The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-15 00:00:00

MON DA,

E VEN IN G,

FIVE HUNDRED PERSWS DESTROY ED

BY A WATERSPOUT.
On Saturday intelligence was received at Lloyd's,
under date Malta, Monday, the Bth instant, of a most
awful occurrence at the Island off Sicily, which had
been swept by two enormous waterspouts, accom-
panied by a terrific hurricane. Those who witnessed
the phenomena describe the water-spouts as two im-
mense spherical bodies of water reaching from the
clouds, their cones nearly touching the earth, and, as
far as could be judged, at a quarter of a mile a part,
travelling with immense velocity. They passed over
the island near Marsala. In their progress houses
were unroofed, trees uprooted, men and women,
horses, cattle, and sheep were raised up, drawn into
their vortex, and borne on to destruction ; during
their passage rain descended in cataracts, accom-
panied with hailstones of enormous size and masses of
ice. Going over Castellamare, near Stabia, it de-
stroyed half the town, and washed 200 of the inha-
bitants into the sea, who all perished. Upwards of
500 persons have been destroyed by this terrible visi-
tation, and an immense'amount of property, the coun-
try being laid waste for miles. The shipping in the
harbour suffered severely, many vessels being de-
stroyed, and their crews drowned. After the occur-
rence numbers of dead human bodies were picked
up, all frightfully mutilated and swollen.

M. LANGLOIS AT IIUNGERFORD BALL.
The art of conjuration having of late become
common enough, in all conscience, and its professors
being in general but partially initiated into its mys-
teries, it is really a sort of relief to sit for an hour
or two in the presence of such an accomplished
magician as Mons. Langlois. It is no little praise to
any that he performs his " fantastic tricks" with as
much ease, neatness, and dexterity as his predecessors
in this country—the Great Wizard of the North,
Phillips, Robin, and Robert Houdin. He is certainly
extremely clever, and some of his feats of legerdemain
are most wonderful. Houdin, when at the St. James's
Theatre, had an automaton figure which danced on
the tight-rope, but Mons. Langlois has one which,
in its marvellous performances, quite throws Houdin's
in the shade. A more beautiful piece of mechanism
than the " wonderful voltigeur" could scarcely be
imagined. It would also be a great benefit conferred
on the public generally if he would kindly explain
bf what inexplicable means he contrives to fill his
cash-box with silver, with a mere " pass" of his
in9gic wand. Those unfortunate individuals who
baye not got too muoh of the -circulating medium
would, no doubt, be glad to know the secret. His
many other performances are well worthy of being
seen, inasmuch as they are new, several of them
having never been previously performed in London.
The juggler Djalwa also nightly delights the visitor
with his clever feats, and those performances, in con-
junction • with a series of very beautiful dissolving
views and the chromotropo at the end, serve to pass
an evening away most agreeably. The theatre of
Optical Illusion will certainly be besieged by the
juveniles during the approaching Christmas holi-
days.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
HUNTING APPOINTMENTS.

Her Majesty's staghds., Tues., Uxbridge-common;
Fri., Iver-heath-11.
Brookside hrrs., Thurs., Telscombe Tyo—lef.
Crawley and Horsham lids., Wed., liingsfold; Fri.,
Champion's-gate-104.
Worcestershire hds., Wed,, Bromsgroye Lickey; Fri.,
Tiddersley-wood-1 Of.
Herefordshire lids., rues., Rotherwas; Fri., Yazor.
Lord Redesdale's lids., Wed., Loughborough-gate;
Fri., Newham; Sat., Blenheim—loi.
Ludlow lids., Tues., Blackwell; Fri., Norton's Camp
—loi.
Ledbury lids., Taos., Suckley; Fri., Bromsberrow-
heath-10i.
Upton-on-Severn hrrs., Tues., Ripple-101.
COURSING.
SPELTHORNE (OVERTON) MEETING.
Mr. Farnell's Cup and a Sweepstakes were won by
Mr. Begbrie's Fair Helen; Mr. J. Farnell's Fiery ran up.
The Subscription Puppy Stakes were won by Mr.
Batt's Barometer; Mr. Longman's Laura Bell ran np.
The Amicable Puppy Cup was won by Mr. Ben
Bouncer; Mr. Watson's Heart of Oak ran up.

