The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-08 00:00:00

ASTLEPS _ROYAL AMIIIITIIEATRE.

A novelty of a very startling description, viz., a new two
act melodrama, has been produced here with immense
success. The piece, which is from the pen of:Mr. Thomp-
son Townsend, has been written for the purpose of intro-
ducing Mr. James Crockett and hie troupe of trained lions,
and is entitled " The Lion Conqueror, or the Death Jungle."
oneraily speaking, pieces of this description have but little
interest except the special purpose for which they are in-
tended, but this production is an exception to the rule, and
is crowded wi.h the most startling and thrilling situations,
The grand climax of the drama is the encounter by Mr.
Crockett with four lions ; and,'without exception, it is the
most daring performance ever witnessed in a theatre. The
animals seem of a class very different to those exhibited
by Van Amburgh some years ago. There is not that
sleepy, cowed appearance that was so palpable in that
gentleman's collection ; but, on the contrary, Mr. Crockett's
all appear as if they had a will of their own, and one espe-
cially, a small lioness, does not seem at all backward
in evincing her dislike to the commands of her master. To
show the complete mastery Mr. Crockett has obtained over
these denizens of the forest, he enters a cage armed only
with a small riding whip, and there makes them play all
sorts of curious antics. A dish of raw beef is then handed
to him, and it is very amusing to witness the patient man-
ner in which they all wait their turn to be served with the
savoury morsels. By way of a relish, we suppose, Mr.
Crockett discharges a pistol in the midst of the animals,
but they took the surprise quietly, and then " the Con-
queror" emerges from the cage to receive the applause of
the audience. To all those who are fond of the wonderful
we recommend a visit to the Royal Amphitheatre, feeling
certain they will witness a novel and interesting exhibi-
tion. The drama is followed, as usual, by the pretty
equestrian acts in the arena, and Miss Rebecca Isaacs dis-
misses the audience in a delightful mood by her pretty
singing in " The Daughter of the Regiment."

Mr. Batty, we believe, is making extraordinary efforts
for his Christmas entertainment, which, if repert can be
believed, will be one of the most splendid ever produced at
this theatre.

At the Durham Assizes, yesterday, Thomas Smith
was found guilty of the murder of a pitman, named Batty,
at Winlaton, and was sentenced to death.

The heavy rain of Thursday night had the effect
of swelling the Medlock and Irwell to an unusual height.
Considerable damage was done in Ardwick and the neigh-
bourhood of Oxford Road by the overflowing of the Med-
lock ; while the lower lands of Broughton were completely
inundated by the In Lower Broughton the cellars
aa iniulaber of dwelling-houses werefleoded to the cei4g,

THE PRINCESS ALICE.—We have good authority L r
for announcing that the Princess Alice is betrothed to his
Grand Ducal Highness Prince Louis of Hesse.

The Duchess of Sutherland left Stafford House,
St. James's, yesterday, to join the duke and fathily at
Trantham.

The Marquis of Bath is entertakting a select
circle at Longleat, Wilts, The party have had good shoot.
ing over the game preserves on his lordship's estate.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury have
been surrounded by a large circle during the week at Hat-
field House, Herts.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Ailesbury ar-
rived in town on Thursday from visiting the Countess of
Dunmore at Dunmore Park, near Falkirk. The noble mar-
quis and marchioness are expected to leave to-day for Tot-
tenham Park, Wilts.

The Earl and Countess of Chesterfield have been
entertaining a succession of distinguished friends:at Bretby
Park, Derbyshire.

The Countess Cowper is on the eve of receiving
a large party of visitors at Wrest Park, Beds.
Lady Marian Alford is:entertaining a select party
at Ashbridge Park, Herts.

Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston have de-
ferred leaving town for Broadlands, Hants, till Monday
next.

The Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, M.P., and
Mrs. Herbert left town yesterday for Wilton House, near
Salisbury, where a large circle of visitors are about to
assemble.

The Hon. Algernon Egerton, M.P., and Lady
Blanche Egerton left. Trentham, whero they had been on
a visit to the Duke of Sutherland, early in the week to visit
Lord Pnd Lady Bagot at Blithfield, Staffordshire.
ACCIDENT TO LORD SALISBURY.—WhiIe out
rabbit shooting at Hatfield-park the noble Marquis was
unfortunately struck in the leg by several shots. We are
happy to add that no further result is apprehended than a
confinement to the house for a few days.
A monument to the late Major-General Sir Wm.
Reid, K.C.8., is about to be erected at Bermuda. He was
governor of Bermuda from 1829 to 1846.

There is' no foundation for the statement origi-
nated by a local paper, and copied into other journals, that
Mr. Disraeli had consented to preside at a temperance
demonstration at Leeds.

During Mr. Bright's recent visit to Paris he and
Mr. Cobden had an interview with the Emperor. Mr.
Cobden is about to proceed to Algiers, and will return to
England in time for the opening of the Parliamentary
session.

