The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-10 00:00:00

ITER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—
M. JULLIEN'S CONCERTS. Last
Week.—To-night, a Mendelssohn Night—Miss Dolby, and
the celebrated Pianist, Miss Arabella Goddard..—The New
Grand French Quadrille.
Programme for THIS EVENING (Wednesday, Dec. 10):
" The
part I.—Overture, Rny Bias—MendeLssolin ; Song,
Song of Night," Miss Dolby (accompanied on the pianoforte
by Mr. W. G. Cusins)—Mendelsohn ; Concerto in G M noihe
r,
Pianoforte, Miss A. Goddard—Mendelssohn ; Symphony, t
Scotch Symphony—Mendelssohn ; So W
ng, " The first Violet,"
Miss Dolby (accompanied on the pianoforte by Mr. .G.
Cusins)—Mendelssohn ; Concerto, Violin (Andante and Al-
legro), M. Le Hon—Mendelssoha ; March, The Wedding
March, from A Midsummer Night's Dream—Mendelssohn.
Part 2.—Quadrille, the French Quadrklle, with varia-
tions for flute, flageolet, oboe, clarinet, ophicleide, and
cornet, performed by MM. De Polley, DeYong, Collinet,
Pratten, Lavigne, Hughes, and Koenig ; Finale ; Partant
pour la Syrie, Vive rEmperenr—Jullien ; Fantasia, Piano-
forte, Les Patineurs (Le Prophete), Miss Arabella Goddard
—Liszt ; Polka, The Minnie Polka (the 3d time)—Jullien ;
Scotch Song, Come ferry me o'er, Miss Dolby—Mrs. Groom ;
Polka, My Mary Ann (by desire) (the 26th time of perform-
ance)—Jullien ; Solo, Cornet, the River and the Star,
written expressly for and performed by Herr Koenig—
Angelina; Galop, Atlantic—Jullien.
Conductor—M. Jullien. To commence at 8 o'clock. Prices
of admission :--Promenade, ls. ; Dress circle, 2s. 6d. ; private
boxes, 10s. 6d., £1 Is., and upwards. Private boxes to be
secured of Mr. Nugent, at the box-office of the theatre
at all the principal libraries and musicsellers'; and at Jullien
and Co.'s, 214, Regent-street.

TuEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LANE.—
Lessee, Mr. E. T. Smith.
Acting Manager, Mr. C. Mathews. Stage Manager, Mr. R.
Roxby. Scenic Artist, Mr. W. Beverley.
Last week of performing before the Christmas Holidays.—
The eminent comedian Mr. Charles MathewS, and the talented
Dramatic Company, at the following reduced tariff of prices,
lower than any other west end theatre :—Galleries, 6d. and
'
Is. ; Upper Boxes, ls. 6d. • Pit, 2s. ; First Circle, 2s d
. 6d. ;
Dress Boxes, 3s. ; Stalls, ss. ; Private Boxes, h
2.
6d;
6., ,
11. is., lt. lls. 6d., and 2/. 2s. Doors open at ast 6
commence at 7. Second price at 9 o'clock.
THIS EVENING, her Majesty's servants will perform the
comic drama entitled AGGRAVATING SAM. Characters
by Mr. Charles Mathews, Mr. Robert Roxby, Mr. Tilb
Mr. George Honey, Mr. Templeton, Mr. Walton, Mrs. Selby,
Miss M. Oliver, and Miss Mason.
After which, the celebrated drama entitled THE CAPTAIN
OF THE WATCH, in which Messrs. Charles Mathews,
Robert Roxby,'A., Younge, Miss Mason, and Miss M. Oliver
will perform.
To 13,4 followed by the laughable piece TWO HEADS
BETTER THAN ONE. Supported by Mr. Robert Roxby,
Mr. Tilbury, Mr. Temi leton, Mr. Worrell, and Miss Wadham.
To conclude with an entirely new Ballet, arranged by Mons.
Petit, of her Majesty's Theatre, in which Mdlles. Emilie and
' Jenny Osmont, of the Grand Opera, will appear, assisted by
a powerful Corps de Ballet.
On Boxing Night, the 26th inst., will be produced a Grand
Comic Christmas Pantomime, by E. L. Blanchard, Esq.,
which, for gorgeous splendourand effects, will surpass all the
former pre-eminently successful efforts which have given to
this establishment a world-wide celebrity for pantomime
The magnificent scenery by the inimitable artist, Mr. William
Beverley, and the pantomime produced under the direction
of Mr. Robert Roxby.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET
THIS EVENING, will be performed
THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL, with Mr. Murdoch as
Charles Surface ; Sir Peter Teazle, Mr. Chippendale ; Sir
Benjamin Backbite, Mr. Buckstone ; Crabtree, Mr. Compton;
Joseph Surface, Mr. Howe ; Sir Oliver Surface, Mr. Rogers ;
Moses, Mr.. Clark ; Sir Harry (with a song), Mr. W. Farren ;
Lady Teazle, Miss Reynolds ; Mrs. Candour, Miss Talbot ;
Lady Sneerwell, Mrs. Poynter ; Maria, Miss E. Sabine.
After which, the successful new farce, A FAMILY
FAILING, in which Mr. Buckstone, Mr. Howe, Mr. Chip-
pendale, and Miss Blanche Fane will appear.
With Perea Nena and her unrivalled Company of Spanish
Dancers, in THE CAPTIVES, being the last week but one
of their final engagement.
To conclude with THE DUMB BELLE.

THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHI
Genuine Success.—Unprecedented Attrac-
tion.—Third Appearance of Mr. Benjamin Webster, and re-
vival of the Great Adelphi drama of Janet Pride. —The grand
New Fairy Ballet Extravaganza, THE ELVES, in which
Madame Celeste will appear as the Statue Bride every night.
THIS EVENING will be performed the celebrated d:aiw.
of JANET PRIDE. Messrs. B. Webster, Wright, Paul
Bedford, C. Selby, Parselle, Garden, Bland; Mesdames Celeste
and M. Keeley.
After which, with new scenery and appointments, the new
fairy ballet extravaganza, ()ailed THE ELVES, or the Statue
Bride, founded on the grand ballet spectacle, now perform
ing with unexampled success at the Theatri Imperiale de
l'Opera at Paris, under the title of Les Elfes. Principal cha-
racters by Madame Celeste, Misses Wyndham, Mary Keeley,
Kate Kelly, Chatterly, Arden, Messrs. Weght, Paul Bedford,
C Selby, Le Barr, dec.

LYCEUM THEATRE ROYAL
Lessee, Mr. C. Dillon.

THIS EVENING (Wednesday, Dec. 10), by particular
desire, OTHELLO will be repeated. Othello, Mr. Charles
Dillon ; lago, Mr. Stuart ; Desdemona, Mrs. C. Dillon
Emilia, Mrs. Weston.
After which, the extraordinary troupe of Bedouin Arabs
will make their appearance.
Followed by GOOD FOR NOTHING. Miss Woolgar,
Messrs. Toole, Barrett, drc.
Concluding with a Ballet, by Miss Rosina Wright and the
Coryphees.

ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Lessee. Mr. C. Dillon.
LAST NIGHT BUT TWO OF THE PRESENT SEASON:
Production of " The Cagot."
On THURSDAY, and FRIDAY, will be performed a new
and original English play, in five acts, entitled THE CAGOT:
or, Heart for Heart. Supported by Messrs. Dillon, Stuart,
Barrett, Miss Woolgar, Mrs. Weston, and the entire strength
of the company.
After which the extraordinary Troupe of BedouiniArabs
will go through their surprising performances.
Followed by THE DEAD SHOT Louisa Lovetrick, Mrs,
C. Dillon ; Hector Timid, Mr. J. L. Toole.
The Theatre will close on Friday, Dec. 12, till Dec. 26,
when will be produced a new Grand Burlesque and Comic
Pantomime. Opening produced with all the splendour for
which Lyceum Burlesques have been celebrated, and Harle-
quinades by eminent Pantomimists, with mechanical changes
and effects.

ROY AL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
THIS EVENING and during' the week
will be presented Shakspeare's play of A MIDSUMMER
NIGHT'S DREAM.
After which will be produced a new petite comedy, in two
acts, called OUR WIFE ; or, The Rose of Amiens. Princi-
pal characters by Messrs. Ryder, Harley, Fisher ; Misses
Murrey aiad C. Leclercq.
Mendetssohn's celebrated overture to A Midsummer
Night's Dream will commence at 5 minutes before 7.

