The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-11 00:00:00

TilE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 11, tB4B.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

A Spanish tenor singer, M. Santiago, made his
Mitt here last evening in the part of Lyonnel, in the
dlaid of honour. He had only three or four days to
study the part in. The gentleman who had under-
studied Mr. Reeves in it, and was to have supplied
his place on the off•nights, left the company last
week, and M. Santiago undertook to supply his place.
The fact of his being able to appear in the part at so
short a notice proves that he must be an accomplished
musician ; indeed this was evident throughout his
performance. His voice is sweet, but somewhat
deficient in power, and he was evidently dreadfully
nervous. When he shall have become more used to
his audience he will prove an acquisition to the Drury
corps. The house was well attended.

FRENCH PLAYS, ST. YAIVIES'S
THEATRE.
M. Bocage has added to his already high fame in
this country by his performance last evening of
Jarvis, in Lafont's vaudeville of Jarvis r lumnete
homme. Jarvis is an honest English merchant, who
has been condemned to death for treason, by thein-
famous Judge Jefferies, in the dark and dismal days
of the second James. The night before his execution,
Melvil, the Governor of the Tower, permits him to
leave for a few hours to have an interview with his
daughter Cordelia (Madame Fechter), on his pledg-
ing his word to return. His daughter has
.dis-
covered his secret, and with her lover's assist-
ance, infuses a narcotic into his drink, and
his him conveyed in a state of insensibility on
board a ship, and taken to France. In France he
reads an account of the execution of Melvil, for
having permitted him to escape, and goes mad. The
vengeance of James still pursues the unfortunate
Jarvis, whose daughter is compelled to remove the
unhappy maniac from France, in consequence of the
representations of James. They go to Holland, and
there they meet with Melvil alive. He has been re-
suscitated after his execution by a celebrated phy-
sician, and when this fact becomes known to Jarvis,
he recovers his senses; at the same time the revolution
of 1688 breaks out in England, and Jarvis, his
daughter, and Melvil return to England in the train
of the Prince of Orange. The acting of M. Bocage
was very fine throughout. In the mad scenes he was
peculiarly touching and pathetic. Jarvis was followed
by a pleasant little bustling piece of intrigue, enti-
tled La veuve de quinze ans. The house was well and
fashionably attended.

THEATRICALS AT WOBURN
ABBEY.

The princely hospitalities of the Duke and Duchess
of Bedford, at the ancient family seat in Bedfordshire
were brought to a close on Tuesday last, on which day
the Noble Duke and Duchess departed for their ro-
mantic retreat, Endsleigh Cottage, in Devonshire.
The Duchess (Dowager) of Bedford and Lady Rachel
Russell, Mr. and Lady Caroline Sanford, and the
other guests at the Abbey, left the same day, with the
exception of Lord and Lady John Russell, who were
detained by indisposition. The Duke and Duchess
have, during the festive season, given a series of
splendid entertainments, and there has been a con-
tinued succession of distinguished guests. The old
year ended by a delightful histrionic exhibition at the
" Woburn Abbey Theatre." According to the bill of
the amusements, the performances were "in honour
and under the patronage of Chevalier Bunsen, the
Minister Plenipotentiary of the King of Prussia."
The selection made on the occasion was an extrava-
ganza, entitled Our Virgin Queen; or, Too Much
Supper, the dramatis personm being as follows :
" Queen Elizabeth, the Duchess Dowager of Bedford;
the Duchess of Rutland, Lady Rachell Russell ; Sir
Nicholas Blount, Mr. G. Russell ; Sir Walter Raleigh,
Mr. R. Monckton Mines ; the Earl of Sussex, the
Hon. W. Cowper ' • the Mayor of Eatall, Mr. Sanford ;
Mr. Alderman Swallow, the Hon. W. Cowper;
Sally Swallow, Lady Rachel Russell ; A Friend
(who drops in), Mr. Augustus Stafford, M.P. At-
tendants, prisoners, beadles, common councilmen,
ice." " The theatricals concluded with A Mystic
Mine; never before acted, never to be acted again.
A classic legend containing altitude and profundity;
the month of flowers and a suspiration. Vivat
Regina." it was further announced to those anxious
to witness the performances, by the authorised bill,
that " The performances commence as soon as
claret and coffee will allow. The box-office is
not open. No places are reserved. There is no
price or half-price; no suspension of the free-list;
no new scenery, dresses, or decorations. There have
been no rehearsals, and there is no stage manager."
We understand Mr. A. Stafford, M.P., created
much merriment by the able manner he enacted the
humourous part of " A Friend who drops in." Lady
Rachel Russell, as Sally Swallow, and Mr. M.
Milnes, as Sir Walter Raleigh, ably acquitted them-
selves.

