The Sun.
London, England, 1870-11-26 00:00:00

ACCIDENT TO THE IRISH MAIL.

The up Irish mail, due at Euston at 6.45 a.m. this
morning, on emerging from the Watford tunnel, came
into contact with some empty cattle waggons which,
through the great carelessness of the breaksman of the
latter, were in the act of being shunted across the
main line, instead of into their proper siding.
The small resistance offered by the empty waggons
happily prevented the passengers suffering any injury,
but the engine of the mail train Wa3 thrown over on the
main line metals, and stopped the traffic for two or three
hours.

LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND THE STAGE,
The Athenccum, says :—Miss Broughton, the author of
"Red as a Rose is She," is engaged on a novel which is
meant to appear with the next spring flowers.—Mr.
Blanchard Jerrold has projected an elementary library of
school books and prize books for the children of the
people. The first three volumes, which are on the-point
of appearing, indicate the character of the undertaking.
1. "The Best Teacher, a Primer, Spelling, and Reading-
book, designed to teach the child his first lessons from the
book that that should be read always." 2. " Shakspearee
Primer and Spelling-book, designed to teach children
their earliest lessons in the English of Shakspeare." 3.
" Jeremy Taylor's Reading-book, teaching both young
and old the rules of holy living and dying, from the pages
of the writer whom Emerson has called `The Shakspeare
of Divines !""—We hear that the demands sent in to the
Education Department for building grants for elementary
schools are beyond all expectation, and that it is likely
there will be a very strong pull at the Exchequer for
funds—some say millions. It is to be hoped that before an
application for alittle grant be listened to, some proper clas-
sification of schools in a district will be insisted on.—
Among the candidates for the chair of Natural History
in Queen's College, Belfast, vacant by the appointment
of Professor Thomson to the • Edinburgh chair, it is be-
lieved that Dr. Mac Alister, Lecturer on Zoology in the
University of Dublin, is the most likely to succeed.—
Further extension of the Record Office, in Rolls Courts
Chancery Lane, is intended. The city authorities pro-
pose to enlarge Leadenhall and Billingsgate Markets.—
Among the plans now in vogue is that of building
a new Mint in London. It is to be erected in
Whitefriars, with a frontage on the northern Embank-
ment, and between the Temple and the City Gas-works.—
The opening of the Lyceum Theatre with an Opera
Buffo Company (Limited) is announced, to be under the
management of M. Verger, whose dramatic and musical
agency office in Paris has been broken up by the war.
Signor Bottesini, tho contra-basso player, will be the
conductor, and his opera, " AU Baba," is promised for
the opening night.—The first performance in London of
Mr. Benedict*s oratorio, " St. Peter," is announced for
the 13th of December, with the aid of Mr. Barnby's
choir ; the chief singers will be Mdlle. Tietjens,
Madame Patey, Mr. Sims Reeves, Mr. Rayn-
ham, and Herr Stockhausen.—Early in the new year the
Royal Court Theatre, in Sloane-Square, London, will be
opened as a place of fashionable entertainment. The
house has been reconstructed by Mr. Walter Emden, who
performed the like office for the Globe. A new comedy
by Mr. W. S. Gilbert will form the opening piece.—An
extravaganza; with new music by M. Herv6, will be pro-
duced at the Gaiety at Christmas. Mr. Toole and Miss
E. Farren will then reappear.—The drama of " Marl-
borough," by Mr. Watts Phillips, will shortly be played
at a West End theatre. The author has entirely re-
written the last act. Other historical dramas from the
same pen are likely to be ere long produced.—A bur-
lesque by Mr. Gilbert is in preparation at the Op6ra
Comique.