Trieste has sent a deputation to Vienna praying
he Government to be released from the liability of conscrip-
ion in the present arrear.

THE GARIBALDIAN RED SHIRT.—When the
Prince of Wales visited this city nothing astonished him
so much as the display of red shirts. As many as 6,000
or 7,000 of our firemen marched before the future King of
England, each clad in the scarlet vestment, which has be-
come the recognised uniform of the department. When
Garibaldi was at work making candles on Staten Island
our red shirted fellows attracted his attention. Their cos-
tume was strikingly free and easy—their bearing that of
men who feared nothing—and who would die in the last
ditch to maintain their freedom—so ha adopted the red
shirt.—New York Herald.

PHOTOGRAPHING ON SUNDAYS.—At the Man-
sion-house yesterday, Mr. Alexander Henderson, a photo•
graphic artist, was summoned for unlawfully carrying on
his ordinary occupation on Sunday, the 2d of December,
whereby, under the provisions of a statute passed in the
reign of King Charles tie Second, he had forfeited a penalty
not exceeding ss. The taking of portraits on Sunday
having been proved, the Lord Mayor fined the defendant
ss. ; and, as he said he would continue the practice, the
magistrates allowed the witnesses 2s. 6d. each, which, with
the penalty, amounted to 14s.
THE CHILD MURDER AT ROAD.—We are informed
that Inspector Norris, of Bristol, and Superintendent
Hughes, of Bath, have so far succeeded in their investiga-
tion of this mysterious case, that they are already in a
position to establish a prima
_facie case against a certain
person. In a few weeks they hope to have so matured
their case as to be able to apply for judicial assistance.
Meanwhile the Wilts police are very active in pursuing
their inquiries, and we have reason to believe that they are
in possession of a clue that may lead to important disco-
veries. In connection with this Superintendent-Wolfe has
visited Frome and Road. Mr. Sylvester, the coroner for
North Wilts, has taken steps to show cause against the
application of the Attorney- General to the Court of Queen's
Bench. Yesterday his solicitor visited Frome with a view
to prepare affidavits in support of Mr. Sylvester's conduct
of the inquisition on the body of the murdered boy.
MYSTERIOUS OCCURRENCE IN THE CHANNEL.—
A communication from Scilly, dated Friday last, gives the
following :—" The French schooner Jeunne Rose, of Bor-
deaux, was met with (in company with the French brig
Marie Adele, of Redon), about 20 miles west from Scilly on
the morning of the 29th ult., with jibboom and foreyard
gone, by the pilot cutter Agnes of Scilly. It was repre-
sented that four of the schooner's crew had been lost over-
board, and that two men had been sent on board from the
brig to assist in navigating her to the nearest port she could
make, and she was taken in tow by the Agnes, and assisted
into stilly the same evehing. Capt. Dorrigue, of the Marie
Adele, now reports that on the morning of the 27th ult. he
fell in with the Jeune Rose, about 2Q miles west from
Ushant, abandoned, and apparently plundered, the cabin
being much broken and ransacked, ‘.9z. c., and that he put part
of his crew on board of her, and, took her in tow for some
time until the rope broke, and they were driven to the west
of Scilly ; and that as she was found in French waters, and
he thought she might probably belong to some poor per-
sons, he intended taking her to France for the benefit of
those concerned ; and that the misrepresentation was made
to prevent the fact of her being a derelict, &c., becoming
known in England. She is coal-laden, but no papers were
found on board to show what port she was from, but she is
supposed to have been from some port in Wales for France.
The master's name is supposed, from a document found on
board, to have been Roso. She will now be delivered into
the custody of the Receiver of Wrecks at Scilly. The Jeune
Rose was for some time at Bristol, and was to call at Cardiff
for her coals."—Plymouth Journal.

THE POST-OFFICE.— In addition to the particulars
published in The Sun a few days since respecting this
department of the public service it may be interesting to
add that in the last financial year the expenditure was
£1,905,568, besides £41,489 for superannuation and com-
pensation allowances, as compared with £1,854,808 and
£40,108 in 1853-9, £1,776,041 and £36,400 in 1857-8,
£1,610,325 and £26,861 in 1856-7, and £1,291,550 and
£23,500 in 1855-6. The growth of expenditure in the five
years consequently amounted td £579,866. In the same
period the income advanced from £2,767,201 to £3,310,655,
showing an advance of £543,454. The expenditure last year
was returned as follows :—Chief offices in London, Dublin,
and Edinburgh, £496,906; surveyors in the United King-
dom, £43,107 ; provincial establishments in England and
Wales, £454,606 ; ditto in Ireland, £51,675 ; ditto in Scot-
land, £73,585 ; establishments in the colonies and agents
abroad, £24,287 ; conveyance of mails in the United King-
dom, £632,555 ; buildings and repairs, £51,028; manufacture
of postage labels, £27,815. In 1855-6 these various items
stood thus :—Chief offices in London, Dublin, and Ediri-
burgh, £412,292 ; surveyors to the United Kingdom,
£39,205 ; provinoial establishments in England and Wales,
£336,392; ditto in Ireland, £36,346; ditto in Scotland,
£52,568; establishments in the colonies and abroad, £18,365 ;
buildings and repairs, £18,620; manufacture •f postage
labels, £24,411.

