The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-24 00:00:00

Commence at 7.

Grand Morninz Performances of the Pantomime on Satur-
day, Jan. 28, and Saturdays, Feb. 4 and 11, at Two o'clock
each day.
Mr. Woke respectfully Intimates his Farewell Benefit will
take place on Monday. Jan. 30.

CANTERBURY HALL CONCERTS.-
EVERY EVENING. Sterndale Bennett's MAY

QUEEN.
And a Grand Selection from Meyerbeer's new opera of
DINORA H.

Comic Vocalists —Messrs. George Hodson (the Irish Come-
• dian and Mimic), W. T. Critchfield, and E. W. Hackney.
Several interestin Pictures are added to the Fine Arts
Gallery. The suite of Halls have been re-decorated and
beautified, and constitute one of the most unique and brilliant
sights of the metropolis.
ROSA RON HEUR'S celebrated PICTURE of the HORSE
FAIR is now added to the already magnificent Collection of
Paintings in the Canterbury Hall Fine Arts Gallery. The
gallery is open from 5 till 11 on Sunday Evening.

THE WEATHER.—Sux ()Friar, Luc. 24, 1860.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADB.
47—highest since noon yesterday.
41—lowest this morning and during the night.
46—tb;s day at noon.
BinommTEß-28.68 ; a fall of three-quarters of an inch
since yesterday.
WIND, South-Westerly ; fresh, with cloudy weather.
There is a storm raging somewhere near at hand.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Tars DAY.—Morning, 2h. 56m.—Afternoon, 3h. 13m.
T 0-310 RROW. -Morning, 3h. 29m.—Afternoon, 3b. 44m

THE QUEEN'S SPEECH.

MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,-

It is with great satisfaction that I again meet
you in Parliament, and have recourse to your
assistance and advice.

My relations with Foreign Powers continue to
be on a friendly and satisfactory footing.
At the close of the last Session I informed you
that overtures had been made to me to ascertain
whether, if a a Conference should be held by the
Great Powers of Europe, for the purpose of settling
arrangements connected with the present state and
future condition of Italy, a Plenipotentiary would
be sent by me to assist at such a Conference. 1

have since received a formal invitation from the
Emperor of Austria and from the Emperor of the
Erench to sllnd a Plenipotentiary to a Con-
gress to consist of the Representatives of
the eight Powers who were parties to the
Treaties of Vienna of 1815 ; the objects of such
Congress being stated to be,to receive communica-
tion of the treaties concluded at Zurich ; and to de-
liberate, associating with the above-mentioned
powers the Courts of Rome, of Sardinia, and of the
Two Sicilies, on the means best adapted for the
pacification of Italy and for placing its prosperity
on a solid and durable basis.

Desirous, at all times,to concur in proceedings
having for their object the maintenance of peace
I accepted the invitation, but, at the same time, I
made known that, in such a Congress I should
steadfastly maintain the principle that no external
force should be employed to impose upon the people
of Italy any particular Government or Constitution.
Circumstances have arisen which have led to a
postponement of the Congress, without any day
having been fixed for its meeting ; but whether in
Congress or in. separate negotiation, I shall endea-
vour to obtain for the people of Italy freedom from
foreign interference by force of arms in their inter-
nal concerns, and I trust that the affairs of the
Italian Peninsula may be peacefully and satisfac-
torily settled.
Papers on this subject will soon be laid before you.
am in communication with the Emperbr of the
F."cnch with a view to extend the commercial inter-
com:4 between the two countries, and thus to draw

still closer the boads of friendly alliance between
them.
A dispute having arisen between Spain and
Morocco, I endeavoured, by friendly means, to pre-
vent a rapture ; but, I regret to say, without success.
I will direct papers on this subject to be laid

before you.
My Plenipotentiary and the Plenipotentiary of
the Emperor of the French having, in obedience to
their instructions, proceeded to the mouth of the
Peiho river, in order to repair to Pekin to exchange
in that city the ratifications of the Treaty of Tien-
tsin, in pursuance of the LVlth Article of that
Treaty, their further progress was opposed by force,
and a conflict took place between the Chinese forts
at the mouth of the river, and the naval forces by
which the Plenipotentiaries were escorted.
The allied forces displayed on this occasion their
usual bravery, but, after sustaining a severe loss,
were compelled to retire.
I am preparing, in concert and co-operation
with the Emperor of the French, an expedition,
intended to obtain redress and a fulfilment of the
stipulations of the Treaty of Tien-tsin.
It will be gratifying to me, if the prompt acquies-
cence of the Emperor of China in the moderate
demands which will be made by the Plenipotentiaries
shall obviate the necessity for the employment of
force.