ROYAL SURREY THEATRE.
Lesßeeg, Messrs. Shepherd and Creswick.
BENEFIT OF MR. SAM. COWELL.
THIS EVENING (Wednesday), will be performed THE
LADIES' BATTLE. Gustave de Grignon, Mr. Leigh Mur-
ray ; D'Autreval, Mrs. L. Murray.
BOMBASTES FURIOSO. Bombastes, Mr. Widdicomb ;
Fnsbos, Mr. Sam. Cowell.
The ballet of MONS. DVGUION, by Mr. Fleamore.
A Concert.
To conclude with THE TWO GREGORIES.

CTRAND THEATRE.—Manager, Mr. T.
Payne.—THlS EVENING will be performer',
OVER. THE WAY. Mr. Kinloch, Mesdames Woolidge and
E. Wilton.
'TWAS I; or the Kiss and the Rose. Mesdames Cuth-
bert, Gregory, and Woolidge ; Messrs. Kinloch and Howard.
LADIES AT HOME; or, Gentlemen, we can do without
You, Mesdames Fitzinman, E. Jacobs, Lennox, Norbury,
Gregory, Baker, &c.
And BELPHEGOR (Travestie). Messrs. G. Lee, Howard,
and Clarke ; Mesdames Cuthbert, Woollidge, E. Jacobs,
and 'Willy Edonin.
Commence at Seven. Stalls, 3s. ; Boxes, es. ; Pit, is. ;
Gallery, M.

A STLEY'S ROYAL AMPEIITHEATRE.
Lamm and Manager, Mr. W. Cooke.
ItIONDAY WEDNESDAY, AND FRID kY.
THIS EVENING, Shakspeare's Tragedy of MACBETH,
with Equestrian Illustrations by Mr. W. Cooke's highly-
trained Horses, ke. Macbeth, Mr. James Holloway.
After which, the SCENES in the CIRCLE. Appearance
of Mr. W. Cooke, jun., Age.
To conclude with OTHER ENTERTAINMENTS. •
TO-MORROW, RICHARD THE THIRD.
Doors open at halt-oast six ; commenee at seven, o'clock.
•;iDos„,ffice open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr.
~3yest. Equestrian Director, Mr. W. Cooke, jun.

C XNTER BURY HALL,
EVENING.—The EVERY
engaged ING.—The follow-
ing company of Vocalists are
Madrigals, Choruses,
Selections from_all the popular veras f°34l' the performance of
Glees, Duets, &c., via.: —Miss E. pea>re adri
Caulfield, Herr F.
Miss Brunell, and Miss Summers ;
Tr'
3, Mrs. J. Caulfield,
Jonghmans, R. Grover, T. Raino, T. pa
E.
macia:stin, Ben-
Barker, W. Melling, and P. Corrie ; Masters Austin Jones,__ J.
Ben-
nett, and Corri ; Mr. Sam Cowell and
In addition pre
forte, J. Haweway, R.A. ; harmonium, J. Caulfield,' Piano-
director, Mr. J. Caulfield. Commence at Seven
o'clock jun.
and Eleven
slimly. Suppers, dm, until twelve o'clock.
the usual Vocal Entertainment, the celebrated SPANISHII°ntn
MINSTRELS will appear in costume at Nine
o'clock Every Evening, and sing some of their favourite seleeen-
i ons

•silGtt NV-AVM AT LONDON 1311,IDGR.
Tine Dav—Morm 53 min• aft. 11—Evening 21 rain.
To-Mom:ow—Morn:46 min. aft.l2—FlveMng 13 min.aft.

THE WEATFIEIZ'SUN OFFICE, DECEMBER 10.
THERMOMETER, IN TO ;SHADE.
59 —highest slum noon yesterday.
54 —lowest this morning and during the night,
56 —this day at noon.
BAROMETER, 29-35.
WIND, S.W.—Light, with dull weather and slight rain
occasionally.