THE PROFESSORSHIP or POETRY .AT OXFORD.—
Three candidates are in the field for this office, which will
become vacant next term, by the resignation of the Venerable
Archdeacon Garbett, viz., the Rev. Dr. Goulburn, head
master of Rugby School; the Rev. T. L. Claughton, M.A.,
of Trinity College ; and the Rev. J. E. Bode, M.A.,
rector of
Westwell, and late student of Christ Church. At the last
election, it will be recollected, the contest was a trial of
strength between the two great religious parties in the Uni-
versity—the high church party supporting Mr. Williams, and
the evangelicals Mr. Garbett.
HUNGARIAN AND POLISH CONCERT.--MISS Kate
Hickson, having generously volunteered to give a grand
evening concert to-morrow (Tuesday) evening, in aid of the
funds of the Hungarian committee and of the Literary As-
sociation of the Friends of Poland, under the patronage
of Lord Dudley Stuart,
111*P has, by her own exertions,
secured the support of many distinguished artistes now in
the metropolis. Miss Louisa Pyne, Miss Pyne, Mrs. W.
Weiss, Miss Allain, Miss Poole, Mademoiselle Coulon, Mr.
Wrighton, Mr. Swift, Herr Stoffregen, Mr. W. Weiss, M.
Orosz, M. Beymeni, Signor Piatti, Mr. R. Blagrove, and
Mr. Charles Salamau, appreciating the kindly intentions of
Miss Kate Hickson, promise their gratuitous services on this
occasion.

OUGUT TO BE ENCOURAGED.--An American paper
sap, " We are anxious to collect the autographs of all our
subscribers, and therefore request all, whether in city or
country, to enclose the amount due in a letter, with their
several signatures."
DEPARTURE OF THE ENGLISH FROM PARIS.—
Pri-
vete letters from the French capital state that, in consequence
of the present unsettled aspect of affairs in Paris and in
France generally, that numerous English families of distinc-
tion who intended passing the winter seasons in the capital,
St. Cloud, Versailles, and St. German's, are taking
their departure as quick as possible, either for England, Bel-
gium, Switzerland, the Rhine, Italy, &c. A great number
of families in other parts of France are also leaving the con-
vulsive
isw and untvryicifnoirty rethaesamneearrlyeason'The principal hotels
indeserted by their English
P ar
visitors, whose ears and nerves have no penchant for the
musical soundsofarms and trumpets, and the roaring of can-
non and musketry.
YOUNG AMERICA.—" Father," exclaimed the hope•
ful son and heir of a gentleman of our acquaintance, not
my b:.y, yen are," responded the de-
long since, while the latter. was congratulating. the youth
upon his smartness in his scholastic studies—the youngster
having attained eight years of age—" Father, I'm an Arne-
:: "Well, father, you,, ain't. are you?" "Not
r lightedican , a tr
parent.
by birth, my son." "Well, then, exclaimed young Ame-
rica, in a thoughtful manner,
." when I grow up to be a man,
I will be able to lick two ilk you—won't I?" The proud
parent's answer is not recorded.
Within the last twelve days eleven large foreign
steam packets, nearly one a day, have arrived at or havee
been dispatched from the port 9f Southampton—viz
Great Western, for Central America; the Hermann, for the
United States; the Madrid, for the Peninsula; the Severn,
for Brazils; the Montrose and Iberia, from '
,Spain and Portu-
gal the Dee, from the West Indies ; the levied-, fromou
St
America • the Sultan, Tagus, and Indus, from the Bl editer-
h
ranean. 'lt is calculated that nearly 50,000 letters have
been brought home and taken out by these steamers, also
specie to the value of nearly .a million sterling, and upwards
of 500 passengers. It is estimated that for every passenger
that arrives at or leaves Southampton by the foreign packets,
two friends or relatives, chiefly of the wealthy classes, vis.t
the port to see him off or welcome him home.
The British and North American Roy al Mail
seam-ship Canada, Captain Harrison, sailed from Liverpool
at lh. 15m. nee. on Saturday for Boston and Halifax, with
the Ulual j ails Ahd a fAir cemplerheat of passengers,