The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-30 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TILES DAY EVENING, D EC-EMBER 80, 185 (3.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
TEIIS EVENING, TUESDAY, Dec. 30,
to commence at Seven with the comedy of
THE HONEYMOON.
In consequence of Mr. Murdoch's success he is re-engaged
for a few nights and will appear as the Duke Aranza.
After which, a new'comic Christmas Pantomime, entitled
THE BABES IN THE WOOD, or Harlequin and the Cruel
Uncle. The scenery of the opening story painted by Mr W.
Callcott. The music composed and arrangedby Edward Fitz-
william. The pantomime produced under the direction of
M. Milano. Harlequin, its. Milano ; Columbine, Fanny
Wright (her 4th appearance in that character) ; Pantaloon,
Mr. Mackay ; and Clown, Mr. Driver (nis 4th appearance
in that character at this theatre). The first Morning perform.
ante of the Pantomime will be given on Thursday, Jan. 1,
and continue every Thursday throughout the holidays : com-
mencing at 2, concluding at 4.

11,_? OYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
Z.) THIS EVENING, Dec. 30, will be per-

formed
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.
After which, a new grand Christmas Pantomime, called
ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP;
or, Harlequin and the Genii of the Ring. Harlequin, Mr.
Cormack ; Clown, Mr. Huline ; Pantaloon, Mr. Paulo ; Co-
lumbine, Miss C. Adams.

ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE.
Lessee, Mr. Alfred Wigan.
THIS EVENING, DELICATE GROUND. Messrs.
G. Vining and Leslie ; Mrs. Stirling.
A new Fairy Extravaganza, by J. R. Flambe, Esq., called
YOUNG AND HANDSOME. Messrs. F. Robson, Rogers,
Leslie, G. Cooke, Danvers. Misses Swanborongb, Thirlwall,
St. Criss, Castleton, Bromley, Matadi, and Mrs. Melfort.
After which, CRINOLINE.
Commence at half-past Seven.

T., HEATRE ROYAL, AD EL PHI.
Great Attraction for the Holidays.
THIS EVENING, (Tuesday, Dee. 30), will be performed

PAUL 'PRY :By Mr. Wright. -
After which will be produced a new and original union of
modern burlesque and old English pantomime (as originated
at this theatre), by Professor Wordspinner, Member of Every-
tiling, with entirely new scenery, dresses, transformations,
drc., called
MOTHER SHIPTON ;

or, Harlequin Knight of and the Enchanted Whistle.
Harlequin and Columbine (a la Watteau), Madame Celeste
and Miss Wyndham ; Clown, Mr. Garden ; Pantaloon, Mr.
Moreland; Scaramouch, Mr. Le Barr. Characters in the bur-
lesque by Mr. Paul Bedford, Mr. J. Bland, Mr. R. Romer,
Madame Celeste, Miss Wyndham, Miss Mary Keeley, Miss
Kate Kelly, Miss Arden, dm

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.
Lessee and Manager, Mr. W. Cooke.
THIS EVENING, Shakspeare's Tragedy of MACBETH,
with its Splendid Equestrian Illustrations by Mr. W. Cooke's
Trained Horses. Macbeth, Mr. James Holloway.
After which, the skilful SCENES in the CIRCLE.
To conclude with a new grand equestrian comic pantomime,
replete with fun, frolic, risibility, and extravagance, called
PAUL PRY ON HORSEBACK; or, Harlequin and the
Magic Horseshoe.
Doors open at half-past six ; commenee at seven o'clock.
Fox-oface open from Eleve,n till Four. Stage Manager, Mr.
W. West. Equestrian Director, Mr. W. Cooke, jun.