r7ll-
- 47,
tiatnl,

L1N.10.7g, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1856

No one seems exactly to now what questions
will be ventilated at the new Conferences. If
we are to credit the semi-official article of the
Constitutionnel, to which we referred in our im-
pression of Saturday, the object is " to interpret
some contested points of the Treaty of Paris, and
in force.'" It is, however,
to put it promptly
more than hinted that other matters are on the

tapis, and that the EMPEROR "is determined that
it shall take cognisance of other questions than
those relating to the East." It would, there seem
that the points relating to Bolgyad and the Isle
of Serpents are but specious pretexts to put the
machinery in motion, by which other important

results may be accomplished.
We confess that we cannot anticipate any bene-
ficial consequences from the deliberations of the
Congress. We cannot forget that the liberty of
the Belgian Press was assailed by Count WALE SKI
at the supplemental sittings in April, after the
terms of the Treaty had been finally settled ; and,
considering the recent onslaught of the Moniteur
on English journalism, it is by no means impos-
sible that the attack may be renewed, but that
this time it will be directed against England. We
trust that this may not be the case—that Louie
NAPOLEON is too well acquainted with England
and the English to venture on so reckless a course.
Should he, however, be so greatly misled, it will
be the most impolitic act of his reign. Highly
as we prize the French alliance, we should not for
a moment dream of purchasing its continuance at
such a price. There is no English institution
more highly venerated by all classes of the people
than that of a free and unshackled Press. To
its vigorous and independent action the nation is
indebted for the abatement of many social and
political nuisances, and the attainment of innu-
merable benefits. It is the great Reformer, in
Nhose columns grievances are unsparingly exposed,
and plans for amelioration indicated and freely
discussed. There may be differences of opinion
amongst its members, but, with few exceptions,
all endeavour to advance the public walfare.to the
best of their ability. Indeed these very differ-
inces conduce more than anything to its para-
mount utility. Were it not for " her MAJESTY'S
Jpposition " the debates in Parliament would
possess very little interest. A strong Opposition
is of essential service to the nation. In like manner
truth is elicited by the collision of journals of every
-hade and variety of political opinion, and the inte-
rests of the people are vigilantly watched over, and
-4uaranteed by faithful and indefatigable formali-
ties. No matter, then, how distasteful their inde-
pendence may be to continental despots. The
English Government cannot, and the English
people will not, join in any crusade against the
privileges and independence of the Fourth Estate.
It was at these supplemental sittings also that
the rights which insured the maritime supremacy
of England, for which NELSON declared that
England would expend her last man and her last
shilling, were wantonly and gratuitously sur-
rendered. At the time that this most important
alteration was effected without the assent of Par-
liament, or even without the slightest hint being
given respecting the intention, we earnestly and
emphatically protested against it. Mature considera -
don has confirmed our original views, and added in
no trifling degree to the objections which we con-
scientiously entertain to the renewal of the Con-
gress, from which England may sustain serious
injury, but not the slightest advantage, present
)r prospective. We unhesitatingly declare that
no alterations of international law can be effected
in the name of Great Britain without the assent
of its Parliament. The attempt may be made.
There are powerful influences in operation that
may seek to frame our English institutions on
German models ; but any movement in that
direction will meet with the most strenuous and,
ve hope and believe, successful opposition, both
a Parliament and throughout the length and
breadth of the land.
We scarcely anticipate any benefit, even so far
is the affairs of Italy, and more especially of
Naples, are concerned. It is for the Western
Powers to act rather than to discuss these matters.
['hey have already taken a decided step, and it is
only to he regretted that it has not been more
3nergetically follrived up. There has been an
em,eute in Sicily, but there is no authentic infor-
mation as to the particulars, and it is by no
means improbable that its origin may even-
tually be traced to the Police. There has also
been an alleged attempt to assassinate the KING.
The accounts differ ; some declaring that a soldier
fired at and wounded him, and others that he re-
ceived a trifling bayonet wound. Whatever may
be the real facts of the case, we are convinced
that the matter had no political signification.
True patriots would not damage their cause by
such a proceeding, which must be condemned by
every right-minded man, no matter how great
might have been the provocation.

