining for his use ;
after providing for the necessary payments, he found
debts accumulating which he could only satisfy by
insuring his life and mortgaging his estate for life.
His own necessities prevented him from expending
any sum of money on improvements, no matter how
beneficial they might be, or how ample the return of
which they might give reasonable expectation. He
could not sell or dispose of any portion of the property,
no matter how greatly its alienation might enhance the
value of the remainder. lii fact, although differing in
name, he differed little in character from the middle-
man, the monster grievance of Ireland. Like him, he
was obliged, by any, means, to increase his present
rental, to extort the highest possible amount from
the occupiers, to let to the person who
would assure the highest rent, without re-
gard to his character or prospects of payment. If
lands were out of lease the rental was increased to
the utmost possible degree, or the tenant displaced in
order to make room for a new occupier, who would
promise a larger payment; thus the occupier had no
certainty or security of tenure, the lands remained
unimproved, and the greater portion of the kingdom
prescritt d the melancholy appearances of neglect and
bad cultivation which have attracted so much attention
and given occasion to so many well-founded com-
plaints.
'What then is the remedy to be adopted ? What
palliative can be found by which the disease may be
removed, or even mitigated ? Simply this—that
every facility must be given to the free transfer of
land, that so much of it as may be necessary to satisfy
the encumbrances affecting it should as speedily
as possible be brought to the hammer. Make it an
article of free sale, and reduce the expenses of
transfer to a reasonable and moderate amount. Sim-
plify the laws relating to real, property, and make
such arrangements as will give, full security of
title ; cut off entails and settlements; or, at least
let them affect the purchase-money in place of the
land itself. That purchase-money may be placed in
the funds, or on other good and sufficient secu-
rities, and subjected to the trusts that theretofore ap-
plied to the land. The greatest blessing that can be
conferred upon a nation—a solvent and unembar-
rassed proprietary—will be obtained. If the land
could be conveyed, and a good and perfect title as-
sured to the purchasers, there are numbers of persons
with sufficient capital ready to bid for all that may
be brought into the market. The supply cannot ex-
ceed the demand so as unduly to depreciate the
value of the commodity in the market. Even the
unencumbered proprietor will frequently find it his
interest to sell a part to improve the rest of his pro-
perty; and the soil of the country will pass into the
hands of those who have the capital and ability to
manage it with the greatest advantage to them
selves and to their country.

A very prevalent, and we might almost say a per-
fectly unanimous, feeling is abroad, that it were more
in accordance with the character hitherto assumed by
our Government to allow the official correspondence
relating to the Montpensier marriage to terminate
with the last communication received at the Foreign
Office from M. GUIZOT. The advisability of this
abstinence from further diplomatic retorts is obvious•
The Ministers of a great nation are neither to be
guided by a false punctilio, nor are they to yield to
the master passion of viragoes, namely, a fretful
determination "to have the last word." Every
doifstphassionate and intelligent man recognises the truth
the addviisspaabsislii
these principles of administration, and consequently
every dispassionate and adnrdoinitnelligtehnt man acknowledges
question, and therebtylerkeiTefng.tang theo correspondenceaccomplishment
the transformation of a
bundleodiplomatic legerdemain—
that very ordinary
some-
thing more dangerous
moment could possibly be thanm waste-paper. No
of letters into
stolaorre opportune for
our withdrawal from the epi y squabble here-

