The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-03 00:00:00

After which,

HARLEQUIN AND THE MAID AND THP: MAGPIE ; or, the
Fairy Farad's,' and Hanky Panky, the Enchanter.

Harlequin, Mr. Clorm.tc% ; )wn, Mr. Haline ; Pantaloon, Mr
Paulo; and Columhlne, 31ie3 Caroline Adams.

ROYAL OLYIIPIC THEATRE.
Lessee and Manager, Mr. AllYetl Wigan.
THIS EVENING,
THE JEALOUS WIFE.

Characters by Messrs. A. Wig +n, G. Yining, Emery, Leslie, Dan-
♦ers, Mrs. Stirling, and Miss Marston.
After which will he produced a New and deably-moral, though
excessively old, Melodramatic Fairy Extravaganza, entitled
THE DISCREET PRINCESS; or, the Three Glass Distaffs.
In which Messrs. Emery, F. Robson, H. Cooper, Miss Marston,
ant Miss Haskell will appear.

THEATRE ROYAL ADELPFIL

Proprietor, Mr. R. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste.
THIS EVENLNG.
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

After which,
MOTFIF4E AND CHILD ARE DOING WELL.

T. conclude with a Grand Coalition of Burlesque aed Pantomime,
to be called
JACK AND THE BEAN' STALK; or, Harlequin and Mother
Goose at Home Again.

In which Meagre. J. Bland, P. Bedford, Madame Celeste, Wig
Wyndham, and Miss E. Arden will appear.

ROYAL SURREY THEATRE.
Lessees, Messrs. Shepherd and Creswick.
THIS EVENING
THE FLOWER GIRL.
To conclude with
A PRINCE OF PEARLS; or, llarlevie and lane shore.

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE.
Under the direction of Mr. Payne.
THIS EVENING,
NOF.MIE; or, The Foster Sister.
After which,
IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY.
To conclude with
ARLEQUIN BLACK-EYED EITE; or, All In the Downi and

Davy Jones's Locker.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRIL
Lame and Manacer, Mr. Win. Cooke.
THIS EVENING,
ROOK WOOD; or, TURVIN'ti RIDE to YORK.
After which the SCENES In the ARENA.

To conclude with one of the most extraordinary productions ever
witnessed, art Equestrian Comic Pantomime, introducing 60 horses,
ponies, and other quadrupeds, trained by Mr. William Cooke, called
HARLEQUIN AND ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON, or the
Seven Champions of Christendom.
Morning Performances at 2 o'clock, Saturday, Jan. sth, 12th, and
19th.

W,c-office onen from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W
West. Equestrian Director, M. W. Cooke. jua.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
TEN DAY—Morn. 40 min. aft. 9—Evening 10 min. aft. 10
To-Ifoßßow—Morn. 43 rain. aft.lo —Evening 16 min. aft.ll

THE WEATHER-SUN OFFICE, JAN. 3.

THERMOMETER, IN VTR SIIADE.
50—highest since noon yesterday.
45 —lowest this morning and during the night.
LO -this day at noon.
BAROMETER, down to 29'63, now 29.70:
wrier, S.W.—Light, with dull, mild weather, and
slight rain.

rt

LONDON, TEIURS DAY, JANUARY 3, 1856.

"Tell them that, if they wish for peace, they
must at least make vows for or against us ; that
in the midst of a grave European conflict, indif-
ference is a false calculation and silence an error."
These are indeed manly and spirit-stirring senti-
ments, which must command the respect and ad-
miration of all parties, whether friends or foes,
and which should be strictly followed in all re-
spects by the Allies. We want no neutral inter-
ference—no mediators who have shown themselves
to be altogether devoted to the interests of
our opponents, and mainly solicitous to avert the
humiliation and loss which has been so richly-
merited. France and England, and Sardinia and
Turkey are surely competent to protect their own
honour and their interest ; they require not the
sinister influence of Austria or Prussia to be
exercised in their favour, and they should not
permit it to be cast into the opposite scale.
Prussia was long since, and very properly, ex-
cluded from any participation in the Conferences
at Vienna. And why ? Because she abstained
from " making vows for or against us." She
affected complete neutrality, and though its spirit
was disregarded by the important assistance which
she rendered to Russian commerce, and by the.
vast supplies of "the sinews and munitions of
war " forwarded through her agency, that neu-
trality was the sole ground of the exclusion of
which she complained so bitterly, and took so
greatly to heart.
Why, then, we ask, should Austria be treated
differently ?
It is manifest that she only obtained
admission to the negotiations by false and fraudu-
lent pretences--by an implied promise that if
Russia refused to accept terms which she conceived
to be reasonable and equitable, she would, albeit,
at the eleventh hour, unsheath the sword, and
take part in the contest, so unwisely prolonged by
the AUTOCRAT. These pledges have, however,
been falsified, and she stands even in a worse
position than Prussia itself. The hitter may be
reproached for unworthy conduct, very inconsis-
tent with the dignity which she arrogates to her-
self as one of the first-class Powers, but duplicity
and insincerity cannot be laid to her charge. She
is, therefore, so far in a better position than her
German rival.