Lord and Lady A. Russell, Sir C. and Lady
Mary Wood, his Excellency the Prussian Minister
and Madame Bunsen, Lady Caroline Sanford, Lord
and Lady Charles Russell, Lady Elizabeth Russell,
and a brilliant circle of friends of the Duke and
Duchess of Bedford, witnessed the performance, which
passed off, as all other doings at Woburn Abbey, with
the greatest eclat.

WILSON'S ENTERTAINMENTS.
Last night Mr. Wilson gave his first concert for
the season to a large and respectable audience in the
Store-street Music Hall, one of the best perhaps in
London for solo singing. We have seldom listened
with more delight to the Scottish minstrel. There
is an uniading freshness in the old Scottish ballad
music, giving it a charm, and securing it a lasting
popularity which few of the compositions of the great
modern masters have acquired with all the advantage
of art in orchestral accompaniment and vocal execu-
tion by the finest singers of the day. Many of these
have had their short and tinsel existence in the glare
of the " foot lights," and after a " run of unparal-
leled success," have been thrust aside amongst the
other scenic lumber to make way for other " novel-
ties." Not so with the simple Scotch ballad. It
scarcely needs the organ of a Grisi or a Mario to
sustain its popularity. Season after season its gentle
strains breathe on our ear still fresh, sweet, and redo•
lent of hawthorn, or strong, wild, and vigorous as the
mountain blast as it sweeps over the heather. Nor is
this the mere response of Scotch love of country. It
is the language it speaks to every breast—the pure
inspiration of nature—intelligible to all who have the
soul of music.

----Mr. Wilson was in excellent voice, and sang with
all the good taste and natural humour so characteristic
of his style. Among others he did great justice to
" Weel may the boattie row," " Saw ye my wee thing,"
Oh Tibbie, I hae seen the day," and "Come under
my plaidie." In singing these songs, all of a cheerful
description, we could not keep remarking that one
secret in Mr. Wilson's success in Scotch music
consists in his singing such songs in the " lilting,"
" canty " manner of the Scotch peasant, as rarely as
possible departing from the natural rithm or time of
the tune; thus while you listen, you feel an instinc-
tive desire to beat time, or even to start to your feet
and dance. Most singers signally fail in ballad sing-
ing without knowing why, disdaining to be fettered
by the natural time of the song, they indulge " ad
libitum" in long cadencies, and the whole is ex-
hausted in extraneous ornament, and the original
spirit is lost.
Other songs, such as
of course be sung in " Auld Robin Gray," cannot
this manner, and may with
greater safety be left to the singers judgment as to the
time. We were much pleased with the humorous
manner in which Mr Wilson sang my " Spouse
Nancy," "The married man's lament," and " The
Laird o Cockpen," though we thought, in regard to
the latter, he falls short of Mr. M'Kay's deleniation
of the proud laird.
Mr. Wilson will excuse us if we refer to the
piano accompaniment department of his entertain-
ments. The songs of his country require but little
accompaniment, but that little ought to be peculiarly
well executed.