CANTERBURY HALL, Westminster-road.--
OPEN EVERY EVENING.—The follow-
ing company of Vocalists are engaged for the performance of
Selections from all the popular Operas, Madrigals, Choruses,
Glees, Duets, die., viz. : —Miss E. Pearce, Mrs. J. Caulfield,
Miss Brunell, and Miss Summers ; Mr. J. Caulfield, Herr F.
Jonghmans, R. Grover, T. Raino, T. Farrant, S. Jones, J.
Barker, W. Melling, and P. Corrie ; Masters Austin, Ben-
nett, and Corri ; Mr. Sam Cowell and E. Mackney. Piano-
forte, J. Harroway, R.A. ; harmonium, J. Caulfield, jun. ;
director, Mr. J. Caulfield. Commence at Seven o'clock pre
:,•isely. Suppers, &c., until twelve o'clock. In addition to
the usual Vocal Entertainment, the celebrated SPANISH
MINSTRELS will appear in costume at Nine and Eleven
o'clock Every Evening, and sing some of their favourite selec-
tions.

bombarded, ani on the 6th 23 war junks were
destroyed by the Barracouta.
This is all as yet known respecting the matter.'
Notwithstanding ; the decisive course adopted, the
Governor had ,exhibited no symptoms of submis-
sion. We mus t, therefore, persevere ; and since
we are driven t. o it we should take advantage of
the opportunity to repair the grave error into
which we were betrayed at the termination of the
last Chinese war. We should then have retained
Canton, and made it the British settlement in
place of Hong Kong, or another more eligible port
might have been secured. We trust that there
will be no mistake on the present occasion ;
but that as the Chinese have thought
proper to assail us, we may adopt adequate
measures to place matters on a more satisfactory
foundation for the future, so as, if possible, to
prevent the repetition of similar occurrence 9,
which inevitably lead to a serious destruction of
human life, and property of considerable value.
It is probable that the matter may be arranged
before instructions from home can be received ;
but, if not, we trust that Lord PALMERSTON may
display his ancient vigour, and teach the Celestials
the absurdity of " gnawing a file," .or " kicking
against pricks."

The air of virtuous self-approval with which
the majority of the Metropolitan Board of Works
assure you they have done all they were bound to
do, in deciding on the discharge of the sewage at
Erith, is sufficiently startling. It reminds us of
the acquaintance of Dr. JonNsoN, whom the great
moralist rebuked for chucking his snails into his
neighbour's garden, and who excused himself by
the plea that his neighbour was a Dissenter. In
some such point of view, we suppose, these gen-
tlemen regard the owners and occupiers of pro-
perty at Erith and elsewhere down the river.
How else are we to account for the shameless in-
difference manifested to their welfare ? Fortu-
nately the latter have a less prejudiced party to
appeal to than Dr. JOHNSON, and are on the alert
to assert and maintain their nowadays indisput-
able rights. The meeting of owners and occupiers
of property on the line of the Thames, at the
Bridge House Tavern yesterday, affords ample proof
that they see their danger, and don't mean to be
victimised in silence and without effort. The
report of the proceedings shows that they share
our opinions on the matter, and " view with con-
siderable alarm the proposed plan" as tending
"to pollute the river Thames, and injure the
health of the towns along its banks below Erith
and Gravesend." Acting under this impression
they express their approval of the course adopted
by Sir BENJAMIN HALL, and also of the appoint-
ment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the
subject of the appropriation and distribution of
the sewage in large towns, as needful and likely
to be productive of beneficial results to all parties,
and appoint a committee to carry out the objects
of the meeting.