We inserted yesterday another letter from Mr.
RIGBY WASON to Lord JOHN RUSSELL, upon the
subject of waste lands in Ireland. The writer notices
with satisfaction that the Government plan which has
been propounded upon this momentous question is
identical, in all its outlines, with the suggestions
which he recently submitted, through our columns,
in a series of letters to the Premier. We have our-
selves some reason to rejoice at this coincidence, in-
asmuch as we earnestly took the lead in support-
ing Mr. RIGBY WasoN's views, conceiving that they
were the soundest of any which were being con.
stantly thrown out for the consideration of Govern•
meat, with the view of raising agriculture in Ireland
from its present depressed condition. Moreover, the
vast good which this gentleman had effected on his
own property in Scotland, to an extent of some
miles, under the auspices of the very system which
he strenuously urged the Administration to adopt,
increased our confidence in his every recommenda-
tion—Expert° crede. The object of Mr. R. Wasosi's
last communication is to except to a matter of detail in
Lord J. RusseLL's scheme, but which is, nevertheless,
one of essential importance. It is officially proposed to
divide the unreclaimed land into holdings of not less
than twenty-five, nor more than fifty acres. TI-e
question of what shall be the maximum and mini-
mum size of the farms in Ireland is the most interest-
ing one that can be entertained in reference to her
agricultural improvement. It cannot be too delibe-
rately canvassed in all its bearings, for, it is beyond
all doubt, that a great portion of the agrarian dis-
turbances, and of the other social evils of Ire-
land, are to be attributed to the prevalence
of the cottier system. The mode in which a
considerable quantity of the Irish soil, for the most
part miserably cultivated, has been, as it were, infi-
nitessimally partitioned by the tenantry, despite of the
will of their helpless landlords, it is matter of noto-
riety has been prolific of pernicious consequences.
The art of husbandry has completely decayed beneath
its blighting influence, and demoralisation has been
engendered to a frightful extent. The springs of
human energy have been dried up, and a spirit of
self-reliance, the great pivot on which national inde-
pendence rests, is unknown to the great body of the
Irish peasantry. Small possessions, then, have, be-
yond controversy, constituted the chief bane of Ire-
land's prosperity. We know by experience in Eng-
land and Scotland, that diminutive farms are
most undesirable; their disadvantages must be
greatly augmented in a country where there are
no manufactures, furnishing channels of employment
for redundant labour. Taught by the past the im.
policy of the cottier system, we ought to be exceed-
ingly provident of not permitting the new farms,
intended to be carved out of the unredeemed land, to
be of such inferior dimensions as to render them inci-
dental to the propagation of the evils the effects of
which we have now so bitterly to deplore. In addi-
tion to this, we must be careful to give every facility
to the tenantry for obtaining a tenure of a secure and
simple description.
The great desideratum in Ireland is to
create a body of proprietors who shall become
permanent employers of labour at remunerative
wages. We consider that we shall come far short
of this object; indeed, we doubt if we should in any
wise compass it with the limitation of acres proposed
by the Government. Our hope is, however, that the
question will again undergo the deliberate reflection
of the Cabinet. Lord J. RUSSELL does not think the
small holdings have been injurious, because, in Ar-
magh, the most prosperous and best cultivated county
in Ireland, the greatest division of land exists. But
the statistics which Mr. R. Wesost has presented,
and the reasoning he has advanced upon them, strike
us as being subversive of the foundations on which
tho head of the Government rests his conclusions.
Out of the 685,389 farms into which Ireland is
divided, 636,997 are under 30 acres, and only 48,312
above that number. Under five acres we find the
large figure of 306,915. The cottier system is uni-
versally condemned. It seems a contradiction, there-
fore, to appeal to Ulster, where it is most extensive.
This province, compared with Munster, has nearly
double the number of cottier holdings from one to
five acres; and were it not that Armagh is the centre
of the linen trade, Ulster would no doubt have had
the same sad experience which has inseparably accom-
panied the dwarfish division of territory in the other
Rpr.owvinAcseoss.
pthreorsepfeorriety,"osfhurelwstderlyisonbosterevnestirAellyr.
owing to another cause—that of the linen trade—
surely our duty would be to assimilate the rest of
Ireland with that of Ulster, and increase as much as
possible the number of cottier holdings from one to

SATURDAY.—Report made that Mr. Maloney's cattle had
been captured near Howison's Poort.
MONDAY.—A shocking murder was wantonly and pub-
day evening. The murderer is
Hely committed in kligh-street, Graham's Town, yester-
the employ of 4,1 r. Ogilvie. r
[`ho man, it seems, was
standing in the street with his gun loaded, and was speaking
a young Hottentot, in
to two Hottentot girls, who were in charge of two little
children belonging
to Mr. E. Philipps to one of whom he
made a proposal, which oo her declining to accept, he
levelled his gun and threatened to shoot her. The children
on seeing him raise his gun, immediately ran off—the elder
,
one, a boy of about four
years of age, leading the younger.
The man fired, and the hall passing through the shoulder of
one of the girls, who was killed on the spot, struck the other,
who, after lingering a short time, also expired. The man is
in custody. ... .. From Colonel Somerset's camp there
is news up to yesterday, on which day Unihala arrived with
some of his followers. Of the object of his visit we are not in-
formed. . . • . A convoy of mules and horse wagons,
with supplies, reached town, with a quantity of loose mules for
frontier service. . . • .
successfully
uape Mail arrived this afternoon.
The Port-Elizabeth Herald reports that the schooner Rose-
bud, Captain Duthie had
attempted the entrance
of the St. John's Ri;er
We have information from Upper Kafir Drift to the 28th
inst. We learn that Field-Captain H. Bowker has had
many night patroles out lately. Two parties of Kafirs had
been seen at a distance, and also the spoor of three other
parties, all returning to Kafirland. .No spoor of Kafirs had
Thebeenold
seen entering the colony since Mr. Bowker's arrival.
walls of the post had been built up, and all the men
had been comfortably hutted The 7under Mr. Sporting
Club,
from Mr. Maloney from "his i
farm on the Kar
ega, re-
turned home on Saturday
ni ht. It appears that seven
Way only are miaing, Ld tta tthe petty found Beyeral