The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-17 00:00:00

ART AND LITERARY GOSSIP.

The death is announced of Herr Molique, the composer
and eminent violin player, who retired from the musical
world some two years ago. The oratorio of "Abraham,"
one of his last works, was brought out at the
Norwich Festival in 1860.—Mr. George G. Adams,
sculptor, of Sloane-street, has been selected to
execute the marble statue of Dr. Thigh 111'Nelle1
Dean of Ripon, for the town of Liverpool.--
Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, Bart., is again recom•
mended by the Council of the Royal Geographical Society
for election as president. Admiral Sir George Back,
Francis Galton, Esq., Major-General Sir henry Rawlin-
son, and Major-General Sir A. Scott Waugh are nomi-
nated vice-presidents. The Founder's Medal will this year
be presented to Professor A. E. Nordenskiold, of Stockholm,
for the leading part helms taken in the recent Swedish expe-
ditions in the North Polar regions, and particularly for
the preparation, with his colleagues, of the new map of the
Spitsbergen Islands. The Victoria Medal will be given
to Mrs. Somerville. The annual Geographical Medals
offered by the society to the chief public schools will also
be awarded.—The earliest novelty at the Holborn Theatre,
under Mr. Barry Sullivan's management, will be a new
tragic play by the author of " London Poems." Mr.
Robert Buchanan is already known to playg era by his
tragedy of the "Witch-Finder," produced some years ago
at Sadler's Wells.—Mr. Thomas Wright is now editing,
for the Master of the Rolls, a collection, in one volume, of
the Anglo-Latin satirical poets of the twelfth century—
Nigellus, John de Hauteville, &c., which will throw
great light on the social history of the age, as well
as its political history. Mr. Wright is also preparing
for press a revised and greatly-enlarged edition of
" History of Women in the Early Ages."—
A
magnificent collection of etchings, by Albert Durer,
has been made in the rooms of the Burlington Clnb.—A
new popular national anthem is wanted for Prussia ; and
it is stated that the Princess Royal has asked Sir M. Costa
to undertake the task.—Tickets to the amount of upwards
of £1,200 were sold in two days for Mdlle. Christine
Nilsson's concert on the 7th of next month.

THE CRUISE ON THE NAVAL RESERVE.

On Wednesday night the Donegal and the Royal George
joined the other ships of the Reserve Fleet gathering in
Portland Roads for their fortnight's cruise. The Agin-
court arrived from the Great Nore on Tuesday afternoon,
and immediately hoisted the flag of the Admiral Com-
manding-in-Chief, Rear-Admiral A. C. Key. On Friday
morning, at eleven o'clock, the First Lord of the Admi-
ralty, accompanied by Vice-Admiral Sir Sydney Dacres,
and the Senior Sea Lord, Captain Willes, who is specially
connected with the Coast-guard, left London for Wey-
mouth, where they embarked on board the Agnicourt.
It is said that Earl de Grey and Ripon and Mr.
Glyn, ➢i.P., have accepted Mr. Childers's invitation to
join the cruise. It is likely to be a stormy
trip, since a stong breeze has been bowing in the Chan-
nel, and a heavy sea running. The Agincourt, though
over 6,000 tons, will, therefore, give the landsmen some
specimens of her rolling powers. The Lords of the Admi-
ralty will not, it is said, remain atsea more than three orfout
days, their object being to judge for themselves of tha
value of the "Reserve " men. 'The fleet is composed of
ten ships, having a total tonnage of 33,577 tons, with
a nominal engine power of 8,250 horses, and carrying
513 gnns. The Agincourt, as we have said,
is the flagship, and the others vary in power
and tonnage from the Black Prince, armoured iron-screw
frigate, 6,109 tons -and 1,250 horse power and 41 guns,
to the unarmoured wooden screw Trafalgar, 2,90(
tons and 500 horse power. The ships are intended tc
represent such a fleet as we should, under present
circumstances, send to sea as a second line
of naval defence, in the event of our best
ships being required at a distance. It is satisfactory tc
know that, as far as matters have yet gone, the officer'
and crews of the various ships and of the Reserve hart
acted cordially together. In the Roads then
are also several yacht schooners which intend
to join the fleet in the cruise, which is tc
last a fortnight, Admiral Key intending to anchor
his fleet again in the roads on Saturday the 29th instant.
At the beginning of the subsequent week the fleet will be
officially inspected by the Admiral, who will then receive
from the captain of each ship his report on the abilities
and conduct of the men under his command.