The majority of the Board of Works, it would be
seen, were not without an advocate at the meet-
ing. The reply his remarks elicited, we fancy,
will indispose him from heading a deputation with
the like purpose again. The notion that the me-
tropolis has a right to cleanse itself at the expense
of its neighbours, is, indeed, too preposterous to
admit of a successful vindication. It is an out-
rage on the first principles of social duty ; and,
fortunately the plan based on it is not at all
likely to insure the contemplated results. While
it would be productive of all the injury appre-
hended by the people of Erith and Gravesend, we
are satisfied it would fail to benefit the metropolis
to the extent desired, besides involving the rate-
payers in a world of unnecessary expense. It
were well if every immoral scut—. bore On it such
—"-ni.t.lrahlo symptoms of failure. The remark
of Alderman Dossort, of Gravesend, that it was
a great error to create the Metropolitan Board of
Works, we cannot coincide in. Institutions, like
individuals, must be allowed time for develope-
ment. If the Government made any mistake, it
was in entrusting so young a Board with so gigan-
tic a task. As to the absurdity of taxing any
part of Kent to remove the filth of the metropolis,
there cannot be a doubt about it, save only the
London portion of Kent. The only claim
that cau with any show of reason be preferred on
the inhabitants of the various places below Lon-
don is the cost of carrying away their own sew-
age by the metropolitan tunnel, and not that if
they can get rid of it without injury to the
public health, and adding to the pollution of
the Thames. The reminiscence of Alderman
DITCHBURN is of hopeful augury as to the cleansing
of this noble stream. One's mouth waters at the
notion of seeing salmon sporting in its translucent
waters, and we are tempted to infer that the in-
jury done to the Thames in his recollection may
be thoroughly remedied before the present gene-
ration passes from the scene. In conclusion, we
trust that whatever confidence the committee may
have in the good intentions of Government, they
will rely most of all on being in the right, and on
their own exQrtions to make the fact apparent to
the general public. Taxation, like bigotry and
the sands of the desert, is apt to trouble honest
folk with ophthalmia.

Like a foul and ill-omened bird of prey, with,
as GRATTAN once declared, " broken beak and
cadaverous aspect," Mercator " sniffs the coming
contest," and crows loudly and lustily in defiance
of those who have ventured to dissent from his
dogmas, and to put forward sounder views on the
Currency Question, than he, regarding the matter
through distortedand coloured media can take. He
is manifestly influenced by private and personal
motives. He cares but for one class, the money-
ocracy, and if ha could carry his desires into
practical execution there is no doubt that we
should have still more stringent measures, until,
what he manifestly considers the great desidera-
tum, a purely metallic currency, were introduced.
There are, however, many puissant champions
ready and willing to set lance in rest in such a
cause, to any one of whom we may safely leave
Mercator. It is indeed a good sign for monetary
reformers when he deems it essential personally
to enter the arena. It is still better when his
usually obsequious henchman of Printing-house:
square begins to exhibit tokens of insubordination,
and questions the infallibility of its leader. It
proves that there is something " looming in the
future," a state of public opinion which the for-
mer thinks it important to counteract,
while the latter desires, while there
is yet time to provide a locus penitentice, a loop-
hole for evasion, through which it might wriggle
out from all its former dicta, or, according to the
homely but expressive phrase, "rat " in due
season.

Amongst those who have donned their harness
for the coming fight may be named our esteemed
correspondent " Observer," who, albeit one of
" the Creditor Class," has still the good heart
and sound feeling to perceive that "it is evidently
better that the creditor (the comparatively rich
class) should suffer than that the poor man should
be deprived of the value of the gold discoveries."
Hitherto that class has had it all its own way. Rims
contrived to bamboozle the nation by mystifying the

querition, and involving it in obscurity, which
ordi ❑ary persons will not attempt to penetrate.
Her ce the unwarrantable apathy on thig, perhaps,
the most important of all political topics—for
wha t would diminished taxation benefit us, if
unable to pay the reduced rate, as Mr. MIINTZ
some time since truly remarked. A high rate of
int erest means increased taxation in its worst
fora; or in other words the appreciation of money
involves a heavier burden in the liquidation of
the :national liabilities, and the manufactures of
the national establishments. It is perfectly in-
consistent with " unrestricted competition," for, as
Sir ARCHIBALD ALISON has clearly proved, " Free
Trade and a fettered Currency" are totally incom-
patible.

- Tie Tinies now confesses that there is no valid
reason why Government should not issue its own
notes, whereby it would have (at least) 14,000,0001.
at its own disposition, and " might practically
lessen the National Debt by that amount, or
save itself, in round numbers, about half a
million per annum." This is practically that for
which we have so long and so strenuously con-
tended, viz., the establishment of a really National
Bank, using really national notes, of small and
convenient denominations ; or, as " OBSERVER"
declares, "if we had Exchequer-bills of
1/. axed upwards (bearing of course no
interest) issued by a Government department
and receivable for taxes (no promises to pay on
them), to the amount of say Twenty Millions, it
would do." It would indeed. It would insure
the happiness of the industrious and productive
classes—and the welfare and prosperty of'
the nation. As the Honourable Secre-
tary of the Treasury declared, before he
enlisted under the official banner, it would
be equivalent to a discovery of a gold mine of
that value in the heart of England ! This is
surely worth a decided effort ; and if the indus-
trious classes enter heart and soul into the
contest, as they ought to do, we pro-
mise them a complete and speedy triumph.
We do not fear that which " OBSERVER"
dreads any attempt to increase the weight of
the sovereign. That would be too bad, and even
" MERCATOR" himself would shrink from such a
proposition. Experience, however, teaches us
that we must be prepared on every point, and it
is therefore well to take timely precautions against
any movement in that direction.