Why, theri, we repeat, should Austria be placed
in a different category from Prussia ; or why be
permitted further interference in a. cause which
she has already betrayed ? Is it tf tat the spirit
of Germanism still prevails in our Councils, that
there is a shadow behind the Throne that controls
the Cc %billet, and exercises irrespot sible power

over the Ministerial decisions ? It is difficult to
account for the anomaly on any other supposition,
and it is surely time that the People and the Par-
liament of Great Britain should speak out boldly
and distinctly on this all-important topic. We
give precedence to the People, partly because
they are the true source of legitimate power,
and should supply fitting instructions to their
representatives ; and partly because a month must
elapse before the meeting of Parliament will afford
an opportunity to the members of both branches
of the Legislature to explain their views and
wishes.

Russia must have relied on some such secret
influences before she dared to forward such auda-
cious and insolent propositions as those to which we
alluded in our leading columns yesterday. It was
she, it appears, that took the initiative—that
afforded this striking instance of moderation (!)
before Count ESTERIIAZY had been despatched on
his mission to St. Petersburg with suggestions
which can now only be regarded as "counter pro-
positions." The impolicy, the derogatory charac-
ter of the act is, therefore, materially enhanced
by this disgraceful fact. In place of repudiating
with just indignation the outrageous insult thus
offered, which would imply that Russia had been
so successful during the past campaign that she
cdPsidered we might now gladly accept terms
which we unhesitatingly rejected in April last, we
send off counter prepositions far more favourable
than she could have anticipated, even if her flag
still floated over Southern Sebastopol—over Eupa-
toria, Kinbourn, and Kertch
In one respect we may learn a valuable lesson
from the enemy. She has always asserted her
right to deal directly with the adversary, has even
denied the right of the Western Powers to " in-
terfere." Her latest proposition is that she should
settle with Turkey the amount of their respec-
tive fleets in the Euxine—forgetting that France
and England have, by their vast expenditure of
men and money, earned the right of interference.
We may, however, profit by the principle ; and
should Austria or Prussia again seek to inter-
meddle, inform them that "if they wish for peaoe
they must at least make vows for or against us ;
that in the midst of a grave European conflict
indifference is a false calculation and silence an

error."

In another column will be seen three letters
from the pen of the late Duke of WELLINGTON,
adduced by us with special reference to existing
circumstances. As our readers are but too pain-

fully aware a large number of superior officers and
others possessing influence at the Horse Guards
have obtained leave of absence from the Crimea
on the plea of " urgent private affairs," a consi-
derable number preferring the same plea having
their applications rejected. The Newspaper Press
knowing that a disease presenting the same symp-
tom was prevalent in the Peninsula, and suffi-
ciently acquainted with the doctrine of chances to
have its observation stimulated, waited curiously
to see how far the plea would be justified on their
arrival—nor was their curiosity unrewarded or their
suspicion dispelled. To their indignation, if not
to their surprise, they found these " urgent pri-
vate affairs" resolve themselves into an urgent de-
sire to escape from the rigorous labours of the
camp and participate in the luxuries and plea-
sures of the metropolis, and tke country residences
of the great. Sufficiently acquainted with COCKER
to know that if four men have a certain duty to
perform and one escapes his share, one of three
things must happen—either another must be
found to supply his place, the remaining three
must do his duty for him, or it must go undone ;

and aware that with regard to these officers
no new substitute had been provided, they
naturally came to the conclusion that gross in-
justice was being done, and as a matter of
course spoke out. Either the necessary service
was being Neglected, or brave and honourable men

were being imposed upon, in either case to the

detriment of the interests of the country. On
the one hand, if the duties these absentees were