The engineering genius of one of the grand old
Greek Sculptors—don't we all of us remember
that beautiful fairy-legend of antiquity ?—seri-
ously entertained the notion of carving Mount
Athos into a Statue of ALEXANDER the GREAT—a
Colossus bearing up in one hand a Glorious City,
and in the other a Mighty Urn, out of the mouth
of which a River was to pour forth its tributary
flood into the waters of the Archipelago. A mag-
nificent day-dream of artistic skill never of course
realised. Only suggested—but still suggested, as
the classic annals relate, and as we have already
observed, seriously and deliberately ! Standing
as we do, so to speak, in the visible and tangible
presence of the many Wonders not merely talked
'about, but actually and literally accomplished by
Antiquity—there is, we maintain, no room left
for Modern Times to sneer a superficial and in-
credulous sneer of derision even at such a propo-
position as this one of carving out of the thedal
rock a positive Man-Mountain ! The Pyramids
alone tend to impart a certain reasonableness to
such an otherwise preposterously extravagant
Conception. To say nothing of such superb
realities as Tadmor and Palmyra, and the Colossus
at Rhodes, and the Hanging Gardens at Babylon,
and the like astonishing achievements. Accepting
the notion about Mount Athos, however, simply
as a Proposition—still there it is, upon record,
that the Proposition was made to ALEXANDER the
GREAT some three centuries before the beginning
of the epoch of Christianity.
Yet nearly two thousand years after the com-
mencement of the Christian era—in an age cf
'scientific marvels, of the like of which the earth
had never had any previous record whatever—
can it be supposed that it will really have to be
related that the Engineering Genius of the most
civilised races upon the surface of the globe con-
leased itself baffled by the notion of cutting a
canal thirty-five miles in length ? A canal long
looked for, often suggested, almost despaired of
nowadays A ship canal connecting the Atlantic
variously known' as
with the Pacific, by
thespanningisthmus the narrow
of
f
a isthmusre n
o r
Panama ! Judging from our experience—Yes.
Judging from our aspirations—No. The former
would almost lead us t
simply ridiculous. The sluatptpeorsie. ntdhuaete
etlauee ide
ne a i
theis
trto cherish a more earnest conviction
g°thnanaY)
everr that the thing is
indeed after all quite
practicable.
This favourite day-dream of ours, has been a
hobby with JOHN BULL ever since the days of
WILLIAM PATTERSON, the Founder of the Bank
of England. It has been mooted again and again,
but each time, as yet, unfortunately, it bas been
examined into and pondered over anew only to
be once more perverely and provokingly aban.

dosed. Is it always to be thus with the notion '
of the Darien Canal, the Ship Canal across the
isthmus of Panama ? We cannot believe so. In
spite of so many failures, of so many futile efforts,
of so many egregious, and painful, and reiterated
disappointments, we cannot induce ourselves to
arrive at this monstrous conclusion. We cannot
beieve that now, in the middle .f this nineteenth
century, with the Giant Power of Steam at our
command as entirely as ever the Genii of the Ara-
bian Tales were at the mandate of the Eastern
Magicians—with Railways threading the earth,
and Screw-ships ploughing the ocean, and the
Sunbeam our portrait-painter, and the Lightning
our messenger, flying over mountains, to and fro
across seas and continents with the rapidity
of thought —we cannot, in the midst of
the throng of these many wonders, conceive the
idea that human daring, and human genius, and
, human skill can be baffled by thirty-five miles'

engineering !
The subject of this Darien Canal has been recalled
to the popular recollection, it will be remarked, by
a statement published in another part of The
awl of this evening—a statement as plain-spoken
and straightforward as statement could well be,
emanating from the hand of Dr. WM. MAC-
DERMOT; recently acting as a Surgeon of the
Royal Navy on board her Majesty's ship Espiegle,
during the last Darien expedition. That expedi-
tion, it will be but too well remembered, was to
all intents and purposes a total failure. Nothing
came of it. It in fact " died without a sign"—
without the ghost of a Report from any
one of the Engineers engaged in the under-
taking. All that we know about it, indeed, is
through Captain PREVOST'S paper on the subject,
published in 1855 in the Journal of the Royal
Geographical Society ; and through a pamphlet
penned by Dr. CULLEN on the subject of what he
calls point blank, in the very title of his brochure,
" The Mismanaged Darien Expedition." Three
years have elapsed since this unfortunate Expedi-
tion was sent out by the combined authority of the
British, French, and American Governments.
And at length in the December of 1856 we learn,
thanks to Dr. WDERMOTT, what little good is
really after all derivable from the scheme set on
foot in the December of 1853 ! Namely,
that the project is really and truly, in
spite of all that has been said about it,
just the reverse of an impossibility. Here,
briefly and simple, are the facts, the nine
solid and incontrovertible facts, established in
regard to the Plan of a Darien Ship Canal from
the Atlantic to the Pacific—the nine plain and
forcible facts thus sententiously enumerated by
the Surgeon of H.M.S. the Espiegle
1. The harbours on both costs are admirably adapted
for termini of a grand ship canal.
2. The Savana River is quite free from obstructions,
and is navigable to the mouth of the Lara.
3. From the junction of the Lara with the Savana to
the Chuquanaqua, opposite the mouth in the Sncubti, a
distance of 12 miles, the oountry is of such a character
ae to present no engineering difficulties, nor, for that
distance, would any deep cutting be required in the con-
struction of a canal.
4. The next stage, from the Chuquanaqua to the
confluence of the rivers Asnati and Sucabti, a distance
of 9 miles, the country is of the same character.
5. From the confluence of the Asnati and Sucubti for
the next 6 miles, to the little Indian hamlet of Snort° ti,
there is no difficulty to be surmounted.
6. For the next 3 miles the land gradually rises from
180 feet to an elevation of 420 feet.
7. In the next 3 miles, in the direction of the Atlantic,
the ground rises into a peak 930 feet high, so that here a
tunnel would be required.
8. From the foot of this peak to the Atlantic seaboard
—a distance of only two miles, the ground is very low,
and presents no difficulty whatever.
9. The whole length of the canal to be cut would be
35 miles.