A marriage is about to take place between Lord
Alfred Churchill, younger son of the Duke of Marl-
borough, aad the Hon. Harriet Calthorpe, daughter of
Lord Calthorpe.
The nomination of a candidate to represent Lanark.
shire, in the room of the late Mr. Lockhart, is fixed
for Monday the sth of January.
THE REPRESENTATION OP GREENWloll.—Yesterday
Lieut.-General Sir W. Codrington paid his first visit to
Greenwich in the character of candidate for the vacant
seat in the representation of the borough.

Mr. Mackinnon, M.P., who is at present residing at
Turin, has transmitted to Mr. W. Hood, Mayor of Rye
a draft for 50/., with a request that he will distribute
the amount among the indigent poor of that borough.
The half-yearly meeting of the East and West India
Dock Company is called for the 9th January.
Several banking houses of Bile have offered the
Federal Council 100 millions of francs.

COLONIAL CHARGES.—Last year the coldnial charges
were 171,4321., of which 14,7761. was on accouut of St.
Helena.

LONDON AND PENZANCE SERPENTINE COMPANY.—An
order has been issued by Vice-Chancellor Wood for
winding up the transactions of this undertaking.

ABOTICDISCOTERIES.—The sum of 10,0001. was ex.
pended in the year ended the 31st March on account of
Arctic discoveries.

CONSUMPTION OP EGGS.—As many as 110,362,200
eggs were imported in the eleven months ended the 30th
ult., and all for " home consumption."

The Nouvellist de Rouen says;—" Within the last few
days three Prussian officers in uniform have been going
about in the arrondissemeot of Yvetot, to buy horses._
Rnv Friar HOSPITkL, GRAY'S-INN-ROAD.--The
number of patients relieved at this hospital, during the
week ending 27th December, 1856, is 2,353, of which
701 were new cases.

THE RUSSIAN DUTCH LOAN.—The expense to this
country on account of the interest and sinking fund of
the Russian Dutch Loan, for the year ended the 31st
March last, was 85,5571.
The half yearly meeting of the London and Greenwich
Railway Company is called for the 13th of Jan., when
a dividend of ss. 2d. per share, clear of income tax, will
be recommended on the old or unprivileged shares.
That most rampant of Ultramontane organs, the
Vienna Church Gazette, has received the first warning
from the police. After having received three warnings
an Austrian paper ceases to appear.
THE ROYAL BRITISH BANK.— It was stated in the
Court of Baukruptcy on Saturday that Mr. Lee, the
official assignee, would be able to pay the first dividend
of ss. 6 in the pound on Wednesday next.
FOREIGN POULTRY.—Large quantities of foreign
poultry are now imported duty-free. In the last eleven
months the value imported (dead and alive) was 38,8051.
In November as much as 6,253/. was imported.
DEPOSIT AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY.
—This company, which lately failed with liabilities
amounting to 12,0001., is to be wound up, and an official
manager has been appointed for that purpose by the
Master of the Rolls.