COURT CIRCULAR.
WINDSOR, MONDAY.—The Queen and Prince
Albert took their usual early walk.
The Royal Family took walking and pony exercise
Majesty and Prince Albert, accompanied by
their Roy
this morning on the Eastern Terrace and slopes.
al Highnesses the Prince of Wales, Prince
Alfred, the Princess Royal, the Princess Alice, and
the Princess Helena, left the Castle this afternoon,
Her
for Claremont.
The royal suite consisted of the Lady in Waiting,
Viscountess Canning; the Lord in Waiting, the Mar-
quis of Ormond° ; the Keeper of her Majesty's Privy
Purse,
rAo
nn Anton ;
and the Colonel Seymour; and
Equerries in Waiting,
l‘arj soe;• Gn Mr.
e G.
E.
the Master of the Household, General Bowles.
The august party quitted the Castle at a quarter
e
before three o'clock, in several carriages and four,
escorted by a party of the Royal Regiment of Horse
Guards.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Lady Mary
Wood returned to their residence in Downing-street
j'eliotereds:3: La :f from a visit to the Marquis and Mar-
ehn Lansdowne, atßowood- park, Wilts.
His Excellency the Mexican Minister has left town
for the Continent.

A PLEASANT VALsnicTrox .
Before the Bishop
of New Zealand departed,
Sidney Smith, in taking
leave, affected to impress upon his friend the dangers of
his mission. ~ You will find, he said, "in preaching
to canribal,„ that. their attention, instead of being occu-
pied by the spirit, will be concentrated on the flesh; for
I am told that they never breakfast 'without n cold mis-
sionary on the side-board." In shaking hands with the
new prelate as be was leaving the house, the Reverend
wit added, " Good bye. We shall never meet again;
but let us hope that you may thoroughly disagree with
,the savage who eits you."--Family Jo; Miller.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 10.—The Bonetta brigantine,
Lieutenant-Commander Forbes, has had her com-
passes adjusted for local attraction to-day, but has
some defects to make good.
The electric telegraph which is used by the Ad-
miralty, was so disordered yesterday that no message
could be transmitted by its agency between this port
and London, and as the old semaphores are abandoned,
their Lordships found themselves in the predicament
we i_rognosticated they would when they closed the
old exclusive mode of telegraphing. This is the first
instance of the impolicy of the measure alluded to;
we trust we shall not have to report sane serious
consequences attending the shutting up of the sema-
phores, and the discharge of the veteran officers and
men who worked them.

The General Palmer freight ship received her
troops by the Echo, from Cowes, to-day, and sailed
this evening for Malta and Corfu.
Wind N.E. by N.—Moderate breezes ; weather
hazy, dark, and cold.
The following ships have served the usual term of
commission and will be shortly paid off. Those on
foreign stations which have been relieved are on their
way borne

Acorn, 16, Commanderßingham, station, East Indies,
date of commision, Dec. 1844.

Acteon, 26, Captain Manse], Coast of Africa, Dec.
1844.

Albion, 90, Captain Fremantle, Devonport, Noy. 1843.
Amazon, 20, Captain J. J. Stopford, Mediterranean,
Nor. 1844.

Collingwood, 80, Admiral Sir G. Seymour, Pacific,
May, 1841.
Columbia, Lieut. Shorthlnd, Chatham, May, 1842.
Comet, Lieutenant Rigge, Tagus, July, 1843.
Comus, 18, (sunk), Commander D'Eyneourt, River
Plate, Dec. 1844.
Dxdalus, 20, Captain M'Quhae, East Indies, Oct.
1844.

Daring, 12, Commander Peel, West Indies, Sept.
1844.

Eagle, 50, Captain G. B. Martin, Brazils, Nor. 1844.
Endymion, 44, Captain Hon. G. Hastings, Devon-
port, Oct. 1845.
Fantome, 16, Commander Le Hardy, Mediterranean,
Dec. 1844.

Firebrand, Captain J. Hope, Brazils, Dec. 1844.
Flamer, Commander Lavie, Mediterranean, Feb. 1843.
Flyingfish, Commander Dyke, Coast of Africa, Sept.
1844.

Fox, 42, Captain Sir. H. Blackwood, East Indies,
Oa. 1843.