So—after all—about the only single diffi-
culty required to be vanquished by the united
skill of the Engineers of England, France,
and the United States is the excava-
tion of a tunnel of three miles ! As Bailie
NtcoL JAIIVIE quoth in Rob Roy--" Ma con-
science !" As Dominie SAMPSON hath it in Guy
Arannering—" Pro-digious!" Three miles ? One
would think it must at least be a difficulty
of three thousand, when the English, French,
and American engineers of the nineteenth
century thus fling down in despair their pencils,
papers, chains, compasses, and theodolites !
Three miles baffle the genius and the ingenuity
which have hitherto set at defiance almost every
obstacle presented to them in the construction of
railways and canals in the four continents ? Three
miles ? Why, even the " seven miles" Slough of
Despond between Balaklava and Sebastopol were
nothing to these " three miles" of Panama Tun-
nelling. The thing must be done ! Nay—it WILL
be done, as assuredly as ever CoLunnus made the
egg stand upright, to the chagrin and the absolute
shame of his Benders !

The plan for the new street through Southwark
adopted by the Metropolitan Board, and good-
naturedly sanctioned by Sir BENJAMIN HILL,
would appear to be in perfect keeping with the
Boaid itself—in other words, by no means tho
best to be had. The deputation who waited yes•
terday on the Chief Commissioner of Works, on
behalf of a meeting of the ratepayers of the
borough of Southwark, not only objected to it,
but offered a plan of their own, the superiority of
which, in some particulars, according to their
statement, is obvious. In the first place, it is
described as more direct. In the second, as
costing 57,0001. less than the plan of the Metro-
politan Board. In the third, as necessitating the
removal of property which, so far from being
valuable, is a burden on the ratepayers, being a
hotbed of disease, pauperism, and crime ; in proof
of the first of which allegations, the fact of its
having been the first place where cholera broke
out is adduced. In the- fourth place, a more
noble and convenient entrance into the High-
street can be provided by it, whereby the danger
of stoppages to traffic incident to the rival plan
would be obviated. Fifthly, it would. be a suc-
cess in the particular of being of uniform width,
while the plan adopted by the Board would prove
a failure, owing to its continuance through Stam-
ford-street, which is only 30 feet in width fro'
kerb to kerb.

How are these allegations supported ?, During
the interview it was elicited or represented by
Sir BeNJAMIN HALL that the pla:n thus recom-
mended by the deputation involved a line of
street of double the length of that contemplated
by the Metropolitan Board, the inference
being it could not oost less. The difference in
the value of the property on the two lines must,
however, be taken into account, so that of two
of the allegations; one only is seriously invali-
dated. The pestilent character of the property—
moral and phys;Lcal—was not disputed ; neither
was the superiority of the rate-payers' plan in re-
lation to the, entrance in Southwark, which it
proposes ; w'aile as to the last allegation we have
as a set ofii the admission that the plan offered
by the Deyatation is open to a similar objection,
the line 041 street being continued through the
narrow York-road !
Before proceeding to a verdict on the merits of
these rival plans the reader will be disposed to
inqu ir(i—ls there no alternative ? Cannot a
better than either be provided ? We are not at
this moment in a position to say positively there
can ; but we hope so. The temptations offered
by the plan submitted by the ratepayers, viz.,