THE ERADILS.—LTVERPOOL, Monday.—The screw
steamer Norman, Captain Ls Valliant' arrived in the
Mersey shortly after midnight, but no intelligence wa
received from her till she sent her mails to the Pots.
office, at 1.20 p.m. She left Rio Janeiro November 18,
and Bahia on the night of the 26th ult. She has a cargo
of arrowroot and coffee. Her news is unimportant.
Letters from Rome state that the Pope has expressed
his satisfaction at the nomination of M. Mon as Spanish
repre4entative at the court of Rome.
The news of a Mexican General having arrived at
Madrid to ask for assistance for Santa Anna is false.
The Nord of Brussels affirms that within the last few
days a remarkable change has taken place in the attitude
of Lord Palmeiston's government. It is "less irritable
about the Conferences, and has given wise counsels to
Switzerland."
EXPENSE OF ECCLESIASTICAL ESTABLISHMENTS IN
THE WEST INDIES.—NO less a sum than 20,3001. was
expended on the ecclesiastical establishments of the
West Indies in the year ended the 31st Mardi. ast.
A PRESENT TO ROYALTY.—Some time ago a lady of
Dunfermline sent a present to her Majesty—a cushion
embroidered with needlework and marine shells. The
shells were of the smallest description—as minute as the
oval hemispheres shelled from canary seed, and elabo-
rate r.aolf figures.finge
. r
Ir at t
we l
ay wroughth
eurp
a into
tastefulfl o ve e
andrs artistic er
piece and h
work. After a very long interval, a letter arrived from
London, graciously acknowledging the receipt', and
t
questirg another specimen of Miss M-- s needle
work.--Fife Herald.
The three officers to whom Sir Benjamin Hall has
entrusted the task of deciding upon the Great London
Drainage Scheme are Capt. Douglas Galtoo, of the
Royal Engineers, Mr. Simpson, i
both well known in the engineering profession. The
and Mr. Blackwell,
scope of their inquiries will be, it is said, very compre-
hensive, as they are not only empowered to consider the
plans of the Metropolitan Board of Works, but to
initiate others should they think it expedient to do so.
HAYMARKET THEATRE.—Mr. Buckstone has announced
the first morning performance of his pantomime, "The
Babes in the Wood ; or Harlequin and the Cruel Uncle,"
to take place on Thursday next, Jan. 1, and every sub.
sequent Thursday for the present, to commence at two
and conclude precisely at four. The beautiful scenery
and incidents of this pantomime are equal, if not su-
perior to the very popular Haymarket pantomimes of
"The Three Bears," " Little 80-Peep," and " .I:ae
Butterfly's Ball."
INJURIOUS EFFECTS OF SMOKING. —S. Solly, Esq.,
1.R.5., the eminent surgeon of St. Thomas's Hospital,
Borough, has lately delivered a very important Lecture
on Paralysis, before the students of that excellent
institution, in which smoking is pointed out as one
of the various and insidious causes of general
paralysis. After condemning the immoderate use
of malt liquors or spirits, which only stimulate
for a time, and afterwards produce the most ener-
vating and pernicious effects, the lecturer proceeded :
—" There is another habit, also, which I cannot but
regard as the curse of the present age—l mean smok-
ing. Nov!, don't be frightened, my young friends, I
am not going to give a sermon against smoking, that is
not my business; but it is my business to point out to
you all the various and insidious causes of general
paralysis, and smoking is one of them. I know of no
single vice which does so much as smoking. It is
a snare and a delusion. It soothes the excited
nervous system at the time,' to render it more irrit-
able and more feeble ultimately. It is like opium in
that respect, and if you want to know all the wretched-
ness which this drug can produce, you should read the
'Confessions of an Opium-eater.' I can always distin-
guish by his complexion a man who smokes much, and
the appearance which the fauces present is an unerring
guide to the habits of such a man. I believe that cases
of general paralysis are more frequent in England than
they used to be, and I suspect that smoking tobacco is
one of the causes of that increase."

LATEST N E WS.

BERNE, DEC. 29.

Dr. Furrer, Federal Councillor, has left this
day for Frankfort, charged with a secret Ellis-

sion.
Councillor Frey has left for Bale.
The missions with which they are charged pro-
bably contain a common proposition.
M. Barmann, the Swiss Envoy at the Court of
the Tuileries, has arrived here.
Hopes ar© entertained of peace.