Hecla, Commander Starmer, Sheerness, Jan. 1843.
Lark, Lieut. Lawrence, North America, Feb. 1843.
Locust, Lieut. Power, Mediterranean, Dec. 1844.
Modeste, 18, Commander Macdonald, Chatham, June
1843.
Nautilus, Lieut. Rivers, Portsmouth, Dec. 1844
Persian, 16, Commander Oor)ton, West Indies, Dec.
1844.

Racehorse, 18, Commander Sotheby, New Zealand,
Dec. 1844.

Ranger, 10, Commander Anderson, Coast of Africa,
Dec. 1844.

Superb, 80, Captain A. L. Corry, Mediterranean,
Dec. 1844.

Thunder, Capt. Barnett, North America, Aug. 1844.
Vindictive, 50, Admiral Austen, West Indies, Jan.
1845.

Volcano, Lieut. Crang, Mediterranean, Nov. 1844.
WooLwicn, JAN. 10.-,-The Commissioners of the
Admiralty have appointed Master Commander
William Smithett, who has served in the Merlin
steam-vessel on the Liverpool and Holyhead station,
to be Captain of the Banshee steam-vessel, the Banshee
being intended as a mail steamer on that station.
Captain William Smithett came on board the Banshee
this morning at Blackwall on her earning down the
river from Deptford to proceed on an official experi-
mental trial to-day by order of their Lordships. The
previously announced speed of the vessel (about 18i
statute miles per hour) caused a great anxiety
amongst naval officers to be present to judge for
themselves if this hitherto unattained speed by steam-
vessels was in reality possessed by the Banshee, and
at ten o'clock the following naval officers went on
board at Blackwall :—Captain Sir John Hill, Knight,
Superintendent of the Deptford Dockyard ; Captain
the Hon. G. F. Hotham, Captain Lord George
Paulet, Captain the Hon. Henry Keppel, Captain
H. T. Austin, C. 8., Captain Augustus Leopold
Kuper, C. 8., Captain Eden, Captain Caffin, and
Captain Dwyer, Royal Navy ; Mr. Lang, master
shipwright at Woolwich Dockyard ; Mr. Atherton,
chief engineer at the factory at Woolwich ; Mr.
Laiig, jun., assistant to the master shipwright, the
designer of the vessel ; Mr. Thompson, her constructor,
and the Messrs. Penn, who fitted her engines of 350-
horse power ; Mr. Ravenhill, of Black wall, and several
other scientific gentlemen. The Banshee left her
moorings at Blackwall, where she had stopped for a
short time, at 27 minutes past 10 o'clock, under the
charge of Lieutenant Robertson, with several of the
officers and crew of the Black Eagle, and proceeded
down the river at half speed, in consequence of the
low state of the tide, as it is found that full speed in
shallow water raises such a commotion and so many
under or cross currents, that she does not then answer
her helm exactly, and it is now the opinion of many
that it was from that cause alone, and not owing to
blame being attached to any one, that she came in
collision with the Lightning steam. vessel on her first
trial down the river. It is also evident that the great
swell, within a certain distance of her progress
through the water, causes her to draw slower going
vessels within her track, and it would be well if this
effect was known to all the commanders of steam-
vessels, that the slowest should give way and keep
out of the swell of those able to pass them. Another
very important point in navigation has been estab-
lished beyond doubt to-day, that the common, or even
Massey's patent, log is no criterion of the speed of
fast going vessels, as after they exceed 14 knots there
is no dependence on them, as they actually in many
instances jump out of the water, although considerable
weights have been previously attached to them. The
t3anshee went down the river about 14 miles below
Gravesend, and her speed, the easy motion in every part,
the stiff manner in which she answered her helm
when turning, and her qualities altogether, were the
admiration of all' on board, and she was admitted to
be the fastest steamer yet tried. The official reports
will substantiate this statement; the Carradoc iron
steam vessel for the same station being reported very
nearly 17 statute miles, and the result Gf the trial of
the Banshee, three times up and twice down, giving
a mean of 18.50 or 181 f statute miles. The speed
with the wind and tide was fully 21 miles per hour,
the measured mile having been run in 3 minutes 17
seconds the first time, and 3 minutes 15 seconds the
second, and in 4 minutes 20 seconds against wind and
tide, showing that she is the fastest vessel yet
constructed on Mr. Lang, junior's, diagonal principle.
The engines made from 30 to 31 strokes per minute
of five feet each, and were in excellent working order.
She is handsomely fitted up, and will be a great
acquisition on the Holyhead station. The Brighton
steam-vessels, designed and constructed by the same
parties, are represented by Captain the Hon. G. F.
Hotham, one of the directors who was on board, as
answering the company's most sanguine expectations.
The Meander frigate, 44 guns, Captain the Hon.
Henry Keppel, is under orders to drop down from
Chatham on Saturday next to Sheerness, and will be
ready to leave Spithead on the 21st of next month.
Previous to leaving this country in this fine frigate,
Mr. Brooke is to be (made a Knight Companion of
the Bath, as a mark of approbation of his conduct,
and the Meander is to be stationed in the Indian seas.

