The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-25 00:00:00

PUBLIC .AMUSEMENTS OPEN DURING THE

HOLIDAYS.

BARRY'S GRAND HISTORICAL CARTOONS, on the walls
of the Hall or principal room of the Society of Arts, 17,
John-street, Adelphi.

THE FLAXMAN GALLERY OF SCULPTURE.—ModeIs of
his principal works, &c., at London University College,
Gower-street.

SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM, Cromwell-road, Bromp-
ton.—The Industrial, Educational, Atchitectural, Decora-
tive, and various other collections ; and•tye Vernon, Tur-
ner, Sheepshanks, and British Galleries of Pictures, by
modern artists. •

THE BRITISH MU3EU3l,—lncluding the Libraries and
Manuscript-room, in which is the recently purchased auto-
graph of Shakespeare.

THE ROYAL EXCHANGE.—The Merchants' walk or Am-
bulatories have recently been elaborately redecorated in
fresco.

The MUSEUM OF PRACTICAL GEOLOGY, Jermyn-street,
Piccadilly, contains an endless variety of Natural and Arti-
ficial Products, well deserving the notice of working men.
Penny Lectures is the theatre of this institution every
Monday evening at eight.
THE FRANKLIN RELICS, at the United Service Institu-
tion,pliddle Scotland-yard.—By (free) tickets, of Sand-
ford, 6, Charing-cross.
WESTMINSTER HALL, with its magnificent Painted
Glass Window, the largest in the world.
THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, 29, GreafGeorge-
street, Westminster.—Now free, without tickets.
THE HOUSES OP PARLIAMENT.-0/1 Saturdays, by tickets
(gratis), which admit any number of visitors, to be had' at
the Chamberlain's office, under the 'Victoria Tower.
KEW GARDENS, in which are the Botanical, Colonial,
and Mercantile Museums, the great Palm House, the
largest Arboretum in the world, the Grecian and 25 other
conservatories, containing the plants; ,flowers, and vege-
table curiosities of all climates and all countries.

THE COAL EXCHANGE, Thames-street.—The decorated
galleries of this beautiful building will well repay a visit of
inspection.
THE TEMPLE CHURCH, Fleet-street, with its beautiful
and costly stained storied
" Windows richly dight,
Casting a dim religious light."
ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL has lately been restored and
embellished, and is now well worthy a visit.

DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY.—This celebrated collec-
lection is now open (free), without the trouble of obtaining
tickets in London, as formerly.
CHELSEA HOSPITAL.—The Hall and Chapel in which
are preserved the French Eagles of Napoleon, captured at
Barossa, Talavera, and Waterloo, and 55 colours captured
by the British in different campaigns, and tho Wellington
funeral car.

The COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, Lincoln'-inn .fields.—Tbe
extensive museum and library, including the celebrated
collections of John Hunter, may be seen by a member's
order.
WESTMINSTER ABBEY.—The monuments and statues of
distinguished men, and the exceedingly beautiful rose
window of ancient stained glass over the Poet's Corner.
ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH, Walbrook.—The masterpiece
of Sir Christopher Wren.
GREENWICH HOSPITAL.—The Chapel and Painted Hall,
An Altar-piece by West, bust of Dibdin the naval song
writer, Portraits of Columbus and Capt. Cook, the Nelson
and Franklin relics, and models of the famous wooden walls
of Old England.
ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S CHURCH, Smithfield.—The oldest
church in London.

THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL, Guildford-street, Russell-
squara.—ln the chapel an altar-piece by West, and the
organ presented to the Institution by Handel, upon which
he frequently performed his oratorio of the " Messiah;" in
the committee-room several valuable paintings by Hogarth
and other eminent artists,

ST. GILES'S CHURCH, Cripplegate.—Here was buried
John Milton, and Cromwell married in 1620.
CROSBY HALL, Bishopsgate-street.—This Laautiful relic
of a poetic and picturesque age is open (free) to the public
every day.

THE FRENGII AND -4NG LISII N.l VIE&

A correspondence between Mr. Paton, Montrose,
and Mr. Baxter; M.P., has been published. Mr:
Baxter's letter embraces the whole subject :

nearly as many as we, and figures, glaringly incorrect, I
wore actually given in support of the monstrous assertion.
This is really too bad, for how stands the case, as any one
may find out for himself by looking over the official lists.
By the lists corrected up to April, 1859 (and every one
knows that we, since then, have made much greater pro-
gress than our neighbours), the French had 180 sailing
vessels, with 2,922 guns ; the British had 221 sailing ves-
sels, with 8,275 guns—the difference in the proportion
between the ships and guns being accounted for by the fact
that the French have only four sailing three.deckers and
ten two-deckers left, whilst we have 43 sailing-line-of-
battle ships still in the service. At the same period the
French had 265 steam vessels of war, with 5,500 guns ; the
British had 530 steam vessels of war (including 161 gun-
boats), with 8,697 guns.--I am, &c., W. E. BAXTER.
James M. Paton, Esq., Montrose.

TILE' BISHOP OF CHESTER .ON THE
VOLUNTEERS. •