EXTRAORDINARY FRAUD ON A BAIL.

WAY COMPANY.

At the County Police-court, Derby, on Friday, Johr
A. they, a barman at Birmingham, was charged with attempt.
mg to defraud the Midland Railway Company. Early in
March last a letter was received- by the Secretary of the
London and North Western Railway, signed "Joan Ash-
bury," and dated from 2, Bull-ring, Birmingham, stating that
the writer was a passenger between Birmingham and Derby
a few days previously, and that in a collision near the latter
place he was very much shaken, his elbow was hurt, his hat
wan smashed, and he lost a stone from his ring. He enclosed
a certificate purporting to be that of a surgeon, though he
did not wish to put the company to any expense if they
would "compensate him for tho damage done to the hat.'
"At all events," he said, "I will leave it with you." The
Midland Railway Company being concerned in the alleged
collision the letter was fot warded on. In another letter, Mr
" Asbury," after an allusion to his attorney, wrote, "If yor
will replace the hat, and the stone I hilt out of my ring
which I will leave the amount to you, I will throw off the
injury I received to my elbow." An agent of the Midland
Company at Birmingham visited the address given, to whict
the Sompanies' letters of acknowledgment bad been ad-
dressed, and he there raw the prisoner. Prisoner said he
knew no John Ashburn excepting a carrier, who called there
twice a week; and in reply to the agent's observation that let-
ters had been there taken in for Ablibury, said, Yes, but they
have not been called for, and you had bett, r take them back.'
Tho agent replied, " I had better not; pedlars they will be
called for." Prisoner said, .‘ lam sure they will not, ante
the Midland Railway Company will hear no more about
it." Ile added, "If you write to the Great Western Com.
parry in London, in a case like this, th"y make no bother
about it, but send the money down at once." The other said,
" The Midland Company don't do in that way, but make in.
qniries, and, if they find it ril;ht, they pay." The letters,
which had apparently not been opened, were taken away
by the agent, and by a little stratagem the company led the
prisoner into giving 101110 specimens of his writing, which
were now handed in in evidence. The surgeon's certificate
was proved to be a forgery. The prisoner was committed
for trial.

It was resolved at Dublin recently to send a depu.
tation to London to ask the Lords to reject the Irish Churck
13111, but at a full meeting on Friday a resolution was carried
by a majority of one, to the effect that Lord Cairns, who it
❑ow iu Dublin, shcithl first be consulted.
The Stowell Memorial Church at Salford was con.
secrated on Friday, the Manchester Courier says, by the Lore
Bishop of Manchester. There was a large attendance of
clergy and laity upon the occasion, and Canon Richson,
preached, paid a high tribute to the memory .of the late
Canon Stowell, who laboured so long iu the district.

Alr. T. W. Evans, a Liberal, formerly member foi
South Derbyshire, and Mr. T. Salt, jun., of Stafford, a Con.
servative, who formerly sat for Stafford, a:e definitively
announced as candidates for Stafford. Captain llayter, Mr
11. Foley, who represented South Staffordshire before the
last election, and Mr. Charles Lampot t, who contested Soutt
Suffolk, are talked of as second Liberal candidates, witt
others. Mr. George Odger addressed a favourable meeting
of workingmen on Friday., and a r,solution was passed ap•
proving his claims. It itagtig a second ConseTvative wil
be brought fo-rwigcli but as yet Mete is no dtfinlitligitettioii

:

ELECTION RIOTS IN PARIS.

(mom OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, SUNDAY, May 16.