paid to perform were suffered to go undischarged,
the nation was paying for services it did not get,
' and was being exposed to injury by the want of
them. On the other, if the duty was discharged
by those who remained, the latter were wronged,
and must feel they were wronged ; and,
so feeling, must be discouraged by a favourit-
ism so glaring and unjust—a result which, with
all their high honour, could not fail in the long
run to operate injuriously on the service. No-
thing can be more obvious than that men who have
done their duty, exposing themselves cheerfully to
all risks, whether of the sword or the climate,
must feel as a rankling sore a favouritism shown
at their expense ; and, as fatigued with excessive
toi►, they retired to their tents and perused the
news from home, must have burned with indigna-
tion when they learnt how the absentees wero ern-
ploying their leisure ; and more especially must this
have been the case when the army was doing
duty in the trenches, unless indeed anger found
a safety-valve in contempt. Aware of all this,
the Press, in the discharge of what was obvi
viously an incumbent duty, spoke out, as we have
previously said—charged horse and foot on the
skulkers—called the attention of the Government

to an instaice of favouritism so gross, and a laches
so reprehensible—in short, did its best to shame
both into doing their duty.
The hangers-on of the aristocracy and the de-
fenders of Horse Guards' abuses became alarmed
for their patrons, and knowing well the generosity
of the British public, and its indestructible love
of fair play, felt that something must be done to
stay the murmurs of dissatisfaction that every-
where arose. They had recourse to a whine of
complaint. These newspaper fellows knew nothing
of the matter, and were only bent on mischief.
Would the generous British public be so hard a
taskmaster as to make a sacrifice of a pleasure ?
Would they suffer the private affairs of gallant
men who delighted to serve them to go to wreck
and ruin when there was no real necessity for it, or
would they complain because a few of their brave
defenders enjoyed themselves a little at home after
incurring so much risk and enduring unheard-of
hardships in their service abroad ? And, above
all, would they permit the " pluck" of such men
to be doubted ? Leave of absence had always
been granted, and when the newspaper fellows
made the granting of it a ground of complaint
they not only did injustice to the absentees and
the public, but also displayed a profound ignorance
of the subject, as they did of war in general, as
every veteran of the Peninsular could testify, &c.,
47. c. The public, however, were not to be gulled,
nor the Press to be assailed with impunity, and
proof after proof was forthcoming that the news-
papers were in the right ; and now, as an indis-
putable witness to the service done the country
by the Press, and the justifiable nature of its com-
ments, we point to the Iron Duke. That illus-
trious commander, it will be seen, had to contend
with similar malingering in his time, and had to
take the most decided measures to put a stop to it.
He was not the man to believe that the most urgent
" private affairs" of a soldier were not to do his
duty, nor to suffer that duty to be neglected, if he
could prevent it. Accordingly, wufind him not only

refusing leave of absence himself, and requesting
the Commander-in-Chief to do the same, or send
substitutes, but actually informing Lord LIVER-
POOL that with respect to certain General Officers
on leave, it "gave him much satisfaction to find

they had been roughly handled by the newspapers I"
Shades of the Peninsula can it be possible! Ye
who devote the Newspaper Press to the infernal
gods for meddling with "the gentlemen of the
army," by reporting and commenting on their
laches, what will you say to this ? It gave the
Iron Duke, who knew something about the Penin-
sula, " much satisfaction" to find delinquent
" General Officers" no less "roughly handled" by
the Press ! Jabber over that !