The Paris correspondent of the Times (second
edition), in a letter dated yesterday, says :

" Col. Barmann, Charge d'Affaires of the Swiss
Confederation in Paris, left on Saturday for Berne,
with the object of conferring personally with the
Federal Council on the great question of the day.
M. Barmann had an audience of the Emperor the
day of his departure. His Majesty is said to have
expressed his earnest desire that an arrangement
should Le effected between the Confederation and
Prussia. I believe that the English and French
Governments are agreed on this head, and are
willing to co-operate together towards a pacific
solution. The Emperor wishes to be made ac-
quainted with the exact state of the question, and
the precise nature of the demands of the Confede-
ration, as he evidently is well aware of the preten-
sions of Prussia. A telegraphic despatch from Berne
of this day's date announces the arrival of M. Bar-
mann, who, in all probability, has before this con-
ferred with the Council. The concessions which
Switzerland has agreed to make are these :
Liberation of the Neuchatel prisoners in exohange
for the formal renunciations of the King's autho-
rity in that canton ; the preservation to the King
of his title of Prince of Neuchatel, without, of
course, any real authority annexed thereto ; pre-
servation of the property belonging to charitable
establishments of Prussian origin, and restitution
of property belonging to the Prussian Govern-
ment.

" A despatch from Berne, of yesterday's date,
says that the proposition of the Emperor relative
to the mediation has not yet been received.'
I do not think that matters have gone so far yet
as the offer of a mediation. The Emperor will no
doubt be exactly informed of the state of the case
—the utmost which Switzerland can grant, and
the least which Prussia will accept—before a formal
offer of mediation is made. As I have already
said, the Emperor is anxious that the question
should be settled by France and England.

"It is said that the answer of the Cabinet of
St. Petersburg, with reference to the Paris Con-
ferences, has been zeceived, and that the Emperor
of Russia assents to all that has been proposed.
If this be the case, the Conference will, after all,
be a mere formality."

THE BOMBARDMENT OF CANTON.
Advices from Alexandria beyond those pub-
lished yesterday from Trieste render it possible to
obtain a tolerably complete and connected view of
the recent occurrences at Canton.

It has more than once been mentioned by our
correspondent at Hong Kong that the intercourse
between the British authorities and the Governor
of Canton has for some time been embarrassed with
growing difficulties, the result of the unredressed
grievances of British merchants. On the Bth of
October the Chinese authorities consummated their
career of arbitrary violence by seizing a lorctia
under British colours, and making prisoners of the
crew. It is stated on good authority that they
I cut off the heads of four of the crew. The Consul,
Mr. Parkes, the British agent on the spot, pro-
ceeded first on board the lorcha, and afterwards
'endeavoured to obtain an interview with the man-
darins. On board the lorcha he was menaced, and
the mandarins refused to give any kind of expla-
nation of the proceeding.
The Consul immediately despatched intelligence
of these events to Sir John Bowring, at Hong Kong,
and also to Sir Michael Seymour, who was on the
spot, and reprisals were commenced in a mild form
by the seizure of a mandarin junk, which Commo-
dore the Hon. C. G. J. B. Elliot, of the Sybille,
took and sent into Hong Kong. Meanwhile the
Consul sent in a strong remonstrance to Yeh, the
governor of the city, to which no answer was re-
turned. Finding all his efforts vain, Consul
Parkes renounced further attempts at conciliation,
and a naval force soon appeared on the scene.
On the 18th of October Sir Michael Seymour des-
patched from Hong Kong the screw corvette En-
counter, 14 guns, and the steam sloop Sampson, 6,
for Whampoa in the first instance, with a large
force of marines and blue jackets ; and the steam
sloop Barracouta followed with further detach-
ments. Admiral Seymour himself then proceeded
to Canton, and undertook the direction of the
operations. The British and other traders were
officially warned of the posture of affairs, and com-
mercial transactions, which for a week before had
been little more than nominal, were suspended.
The river in front of Canton is rather broader
than the Thames at London-bridge, but the depth
of water does not exceed two fathoms, while the
narrow passages by which access is gained to it on
the eastern side of the island of Whampoa have a
depth not exceeding a fathom and a half. The city
is externally guarded by five forts, of which two
are on the land side and two on Pearl river. These
were attacked and taken by our countrymen on the
24th of October, An attempt was then made by
Admiral Seymour to terminate the difficulty with-
out further hostilities, but the Chinese Governor
would neither give satisfaction nor grant an inter-
view to the British commander.