I have directed that papers on this subject shall
be laid before you.
An unauthorised proceeding by an officer of the
United States in regard to the Island of San Juan,
between Vancouver's Island and the mainland,
might have led to a serious collision between my
forces and those of the United States. Such colli-
sion, however, has been prevented by the judicious
forbearance of my naval and civil officers on the
spot, and by the equitable and conciliatory provi-
sional arrangement proposed on this matter by the
Government of the United States.
I trust that the question of Boundary out of
which this affair has arisen may be amicably settled
in a manner conformable with the just rights of the
two countries, as defined by the First Article of
the Treaty of 1846.
The last embers of disturbance in my East Indian
dominions have been extinguished ; my Viceroy has
made a peaceful progress through the districts
which had been the principal scene of disorder,
and, by a judicious combination of firmness and
generosity, my authority has been everywhere
solidly and, I trust, permanently established. I
have received from my Viceroy the most gratify-
ing accounts of the loyalty of my Indian subjects,
and of the good feeling evinced by the native
Chiefs and the greatlandowners of the country. The
attention of the Government in India has been
directed to the development of the internal resources
of the country ; and I am glad to inform you that
an improvement has taken place in
sits financial
prospects.

I have concluded a treaty with the Tycoon of
Japan, and a treaty regarding boundaries with the
Republic of Guatemala. I have directed that these
treaties shall be laid before you.

GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMANS,
I have directed the Estimates for the ensuing
year to be laid before you. They have been pre-
pared with a view to place the military and naval
services, and the defences of the country, upon an
efficient footing.
I am glad to be able to inform you that the pub-
lic revenue is in a satisfactory condition.
MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
I have accepted, with gratification and pride,
the extensive offers of voluntary service which I
have received from my subjects. This manifesta-
tion of public spirit has added an important ele-
ment to our system of National Defence.
Measures will be laid before you for amending
the laws which regulate the Representation of the
people in Parliament, and for placing that Repre-
sentation upon a broader and firmer basis.
I earnestly recommend you to resume your
labours for the impr avement of our Jurisprudence,
and particularly in regard to Bankruptcy, the
Transfer of Land, the Consolidation of the Statutes,
and such a further fusion of Law and Equity as
may be necessary to insure that, in every suit, the
rights of the parties may be satisfactorily deter-
mined by the Court in which the suit is commenced.
I am deeply gratified to observe that the great
interests of the country are generally in a sound
and thriving condition ; that pauperism and crime
have diminished; and that, throughout the whole
of my Empire, both in the United Kingdom and in
my Colonies and Possessions beyond sea, there
reigns a spirit of loyalty, of contentment, of order,
and of obedience to the law.
With heartfelt gratitude to the Almighty Ruler
of Nations for these inestimable blessings, I fer-
vently pray that his beneficent power may guide
your deliberations for the advancement and con-
solidation of the welfare and happiness of my
people.

It is the most remarkable and gratifying
announcement her MAJESTY can make to-day in
her gracious Speech from the Throne that the
system of Free Trade has been inaugurated in
France through the agency, by force of the
examplet and with-the direct diplomatic assistance
and co-operation of her Government. That cer-
tainly is, to say the very least of it, a gloriously
auspicious circumstance. It augurs well for the
maintenance of the Anglo-French alliance, it is
propitious of good for the commercial prosperity of
both countries, it is peculiarly calculated to cement,
or, to put it more strongly, and we believe also
more accurately, to weld together indissolubly the
real interests, and therefore the pacific ambition of
the two populations and their Governments. But
one only drawback there is to check our
exultation. Circumstances preclude France
from immediately reciprocating the advantages
secured to herself by the conditions readily entered
into by England in these arrangements. Several
of the sources of our own revenues will be forthwith
closed and abandoned, in order to secure the admis-
sion by France of the Free Trade principles enume-
rated in the commercial treaty, solemnly signed at
Paris, at four o'clock yesterday afternoon.
The old, almost immemorial monopolists of France
have to be taken into consideration. Their pre-
judices have been so far consulted, and their opposi-
tion to the new order of things so far evaded, that
time may be allowed them, that a moderate
interval of a year or two longer may be con-
ceded to them, during the lapse of which they
may prepare for the dreaded emergency—or what is
more nearly the case, have their obtuse antagonism
worn down by the sweeping on of the broad flood of
Free Trade doctrines and Free Trade measures,
with, so to express it, all their at first scarcely
perceptible, but, when once admitted, perfectly
irresistible power of trituration. It may be that
but a modicum or instalment of Free Trade has
been yielded as yet by the French Government.
But, however small—there is that modicum, there
is that instalment. The rest will follow in due
course—must follow: it is only now a question cf
time. It is the insertion of the thin end of the
wedge. Every stroke of the pendulum afterwards
will tell upon it. The upas of monopoly will be
riven to its centre and perish. The Flood Gates

x. 7....,....,......
-'71.4.:A-4,:i, ) ---' ..1,„,. "4,1,.
-5*._,.. I :,,,
~,,,, .
.g, . 'ei -1
' t r.' ' '
- --.
. ' t'. NI 0 • ' . ' .1;
' ,irr ''' -
hip i ,—, , t 4,..4c.,5zt4,_..., 4 •,
-- f. -...,..
..,.:'
.0; t. s, -:,,,,

THE SUN.
LONDON, TUESDAY, JAN. 24, 1860.