The Earl and Countess of Chesterfield have a large
party assembled at Bretby-park. Among the company
are the Countess Howe and Lady Adelaide Curzon, the
Countess of Glengall and Lady Margaret Butler, the
Earl of Wilton, the Earl of Euston, Lord Cavendish,
Lord Burghersb, Hon. Julian Fans, Col. the Hon. Cecil
Forester, Col. the Hon. James Macdonald, Mr. and
Lady Sophia Des Yceux, Lord Henry Gordon Lennox,
Mr. and Mrs. John Stanley, Mr. Knightley, Sir Thomas
and Lady Gresley, Mr. Bulkeley, and Miss Anson.
We understand that the Earl of Stamford has taken
the Quorn country, lately hunted by Sir Richard Sutton.
His lordship will reside at Melton Mowbray.
We understand that some other title will be substituted
for that of Ampthill in the peerage about to be conferred
upon Sir James Parke, lately one of the Barons of the
Court of Exchequer.
Lord and Lady Elcho have taken their departure
from the St. George's Hotel. The Hon. Augustus and
Lady Harriet Vernon, and Mr. Henry Drummond and
Lady Lovaine, have also left the same establishment.
The name of Lady Adeliza Norman was substituted
for that of her sister in-law, the Lady Adeliza, Manners,
in a paragraph which appeared in a contemporary yes
terday.
We are glad to learn that Sir George Grey was suffi-
ciently recovered from the effects of his recent severe
accident to attend at the Horne-office yesterday.
Lord Ward has forwarded the sum of 201. in aid cf
the building fund of the Birmingham Free Industrial
School.
EAST INDIA COAL COMPANY.—We are informed that
the East India Coal Company obtained its certificate of
complete registration under the Limited Liability Act
of 1355, on the 27th ult. The steam engines and ma-
chinery for working the mines on a large scale are now
in course of shipment to Calcutta.
" URGENT PRIVATE AFFAIRS."—We perceive by the
latest general orders issued by the Commander-in-Chief
in the Crimea, that the officers going home " on urgent
private affairs " are Lieut.-Colonel Stepney, Coldstream
Guards ; Captain Digby, Grenadier Guards ; Paymaster
Blake, 93d Highlanders ; Lieut. Buller, 17th Regt. ;
Assistant-Commiseary-General Crookshank.
DEATIII OF Sea HENRY EVERY, BART.—The death of
Sir Henry Every, Bart., of Egginton-hall, Derbyshire,
is announced. The deceased baronet was well known
as a county gentleman of high standing, who was always
ready to make himself publicly useful. Sir Henry was
the ninth baronet, and a deputy-lieutenant for Derby-
shire. His grandson succeeds to the title and estates.
ST. MATTHEW'S, BRIXTON.—The incumbency of this
church, lately rendered vacant by the resignation of Dr.
Vaughan, has been conferred upon the Rev. Mr. Gar-
land, incumbent of Deal.
The vessels from the United States which have en-
tered the port of Havre during the past week brought to
that port 96,596 barrels of flour, 117,352 sacks of wheat,
8,005 sacks of maize. In addition, eight other eessels
are either in the offing or in the port of Havre, without
having yet landed the breadstuff-3 which they have on
board.— Galignani.
THE MUSEUM OF ORNAMENTAL ART AT MARL-
BOROUGH HOUSE.—The number attending, &se., during
the month of December, were as follows :-11,050 per-
sons on the public days, and admitted free ; 270 persons
on the students' days, and admitted as students on
the payment of 6d. each, besides the registered of the
classes and schools.
A ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD.— A fine bird, of thehawk
tribe, believed to be a " rough-legged buzzard," was seen
on Friday in a field adjoining the High-station, South
Shields. Just as the half-past 12 o'clock train from
Shields approached the High-station the bird rose up
slowly and majestically, and flew about 50 or 60 yards,
when it alighted on the ground. The rough-legged buz-
zard is very common on the Labrador coast. It ie also
found in the German forests, where it breeds. Some
years ago several specimens of this bird were obtained
from the neighbourhood of Shields and Marsden.—
Nortlt Shields Gazette.
TETE WEATHER IN THE ATLANTIC.—The merchant ship
Elvira, of Boston, United States, Captain Crossby,
which left New York on the 7th of December, ran for
shelter into Plymouth on Monday. She has had fair
winds during the passage, but so strong that she was
constantly shipping seas ; and on the 22d a gale from
S.W. blew so furiously that the ship could not run be-
fore it any longer ; and the master was compelled to
heave her to, when she shipped several heavy seas—one
which swept away the bulwarks, and carried off the
second mate and two seamen, who were unfortunately
drowsed. The same sea bruised the master and injured
several of the men, two of whom are not expected to re-
cover. The Elvira has lost her maintop-gallant-mast
and some sails. She is a new ship of 1,138 tons register,
and has on board 65,000 bushels of wheat and 300 barrels
of flour—ono of the largest cargoes ever shipped. The
cargo is supposed to be uninjured.
FEARFUL GUNPOWDER EXPLOSION.—MALACCA, Nov.
14.—A frightful occurrence took place here on the
evening of the 12th inst. The schooner Alma. of this
port, had arrived here from Singapore in the course of
the day, with a considerable amount of cargo, but only
that part of it consisting of opium and about 3,000 doll.
in specie was then landed. The vessel anchored at Palo
Jawa, about a mile from the town of Malacca, being
the place where small trading craft of the Alma's class
generally lie. Amongst the other cargo still remaining
onboard were 15 piculs of gunpowder, contained in 75
kegs, besides a picul belonging to the vessel, which was
in a small copper magazine. A heavy thunderstorm oc-
curred during the course of the evening, and about half-
past seven the Alma blew up, it is supposed from having
been struck by lightning. There were twelve persons
on board at the time, consisting of the Chinese captain
and four of the crew, and seven Malays, passengers
from Singapore. One man was picked up alive, al-
though dreadfully wounded, and sent to the hospital,
and the bodies of the three others were found frightfully
mutilated. Of the other eight no traces had been dis-
covered, and the vessel itself is said to have been com-
pletely blown to pieces. A bale of cloth is reported to
have been found at Illier, about a mile from the place
where the schooner was anchored. There were no other
vessels lying very close to the Alma, those nearest being
the gun-boat and a large trading prahu, but as far as we
can learn no injury was done to those vessels, or any ono
on board of them.