Admiral Seymour then determined to attack the
city itself. A wall, composed partly of sandstone
and partly of brick, surrounds Canton ; it is about
3U feet high and 25 feet thick, and is mounted with
cannon. Against this wall a fire was opened on
Oct. 27, and by the 29th a practicable breach had
been opened through which the troops entered.
The Governor's palace, situate in the south-western
part of the new city, was gained, but appears not
to have proved a position worth holding, for the
troops were withdrawn in the evening with a loss
of only three killed and 12 wounded.
A. further attempt which was now made to nego-
tiate proved vain, and it was then resolved to at-
tack the old, inner, or Matchou portion of the city,
divided from the southern by a high massive stone
wall, and containing the garrison of Canton. This
part of the city was bombarded on the 3d and 4th
of Nov., and on the 6th the Barracouta destroyed
twenty-three war junks. Another interval of re-
flection was then granted to the Chinese Governor,
but at the date. of the last accounts from Canton
which had reached Hong Kong nu signs of an ac-
commodation were discernible.

The Imperialist garrison of Canton was in a very
weakened state. The governor had raised the pay
of common soldiers from six to eight dollars a
month. Kaweilin-foo, the capital of the adjoining
province of Kwangsi, was closely invested by the
the
insurgents, who, it was thought, would probably
attack Matchou governor, as soon as his new
embarrassments became known.

Our fleet of war ships in the Chinese Seas is at
this particular time large, as will be seen by the
following list :

AT HONG KONG.
H.M.S. Calcutta B4 Captain Hall.
Winchester 5O Captain Wilson.
Coromandel 3 Lieutenant Nare&.
Hercules
Minden Hospital ships.
AT.WHAITOA.
H.M.S. Sybille
Encounter
12 Captain Bate.
Sampson r,,,,6 Captain Hand.
C0mu5.....,, 14 Captain Jenkins.
AT CANTON.
H.M.S. Barracouta 6 Capt. Fortescue.
AT WOOSIING.
H.M.S. Pique
Hornet
The sloop Comus has lost eight of her guns,
which her commander was compelled to throw
overboard in a tempest in the Formosa Channel.
Admiral Seymour only arrived at Hong Kong
from his northern cruise ten days before the com-
mission of the outrage which he is engaged in
avenging.

PARIS, MONDAY.
The explanations required from Russia, which
were looked for iu order to the commencement of
the Conferences, have not yet arrived.
If they should reach Paris during the night they

will immediately be communicated to the Repre-
sentatives of the other Powers. and the Confer-
ences will commeno to-morrow at one o'clock.
If otherwise, the Conferences will be postponed
until the receipt of the Russian answer.
The Moniteur announces that Count Kisseleff,
the Russian ambassador, was received on Saturday
by the Emperor, and presented to him a letter iu
which the Emperor Alexander notified the birth of
Prince Nicholas, son of his Imperial Highness the
Grand Duke Nicholas and of her Imperial High-
ness the Grand Duchess Alexandra-Petrowna.

A great number of distinguished toreigners were
presented yesterday (Sunday) to the Emperor and
Empress by the Ambassadors of England, Russia,
Belgium, Portugal, Sardinia, the 'United States,
the Netherlands, Denmark, and the Charge
d'Affaires of Tuscany.
The Commission appointed to decree the public
rewards to be given to the authors of dramatic
works during the past year, consisting of MM.
Lebrun, Merimee, Scribe, Nisard, Camille Doucet,
Mlle, Theophile Gautier, Edouard Thierry, Sainte
Bouvo, and Cabanie, have made their report.
BOURSE, Dec. 29.—The following were the last
quotations :

- Cash. fr. c. End of Month.
43/4 per Cents
3 per Cents 65 60 66 65
New Loan
Bank Shares 3,925 Roman (x d) Bs}
Credit Mobilier 1,405 Austrian
Belgian Fives ...... .. Spanish Threes 4l/
Piedmontese (5) 92 Home Debt