" Have respect for liberty, hut have respect also for
order," is said to have heenthe instruction sent to the Prdect
of Police from the Tuileries on Thursday night during the
great riot in the neighbourhood of the Cirque Napol6on.
Such a message was certainly needed on that
fatal evening, but happily it has not been required
since. Up to this day Paris has been visibly calmer.
Disturbances there have been, and those of some gravity,
but there has been no repetition of the fatal outbreak
which so alarmed Paris on Thursday. The riots, in fact,
have diminished to disturbances. On Friday night there
was a good deal of uproar and agitation in various quarters
of the city. There was, as usual, a great number of public
meetings, most of which were densely crowded, and the
mob outside, as well as the audience, when the proceedings
were over, indulged in demonstrations of various kinds. At
the Hall of Vieux-Chene there was a large crowd, composed
principally, says the Patric', of men in blouses and lads.
Here the " Marseillaise" was sung, and cheers given for
Rochefort, the most uncompromising and revolutionary of
all the Paris candidates. In the Rue de Lyon a large mob
accummulated outsitle the entrance of the hall in which M.
Jules Simon was addressing a meeting. A band of about 600
individuals slated from this point, and moved towards the
9 Ui;:tre de Cluny, r, fre:-liing themselves on the way with
" Vive La Lantcv, e "Viva Ia llepublique!" A solitary
commissioner of police, accompanied by two sergents-de-
vale, had the courage to confront this comiderable mob, and
two of the ringleaders were arrested. The police were
straightway assailed with stones, but with the assistance
of fresh sergents the two prisbners were carried off. About
eleven o'clock the same band attempted to cross the
Pont St. Michel, with shouts of "Viva la Republique!"
but were prevented by the police. There was likewise an
immense crowd round the Salle Moli: re. About nine
o'clock the street in this quarter became quite impassable.
The sergents-de rifle endeavoured to clear a way, but as
fast as the surging multitude was pressed back it came
on again, and at length, getting irritated, opened
a fire of stones upon the police. About eleven o'clock the
mob dispersed in various directions, bands of several
hundreds going up the Rue Rivoli and to the Place
Bastille. At the Place Royale a small mob knocked down
the railings surrounding the garden, but the approach of
the police was the signal for a sauce qui peat.
The accounts of these little affairs on Friday night
differ considerably in papers of different politics, especi-
ally as to the size of the crowds, but it is generally agreed
that in no case did the mob offer any serious
resistance to the authorities. It is noteworthy that the
Government journals snake far more of these distur-
bances than do the Liberal papers. Not only
do the latter unanimously agree in exhorting the
public not to give way to violence, but they
are very chary of reporting the disturbances. In the
semi-official papers every detail is to be found. These facts
give some colour to the very prevalent belief that the
Government is not displeased at these disturbances.
Knowing full well that the order-loving public will grow
frightened at these manifestations of violence, and will vote
for the official candidates, or at least not vote at all, the
authorities, it is affirmed, are anxious to get up just so
much riot as may prove alarming without being trouble.
some. At the Veux-Chene it was remarked that a battalion
of Paris Guards was marched out and arranged on the
pavement, arms in hand, and that the appearance of this
force caused immense excitement amongst the populace.
This, and many other signs, point to the conclusion that
the Government would rather like a riot than other-
wise. The Liberal journals are very earnest in their
entreaties to their party to refrain from playing into the
hands of the Imperialists. The Liberte, the Siecle, the
Temps, the Opinion Nationale, the Dlbats, and even the
Constitutionncl are agreed on this point.
Much anxiety was felt yesterday, but very little
occurred to justify it. The morning commenced inauspi-
ciously. The Journal Officiel contained a proclamation
stating that in consequence of the disturbances which
have taken place in the streets in the neighbour.
hood of the various theatres or rooms where meetings
were being held, the public is not to be allowed to station
In the streets after the meetings have commenced, that
the police are to make them move on, and that, in the
event of resistance, the loi des attroupements is to
be carried out, or, in other words, the assemblage is to be
dispersed by force. This parade has greatly annoyed the
susceptible Parisians, the general belief being that it was
unnecessary. Indeed, it is thought that, had the
populace been let alone, the riot which commenced
at the ChaVlet on Wednesday would have spread
no further. However, yesterday passed off with
a few absurdities of no great moment. In one street
a band of young fellows thought to promote the cause
of liberty by stopping various vehicles, snaking the
passengers descend, and then getting in their places.
Several meetings were held, and some of them proved
tumultuous, but the disturbances out of doors were of
very little moment.