EXTRAORDINARY SPORT.—The Earl and Countess of
Stamford have had a large party of friends staying at
their beautiful seat, Enville-hall, Staffordshire. His
lordship and party have been enjoying field sports. On
the 19th ult. and following days, the following noble-
men and gentlemen killed an unprecedented quantity of
game :—The Earl of Stamford, the Earl of Strathmore,
the Hon. S. Lyttelton, Sir Geo. Wombwell, Mr. 11. C.
Taylor, Mr. W. 0. Foster, Mr. W. Trow, Mr. H. Brad.
ley, Mr. W. Grazebrook, and Rev. C. Jesson, killed, on
the 19th, 314 pheasants, 333 bares, 65 rabbits, 3 par-
tridges, 1 blackcock (hybrid), 1 bittern, and 4 wildfowl.

. .
On the 20th. with the exception of Mr. 11. C. Taylor,
the party killed 186 pheasants, 203 hares, 70 rabbits,
11 partridges, 5 woodcocks, and 3 wildfowl. On the
21st, the same gentlemen, with the exception of Mr.
H. C. Taylor and Mr. W. Trove, killed 490 pheasants,
53 hares, 52 rabbits, 2 partridges, and 4 wildfowl. On
the 22d, the same party, with the exception of Mr. W.

0. Foster and Mr.. W. Trow, killed 126 pheasantg, 133
hares, 40 rabbits, 1 woodcock, and 1 wildfowl. Tutal,
‘3,113 head.
TESTIMONIAL TO A CLERGYMAN.—The inhabitantq of
St, John's-wood have presented to the Rev. D. Butler,
M.A., on his resignation of the curacy of St. John's-

wood Chapel, where he has officiated for 15 years, a very
handsome silver centre-piece for the table. It is composed
of three figures in frosted silver, representing Faith,
Hope, and Charity on a tripod stand, the oak tree form.
inz the stem above, which is beautifully representel iu
silver ; the whole is surmounted with a basket, orna-
mented with acorns, containing a handsome glass bowl.
On one compartment of the tripod is engraved the fol.
lowing inscription :—" Presented to the Rev. Daniel
Butler, M.A., by friends and members of the congrega-
tion of St. John's Chapel, St. John's-wood, as a testi-
,.

mony of their affectionate regard, and estimation of the
value of his ministrations, December, 1855." The centre
piece was manufactured by Charles Williams (late Catch-
pole and Williams), 223, Oxford-street.
CHANGES IN THE HOUSE OF PEERS DURING THE PAST
YEAR.—The following members of the peerage of the
United Kingdom have died since the Ist of January,
1855. The Dukes of Manchester and Somerset, the Mar-
quis of Thomond, the Earls of Sefton, Leitrim, Cala'.
ness, Caledon, Stanhope, Carysfort, and Antrim ; Vis-
counts Boyne, Ponsonby, O'Neill, Lifford, Hereford,
De Vesci, and Strangford ; and Lords Raglan, Deciei,
Kenyon, Erskine,Wharm-iliffe, Delamere, Ravensworth,
and Truro, together wirh the Baroness Basset. Of these

the Marquisate of Thomond, and the Viseounties of
Ponsonby and O'Neill and the Barony of Basset have

become extinct. During the same period the Earldom
of Southeak, a Scottish title attained in the rebellion of
the last century, has been restored in the person of Sir

James Carnegie, Bart., Mr. E. B. Roche, late M.P. for
County Cork has been raised to the Irish peerage as Lord
Perrnoy, and Mr. Baron Parke has been created an Eng-
lish peer by the title of Lord A.mpthill.
SERIOUS AFFRAY WITH POACHERS.—On the night of
Wednesday last, as Lord Wewyss's keepers, of Stanway-
court, Gloucestershire, were on their beat, one of then,
a man named Pigeon, was attacked by two poachers.
lie collared one, and the other cried out to him, "If
you do not let my companion go I will shoot you," and
immediately discharged his gun, the whole contents of
which lodged in the right elbow joint. Finding Pigeon
still kept tight hold of the man, the latter commenced

an onslaught on the keeper with the butt end of his gun,
which he broke over the poor fellow's head. At this
moment two other keepers came to his assistance, but
the man who fired the gun had made off. They took
the other poacher prisoner, and we hear the man that
shot Pigeon has since been taken into custody. Amputa-
tion was deemed needful, and Pigeon's arm was taken
off below the shoulder joint, under the influence of chlo.
rotorm.