The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-11 00:00:00

THE APPROACHING IMPERIAL BIRTH,

We read in a French medical journal, the Gazette
llebdoluadairc de illecleeine ct de Chirurgie :
" Public curiosity is alive to know if the Empress will
or will not be subjected to the action of chloroform
during her accouchement. We believe no decision has
yet been taken upon this delicate matter, and that all
will depend upon the circumstances of the delivery.
We wish we could answer another question of far more
importance—will the Empress give birth to a son or a
daughter 1 We declare ourselves unable to give an
opinion on a subject upin which no serious scientific
fact can be invoked. Bet may he laid upon it, but
reasonable conjectures are iinpossible.
" We are nut awar4, however, that many people be-
lieve themselves much batter informed than we upon
this point, and that the pretence of foretelling the sex
of an infant is often 'set tip in circles where medical
studies are unknown. It is doubtless because we are
situated in different circi.smstances that we speak with
more reserve. If, however, we were compelled to offer
an opinion, we should say very modestly that the
chances at least are equal, and that if a very slight dif-
ference exists, it is in fivour of the birth of a son, since,
as regards numbers, more boys are born into the world
than girls. In a few days the question will he decided
by Providence. Let us patiently await that sovereign
decision."

It is expected that an official intinvition of the birth
of an heir to the throne of France being received by
the British Or)vernment a general royal saints will lie
ordered to be fired by the fleet (with slips dressed and
yards manned) at Portsmon h and elsewhere.

We understand that the Surrey Gardens Company
has obtained her Majesty's patronage, aed the cowl any
bas, consequently, been re,,:istered as "The Royal
Surrey Gardens Company ;" the contractors for the
music hall are Messrs. Scott and Cornwall, end Mr.
Forrest, many years landscape gardener to the late
Duke of Northumberland (and from whese design the
magnificent conservatory at Sion House was erected), is
superintending the garden improvements. The eaten-
sive buildings and alterations are progressing rapidly.
and the committee are certain of being able to avail
themselves of the coming season.
Fox CLUB. —The second meeting of the Fox Club this
season took place on Saturday evening., at Brooks's.
Present—ne Marquis To wnshe Mr. J. H. Langston,
M.P., Mr. John Cotes, Mr. E. A. Sanford, the Earl of
Go-ford, Col. R. A. Shaft() Adair, M.P., the Hon. Ha.
milton H. Duncan, Mr. Frederick Dundas, M.P., Lord
Sudeley, Mr. H. F. Stephenson, Viscount Milton, M.P.,
the Right Hon. Lord Marcus Hill, M.P., the Right Hon.
J. W. Fitzpatrick, Col. Sir Henry Ferguson Davie, Bart.,
M.P., the Hon. Charles Clements, Lord Saye and Sele,
the Hen. George Byng, M.P., Viscount Ebringt,m,
M.P., Col. Lonedale Boldere, Sir G. R. Philips, Bart.,
Field-Marshal the Earl of Strafford, the Hon. T. C. H.
Tracy, Lord Charles Fox Russell, M.P., Col. Robert
Ferguson, M.P., end Mr. Ed ward Ellice, jun., M.P.
TOE CANADA.—LIVERPOOL, March 10.
—The greatest anxiety continut i to pervade all ranks in
reference to the late of the United States mail steam-
ship Pacific ; and as soon as the Canada, British and
North American royal mail steam-ship, sins telegraphed
by the semaphore as off the port, Mr. Court, the secre-
tary to the Underwriters' Association, caused a commu-
nication to be made—" Can the Canada tell whether
the Pacific has arrived out ?" This plain-enough ques-
tion was seemingly not understood by those on board
the Canada, and to the mortification of Mr. Court, he
received for answer, " Off Point Lynes, at 3 o'clock ;"
evidently meaning the Canada herself.
_ _ _

THE -MAILS. -- SOUTHAMPTON, March 10. The
Royal Mail steam ship Avon, Capt. Revett, sailed this
afternoon for Lisbon, Madeira, Teneriffe, St. Vincent,
Pernambuco, Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, Monte Video, and
Buenos Ayres, taking out 74 passengers, among whom
are the Hon. R. Marshain and M. Le Baron de Ment-
zinger ; 77,640/. specie, 4,2321. jewellery, and a ful
genial cargo. The Plata, Capt. Weller, with the next
West India and Pacific mails, is expected about the 15th
inst. The Magdalena, Capt. Abbott, is preparing to
convey the outward West India and Pacific mails on
Monday next. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's
steam-ship Madrid, Capt. Bradshaw. with the mails from
Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Cadiz, and Gibraltar, is eispected
about the 14th iust. The outward Peninsular mails of
the 17th inst. will be conveyed by the Sultan, Capt.
Cook. The United States' mail steam-ship Fulton, Capt.
Wotton, will leave on Wednesday, the 12th inst., with
the French and English mails, passengers, and cargo,
for New York.
GENERAL- SCREW STEAM COUPANY.—This Coinpany
have intimated to their shareholders that the Board of
Trade are prepared to recommend the grant of the sup.
plemental charter requisite to authorise. the proposed re-
turn of 31. per share of the capital, upon condition of an
audit being previously taken, and that immediately
upon the completion of this audit the repayment will be
effected. A circular has been issued by the manager of
the General Screw Company to the shareholders of that
undertaking, stating that while the company consider
themselves by their present policy precluded from en-
tering into new engagements, such as would be involved
in tendering for bhe contract now invited for an Au,-
tralian mail service, several members of the hoard have
determined to make an offer for it. They consider that
they have ascertained the best route, and that the
voyage to and from Australia direct, without touching
at any intermediate port, may he made in a shorter
time than has ever yet been accomplished by any line.
Should the contract be obtained, it will be proposed
to raise a capital of 500,0001.
EICURSIoN TICKETS.—On Saturday in the Southwark
County Court, an action was brought agaiust the South-
Western Railway Company by Mr. Mogg, a gentleman
residing in Albion-street, Hyde-park, to recover the sum
of Si. under the following circumstances :—The plaintiff
stated that, on the 15th of August hie, he took a first-
class ticket at the Waterloo Station by the Southampton
Railway throughout to Paris, yid Southampton and
Havre, for which he paid the advertised price (281.), his
intention being to witness the reception by the Emperor
of the Queen of England. When the train arrived at
Southampton there was no conveyance provided by the
company to take him to the steam-boat, and he was
obliged to pay for the omnibus himself. When be got
on board the vessel, he found it so crowded that there
was no bed for him, and though the steward offered him
a mattress on the fluor, he could not lie in such a place,
and went on deck, where he stayed all night in one ut
the boats. This gave him a severe illness, and compel.
led him, when arriving at Havre, to stay two days at the
hotel there before he could proceed to Paris. On the
French side of the water he was also obliged to pay for
the conveyance of himself and luggage to the railway
station. For these various disbursements, want of ac-
commodation, trouble and annoyance he had been put to,
he brought the action to recover Si., which he was justly
entitled to ; his hotel expenses at Havre amounted to 11.
His Honour said that the case was one of vast importance
to the public. He thought the railway company were
bound to take the passengers throughout to Paris, ac-
cording to their contract, and there should be no outlay
on the part of the passengers for travelling expenses be-
yond the 283. Whether every passenger was entitled to
a bed he could not say, but certainly every one was en-
titled to proper shelter ; and, under all the circum-
stances, he should give a verdiet for the plaintiff for the
WhaiV amount claiond.