The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-29 00:00:00

FACTS.

Ist. That the present system of treating convicts in
Australia has been productive of the most dreadful
evils.
2d. That one of the highest authorities on the sub-
ject has stated the cause of those evils to be " sacri-
ficing the efficacy of the penalty of the punishment
to the prosperity of the colony.'
3d. That the plan I suggested entirely avoids the
cause pointed out by the Archbishop.
4th. That such plan is precisely similar to that
which is carried out under your authority at Portland
with such marked success.
sth. That the wisdom of adopting such plan in the
colonies was recognized and acted upon by two of the
most eminent statesmen of the present day—Earl
Derby and Sir James Graham.
6th. That the failure of such plan was entirely
owing to the indisputable fact that it never had a
fair trial.
Another most important question has doubtless oc-
cupied your attention. Whether it would be most
wise to seek for new stations in that portion of Aus-
tralia where there is little or no population—or to
select another place for our convicts. That there
is abundance of room in Australia is certain ; but I
have always entertained a very strong conviction;
that a tropical climate was very unsuitable for a con-
vict colony, both in regard to the efficiency of the
punishment of transportation in deterring others from
criminal pursuits, and to the reformation of the con-
vict himself. _ _

Surely both these objects (and it is most unwise to
regard any other as a primary one) would be far
better accomplished by the selection of a country
where the climate was similt.r to our own ; where
there was no facility of refractory convicts going into
the bush, and living in the open air, and yet where
the soil was sufficiently good to enable them to sup-
port theMselves with comfort.
There is of course much difficulty in selecting such
a place, and it may be said impossible to name one
which is not liable to some objection ; but so emi-
nently a practical mind as yours would be content in
choosing that which offered the greatest amount of
good with the least prospect of evil in relation, and
in relation solely, to these two objects—the Efficiency
of the punishment in deterring others from crime,
and the reformation of the convict.
In suggesting Vancouver's Island, as possessing the
requisite qualities in a very great degree, I refrain
from expatiating on other considerations, which will
doubtless present themselves to your mind, most ins,
portant, however, in every point of view to the states-
man and to the philanthropist.
Sincerely hoping that your health may be per-
fectly re-established, I conclude these letters on this
mast important social subject by
Having the honour to remain
Your very faithful and obedient servant,
RIGBY WASON.
Corwar, Sept. 26, 1851.

LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH-COAST
RAILWAY.

Traffic—Week ending Sept. '27,1851 ... £15,423 16 3
Traffic—Week ending Sept. 23, 1850 ... 12,571 16 11
Total of the half-year, to this date, 1851 ... 195,926 3 8
Total of the half-year, to this date, 1850 ... 172,9t0 9 4
Total number of Passengers—Week ending
Sept. 27, 1811 ... 102.639
Passengers ... £13,169 18 10
Goods 2,253 17 5

Total] £15,423 16 3
Total miles open, 1851, 17311 ; ditto, 1850, 17114.
London Terminus, Sept. 1:9, 1851.