being cheaper than its rival to a large amount,
furnishing :a better entrance, and removing a
fruitful source of diseass and crime, have un-
doubtedly much weight. On the other hand,
double distance is likely to be a heavy drawback
with commercial men and others, pressed for time.
The narrowness of York-road goes for no more
than the narrowness of Stamford-street--both
can be widened—York-road very easily.
In balancing the claims of the two plans, the
points for consideration are which of them best
carries out the main objects contemplated in the
construction of the new line of street, and which-
ever it is, does the rival plan offer advantages
which would warrant its being preferred, notwith-
standing its deviation from the original design.
There is still time for investigation, and it is to
be hoped it will be wisely employed, so that the
opposition to be made to the plan of the Metro-
politan Board may carry with it more weight
before a Committee of the House of Commons
than that brought before Sir BENJAMIN HALL.
For our own part, we are reluctant to commit our-
selves to a recommendation of the new
plan until we know more about it. And
this, notwithstanding, one or two of its dis-
tinguishing features have been recom-
mended, if available, for adoption in these
columns. One thing must be the subject of com-
mon agreement—the Metropolitan Board by its
trifling with the important business confided to
it has been the occasion of great risk to the suc-
cessful accomplishment of an important, long
needed, and universally called for improvement.

We rejoice to find that the public mind is
thoroughly excited respecting the iniquitous In-
come Tax, and that there is every prospect of a
vigorous and energetic agitation being inaugx••

rated for its immediate reduction and more

equitable apportionment. A requisition has been
presented to the High Bailiff of Southwark,
who has, in consequence, appointed a public
meeting of the inhabitants, to be held at the Town
Hall, at one o'clock to-morrow, for the purpose of
taking the important matter into consideration.
We trust that the attendance will be worthy of
the cause, and that the parties may display the

energy and determination that must insure a suc•

eessful termination to their labours. The inhabitants

of Wolverhampton, Brighton, and Reading, are al-
ready in the field; and we hope the salutary example
may be followed in every district. Let every man
co-operate to the best of his abilities. Many
willing hearts make light work, and any man who
keeps aloof from the movement will only have
himself to blame for any annoyance or inconve-
nience to which he may hereafter be subjected.
Let no one for a moment suppose that he will

be permanently exempted from its operation.
The area of taxation has already been extended
so as to bring persons earning 1001. per annum,
or 1/. 18s. 6d., within the charmed circle, and they
may rest assured that unless timely efforts be made
to avert the danger, operatives receiving a single

sovereign per week will be rendered liable.
Ominous and significant hints have already been
heard respecting the propriety of abolishing all
exemptions, and the same principle that charges
at the same rate all moneys, without reference to
the sources from whence they may be derived,
would not merely justify the change,
but render it imperative that every
man not in the receipt of parochial relief should
contribute, not according to his ability—to that
there could be no reasonable objection—but ac-
cording to his gross receipts.
It is not, then, a matter which affects the
middle classes merely. Every man who earns
his daily bread by his daily labour is, or will
speedily, be interested in the question. Daring
the wars at the beginning of the century
the recipients of 601. per annum were charged,
and it is by no means improbable that an effort will
long be made to restore, perhaps to extend,
old system. As we have already said we
can never hope to get rid of the impost. The
strongest efforts should therefore be made to
render it equitable. Accumulated and realised
property is fairly liable, and any man who has
even a single 1001. in the 3 per Cents., an acre
of land, or a house of his own, could not complain
at contributing his quota. Nor should unproduc-
tive property escape. If a man chooses to indulge
in articles of luxury, rich furniture, rare
pictures, or valuable bijouterie, he should
pay for their enjoyment ; but industry should
go free, and those who are now crippled by
the charge might speedily set aside something as
a beginning that would lay the foundation of
future prosperity. It is absurd to say that a
man would sooner squander than save his earn-
ings in order to avoid the liability. Any person
that would put forward such an excuse would
expend his money on selfish enjoyments, no
matter how great might be the inducement to act
otherwise. Let the impost be equitably appor-
tioned, and it will be fairly and honestly re-
sponded to. That which leads to so much de-
moralisation, and what is called " dishonesty,"
would be avoided. It is a natural result that
those who consider themselves unfairly treated
will endeavour to evade a law that consecrates
injustice and sanctions a virtual robbery by its
authority.