DEATH Or SIR JAMES ANNESLBY.—We regret to
announce the death of Sir James Annesley, F.R.S.,
F.S.A., son of the late Hon. Marcus Annesley, county
Down, Ireland, who expired on the evening of the 14th
of December, at Florence, most sincerely and deeply
regretted by his relatives and numerous friends. Sir
James was late President of the Medical Board at
Madras, served in the expedition to Java, and received
the thanks of the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Samuel
Auchmuty, for his suporintendence of the general field
hospital ; was at the head of the medical staff in the
Dekkan, under Sir Thomas Hislop, in 1817 and 1818;
was presented with a piece of plate by the Lords of the
Admiralty in 1823, for his services in the navy in the
Madras roads. Is chiefly known for his great work upon
the diseases of India.

BURNING OF A WADDING FACTORY.—Yesterday,
shortly after noon, the densely populated neighbourhood
of Spicer-street, Spits Melds, was thrown into a state of
alarm by the sudden outbreak of a fire upon the premises
belonging to Mr. Springer, a wadding manufacturer.
The flames originated in the store-rooms on the ground
floor, at the rear of the private dwelling, from, it is un-
derstood, the heat of the furnace. Owing to the highly
combustible nature of the stock therein, the flames tra-
velled with unusual rapidity. The whole of the parties
upon the premises at once set to work, and threw a con-
siderable quantity of water, but the tire continued to
spread ; and a sister of the proprietor, in her anxiety to
save some of the property, was very severely burned.
An engine from Messrs. Trueman and Hanbury's
Nrewery, in Brick-lane, was taken to the scene and set
to work, and several engines of the London establish-
ment arrived in rapid succession; and owing to the com •
tined exertions of all parties the flames were extin-
guished, but not before the stove-room was burned out.
the drying room was gutted, the roof burned off, and
considerable damage done to the adjoinining store-room,
and warehouses, by fire, water, and removals.
TILBURY FORT, JAN. 10.—A detachment of the
95th Regiment, which arrived at this fort on the 30th of
last month from Naas, consisting of 156 men, including
non-commissioned officers, embark to-morrow, the llth,
on board the ship Ilinnagon, for Hong Kong, to join
their head quarters. 13 women and 14 children embark
with the detachment, which is under the command of
Captain Sous, with two Ensigns. Mrs. Roos and three
children go out with the captain. A child belonging ti
one of the soldiers wives has sickened with the small-
pox, and to prevent the disease spreading, it has been
removed to the Female Hospital at Fort Pitt.
The overseers of Islington were engaged on Satur-
day last, from nine o'clock until half-past eleven at night,
affording out-dcor relief to the poor of the district, when
500 applicants received money, food, and clothing, re-
ceiving every humane attention from the whole of the
officials, from the highest to the lowest, for which the re-
cipients nand grateful.