SWEARING •IN THE SHERIFFS OF LONDON AND
11IIDDLESiiX.-On Saturday the ceremony of administering
the oath to Thomas Cotterell, Esq., citizen and cordwaine ,
and James Swift, Esq., citizen and spectacle maker, the
sheriffs for the year ensuing, took place at the Guildhall
with the customary observances. Previous to the ceremony,
T. Cotterell, Esq., gave a dejeiiner a la fourcheite to the civic
authorities, at Cordwainers'-hall, and from thence went in
procession to Guildhall, where they were installed with the
chains of office. The remarkable occurrence of the day was
the appearance of Father O'Connor, of Islington, a Romish
priest, in full canonicals, as chaplein to Sheriff Swift, who
is of that persuasion; being the first time that any clergy-
man of the Roman Catholic faith has officiated in any civic
ceremonial since the reign of Henry VIII.—a period of 300
years.
NOVEL SCENE AT DORKING.—Mr. Green, with
his balloon and five other adventurers, paid this part of Sur-
rey aa aerial visit on Tuesday last. The announcement of
his approach towards Dorking aroused the inhabitants, and
a general run ensued tow ards the " Glory," where one and
all were gratified with a most magnificent sight of the bal-
loon and its occupants. Mr. Green and his companions
started from Dulwich in the morning, and the balloon took
its course towar s Godstone, Red-hill, and Reigate, and was
hovering over the latter town for some time in a dead calm.
About nine o'clock, A.M., however, it gradually rose to a
considerable altitude and got into a different current of air,
but still moving very slowly—not reaching the back of the
Glory, in the vicinity of Dorking, till half-past twelve
o'clock. It proceeded on its slow course towards the Holm-
wood, and on the other side of the common Mr. Green put a
stop to its career in Mrs. Larpent's park, where they alighted
safely. As good luck would have it, Mr. Green had an op-
portunity of forwarding his balloon, &c., to town, by one of
Mr. Pickford's empty vans, which was passing by at the
time of the descent. Mrs. Larpent, who is 96 years of age,
kindly invited the gentlemen to take some refreshments at
her establishment, and of course, after such as airy journey,
tiotka tlieoanv we
oafs thankfullyMrs.e
nt,
withaccepted e.v e
rAy f tine ra r thek of
rreesppaesett,
theyi nt:
for her urbanity and kindness.—Sussex Express.
A Poort MAN'S PRESENT.—A labouring man of St
Thomas, named Bright, on arriving home one fine day of
this week, was presented, to his inexpressible astonishment,
with three " blessed babies."— Western Times.

UE " HAMMER" AT LEEDS.—An auctioneer at
Leeds was extolling his goods with unusual eloquence, and
as they were chiefly draperies he was particularly earnest to
impress his hearers with their really good quality. Taking
up a roll of carpet, he described it thus :—" Here are (dl
yards of splendid Brus4,els carpet—no sham here—all first-
rate—it is the very best made, for I know certainly that
this was made by Mr. Brussels himself. What will vou bid
now for this magnificent real Brussels carpet ?"-Leeds
Mercury.
TLIE ARMY. KILKENNY, SEPT. 27. —The 57th
Regiment, at present quartered in this garrison, has received
a letter of readiness for foreign service.
A MILKMAN'S WALK.--Mr. Truman, of Don-
caster, who has been in business thirty years, has during
that period walked upwards of 87,000 miles, or equal to
times the circumference of the earth. The distance is exclu-
sive of the walking required in the discharge of the other
portions of his trade, as bacon and floor dealer. Mr. T. has
enjoyed uninterrupted health, and appears likely to purely)
" milky way f9r MAY Parf4 4V C9lllO,

.

MONDAY EVENING,

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

The longest, the most brilliant, and we believe we
may add (in every sense of the phrase) the most suc-
cessful season ever recorded in the annals of this, the
first lyrical establishment in Europe, is now fest ap
proaching its termination. Never has any operatic
establishment in the world exhibited such a concentra-
tion of first-rate talent as has Her Majesty's Theatre
during the season of 1851—never has novelty fol-
lowed novelty in such rapid succession. Nobly has
Mr. Lumley redeemed the promise he made at the
commencement of the season to fully sustain the high
reputation of Her Majesty's Theatre. He has done
more than sustain—he has immensely increased it.
That every pledge given in the programme should
have been amply redeemed is a matter of course in
every establishment which is under the direction of
Mr. Lumley, cela va sans dire. Would that other di-
rectors would follow his excellent example, and per-
form all that they promise, or, at all events, not pro-
mise more than they are able to perform ; but the
ffi
works of supererogation of Mr. Lumley are sucient
of themselves to furnish forth a brilliant season, as a
proof of which we will mention the pro-
duction of Il Prodigo, and the engagements
of Madame Ugaldi and Madlle. Cerito, neither. of
whom were mentioned in the programme, and which
would of themselves, in byegone days, have been
sufficient to make the fortune of an ordinary operatic
season. The season commenced, on the 22d March,
with the debut of a new prima donna, and the produc-
tion of a new ballet. The new prima donna was"the
young and interesting Caroline Duprez, the daughter
and pupil of the great French tenor, who, by her per-
formance of Lucia di Lammermoor, proved herself an
apt pupil of an admirable school, and gave promise of
much future excellence. The new ballet Elle des
Amours was a tasteful production of a series of
groupings from Watteau, in which shepherds and
shepherdesses, looking for all the world like animated
images of Dresden China, went through a series of
most graceful evolutions ; the ballet was original and
piquant, and was all the more welcome for introducing
to us Amalia Ferraris, the Deesse of the preceding
season, who, by her wonderful tours de
force, contributed materially to its success.
It ran through the season, and continued
attractive to the last. On the 29th March an Italian
version of Auber's Gustave 111. was produced, in
which Madame Fiorentini, whose debit had brought
the season of 1850 to a brilliant close, sustained the
part of Madame Ankastrorn, and more than con-
firmed the brilliant anticipations which had been
formed of her future career. She has during the sea-
son of 1851 had many opportunities of displaying her
great talents, of every one of which she has fully
availed herself; never has prima donna more fairly
won her laurels than has Madame Fiorentini—long
may she wear them. Mademoiselle Caroline Duprez
was the moat fascinating of pages; Calzolari was an
admirable Gustave; and the fact that such artists as
Mademoiselle Feller and M. Pouttier sustained the
minor parts of the witch and of Count Ribbing,
proves the great attention paid to the perfect getting
up of the ensemble of the operas produced, and
the immense resources at the command of
the establishment. The ever-charming Carlotta
Grisi made her first appearance for the season in the
scene of the masked ball, and had lost none of her
fascination. La Sonnambula was performed shortly
afterwards, with Madlle. Caroline Duprez as the
Amina ; at the same time Coletti made his first ap-
pearance for the season in the character of Rodolpho.
Then came the next great novelty of the season La
Muta di Portici, an Italian version of Auber's Alas-
saniello, in which Pardini made his debit as Massa-
Edell°, in which Massol made his first appearance at
Her Majesty's Theatre in his world-famous character
of Pietro, and in which Madlle. Monti, the greatest
mime that the world has ever seen, first showed an
English audience how the character of Fenella ought
to be acted, and proved that gesture alone can oft-
times excite deeper emotions than could the most
eloquent utterance of the most sublime words.
During the course of the season Mdlle. Monti
frequently repeated the character, and we cannot but
regret that the arrangements of the season did not
permit her to appear in any other. Shortly after the
production ofMassaniello the Easter recess intervened;
the house re-opened on the 22d April with L'Elisir
d'Amore, with Lablache as the Doctor : on the 26th
Madlle. Alaymo played Lucrezia Borgia ; her per-
formance was full of energy, and exhibited much
promise; on this occasion Gardoni made his first
appearance for the season in the character of Gannaro.
On the 3d May Madame Sontag made her debiit for
the season as Maria in La Figlia del Reggimento.
On the Bth May Alary's light and agreeable opera
Le Tre .Nozze was produced, supported by Madame
Sontag, Madlle. Ida Bertrand, Madame Giuliani
Gardoni, Lablache, and the new buffo Ferranti.
The scene in which Sontag gives Lablache a
lesson in politeness, good manners, and danc-
ing, was a glorious bit of graceful buffoonery,
and elicited shouts of laughter and applause ; unfortu-
nately Lablache was taken ill shortly after the pro-
duction of the opera, which prevented it from having
the run which undoubtedly it would otherwise have
had. The humour of Ferranti, which is purely,
almost conventionally Italian, was not understood by
an English audience, and he therefore scarcely came
up to the expectations which had been formed of him
from his great continental reputation. The first per-
formance for the season of Don Giovanni (always an
epoch in operatic annals) took place on the 15th of
May, and on the 20th uccurred the great event, not
only of this season but of many future seasons, an
event which cannot but exercise an immense influence
on the future of the lyrical drama throughout
Europe—the debit of Madlle. Sofie Cruvelli, who at
once by her personation of Fidelio took possession of
the throne of lyrical tragedy, even as did Ed-
mund liaan at once, per saltum, by his per.
forinance of Shylock take possession of the throne of
dramatic tragedy. Her performance of Norma, on
the 31st, was as distinguished for the impassioned
intensity of her acting, the brilliancy of her vocali-
zation, and the immense display of power, as had
been her Fidelio ; and every character in which she
has subsequently appeared has but added to her repu-
tation. Her latest, but by no means her least,
triumph is her Amine, in which she appeared on Sa-
turday week. In the early part of June Il Barbiere
di Siviglia and Don Pasquale were frequently per-
formed, Madame Sontag and Lablache performing
the principal characters. On the 12th June ll Pro-
digo, an Italian version of L'Ellfant Prodigue, was
produced with a strength of cast and a magnificence
of spectacle that had never hitherto been approached
in the production of this great work. Mr. Lumley
fairly met and fairly beat the Grand Opera at Paris.
The cast ether Majesty's Theatre was infinitely superior
to that of the original, for whilst Massol resumed his
original character of Reuben, Gardoni appeared as
the Prodigal Son, Coletti as the Priest, Madame
Sontag sustained the part of Jeftele, Madame Ugaldi
that of Neiti. It was the first appearance in England
ot the young, beautiful, and accomplished Madame
Ugaldi, who at once established herself as one of the
especial favourites of the• habitues of Her Majesty's
Theatre. Nothing could exceed the splendour of the
mise en scene; the gorgeous magnificence of the second
and third acts, and the fascinations of the ballet, in
which the graceful Caroline Rosati made her first
appearance these two years, as Lie, have never before
been approached. Ou the 3d July Thalberg's new
opera, Florinda, was produced, and albeit certain
of our contemporaries have chosen to speak somewhat
flippantly of this opera, we still maintain the opinion
which we expressed of it on its first production, an
opinion which a frequent re-hearing of it has only
tended to confirm.—Florinda isa great work, and will
live when many compositions of greater pretension
and greater present popularity will be forgotten. On
the 12th July Alboni returned to us and made her
debit in the Cenerentola; she subsequently gave us
a genial version of Maria, in the Figlia del Reggi-
mento, and then appeared as Zerlina, in Auber's last
new opera, La Corbeille d' Oranges, a work scarcely
worthy his reputation ; she then appeared as Ninetta,
in La Gazza Ladra, a character which she frequently
performed during the course of her engagement.
The next novelty was the production of an
Italian version of Balfe's very agreeable
opera Les Quatre Fils Aymon, under the title
of I Qualtri Fratelli, in which Mademoiselle
Sofie Cruveili sustained the principal character
admirably, thus proving the great versatility of her
genius. The last great operatic event of the season
was the debut of Madame Barbieri Nini, in the cha-
racter of Lucrezia Borgia, who, by the brilliancy of
her vocalization and the impassioned dignity of her
acting, at once achieved a triumphant success. The
mantle of Pasta has fallen upon her. She is the Sid-
dons of the Italian stage. We spoke of the debit of
this lady as the last great operatic event of the season,
for there was still a treat in store for all the admirers
of the choreographic art in the debit of Madlle. Cerito,
of whose presence in London for a short time Mr.
Lumley took advantage, and for a few nights the
little " realist" of Naples resumed her reign on
these boards, the scene of her many former
triumphs, and repeated her principal pas in Ondine,
Alma, and the Vivandiere, with all her former grace,
vivacity, and fascination. Since the termination of
the subscription nights the house has been opened
nearly every night at play-house prices for the ac-
commodatien of the visitors to the Exhibition, and
such has been the overflow that many have been turned
away from the dens unable to obtain admission.
Never has such a galaxy of talent been assembled
within the walls of any theatre at the same time as at
Her Majesty's Theatre during the present season.
We have had 'ontag, Cruvelli,.Fioren-
tini, Barbieri Nini, Ugaldi, Giuliani, Caro-
line Duprez, Ida Bertrand, Gardoni, Sims
Reeves, Calzolari, Coletti, Massol, Lablache,
and F. Lablache to support the opera, whilst in the
ballet depatment we have had Carlotta Gris eßosati,
, Amalia Ferraris, Marie Taglioni, and though last
not least, Cerito. Goat praise is due to Air. BAife