STRONG DRINK.—A Parliamentary return has
just been issued, moved for by Mr. Baines, showing for a
series of years the actual or estimated consumption of spirits
in the United Kingdom. The quantity consumed in the
year 1852 is stated to have been 30,067,139 gallons; and
the consumption has ever since been on the increase in
England, and that at a rate faster than the growth of the
population. But in Scotland and Ireland the consumption
received a severe check in 1854 and 1855 through a large
increase in the duty on home and colonial spirits (the duty
there having been much below the rate for England), and
the Scotch drinker had at the same time to encounter the
Forbes Mackenzie Act, which has made it more inconve-
nient to obtain spirits. The result has been that the con-
sumption in the United Kingdom in the year 1852 was no
more than 28,661,674 gallons, or scarcely a gallon a head—
the quarter to which the enemy is considered to make its
way. Compared with 1852 the consumption in England
had increased nearly 3,ooo,ooogallons, that of Scotland had
decreased neatly 2,000,000, and that of Ireland 2,500,000.
Not, however, that these last two portions of the kingdom
are now behind England, for while England, with its
20,000,000 of people, consumed 17,000,000 gallons of spirits
last year, Scotland, with its 3,000,000 of population, took
5,600,000 ; and Ireland, with perhaps only its 6,000,000 of
inhabitants, very nearly that precise number of gallons ; so
that in England we do not take quite a gallon of spirits a
year a piece, but Scotland drinks the deficiency for us, so
as to bring the consumption of the United Kingdom up to
about that rate. Still, while in 1851, with a population of
2,888,742, the consumption of spirits in Scotland reached
7,090,894 gallons, and wets still higher in the next year, in
1859, with an estimated population of little over 3,000,000,
the consumption was only 5,638,882 gallons. Whether the
balance upon spirit drinking, as between England and
Scotland,wine
anis
maltadifference in respect of
tliqaullorrsedirsessed by a
another
question ; but the spirit
accounts stands as we have stated. The malt charged with
duty in the United Kingdom has only risen from 41,072,486
bushels in 1852 to 44,219,300 in 1859; but little malt is
charged with duty in Scotland and Ireland. The quantity
of foreign and colonial wine retained for consumption in
the United Kingdom was 6,346,001 gallons in 1852, and
had risen to 6,775,992 gallons in 1859 ; what the new " re-
freshment houses" will do time will show. The gross
amount of the taxation laid on all these liquors and on
licenses to miinufacture and sell them amounts to the
enormous sum of x 21,000,000: but that is subject to a
deduction for aver entries and drawbacks on exportation
or use for excepted purposes. The return from which we
have been quoting makes no mention of hops, on which a
duty of above XlOO,OOO was charged last year.

S T

ANT,

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

\V

i.;
L .

VIENNA, DEC. 8.
King Francis 11. has concluded a loan at Vienna.
The Neapolitan army in the Roman territory
has diminished to 8,000 men.

NAPLES, DEC. 5.

Reactionary disturbances have taken place at
Caserta, occasioned by Royalist agents and a por-
tion of the inhabitants. These disturbances were
followed by a serious counter manifestation. The
whole Garibaldian army hastened to the spot to
crush the movement. About 100 persons were
arrested, and several ringleaders shot. Numbers of
the inhabitants have taken flight.

The city of Aversa hag also risen in insurrection
against the Garibaldians, who, however, remained
masters.

The Cardinal Archbishop having arrived at
Naples manifestations against him took place before
his palace. Some shouted, " The Pope for ever !"
and others, " Garibaldi for .ever !" A riot then
ensued. The mob besieged the palace and attempted
to set it on fire. The disorders lasted 18 hours,
and only terminated when the Archbishop appearei
on the balcony holding the Italian tri-coloured
flag.

King Victor Emmanuel is expected here from
Palermo.

It is rumoured that the Government is about
to contract a loan on account of public works.

PARIS, SATURDAY MORNING.

The Noniteur publishes a long circular addressed
by Count Persigny to the Prefects, explaining in
what spirit he intends to use the discretionary
power conferred upon him by the press law.
Count Persigny examines the English laws, and
points out their severity for all attacks against the
Crown and State. He also mentions the great
liberty enjoyed by the English press of discussing
all acts of the Government.

M. de Persigny then says :—" If all parties and
all writers, respecting the wish of the French
people, only desire liberty of the press to maintain
the prosperity of the state, they have liberty of the
press in France,,as in England, and the avertisse-
ment law becomes a dead letter. Let abuses in
society or government be disclosed, let the acts of
the public administration be discussed, and injus-
tice be revealed, but should parties endeavour to
overthrow the State and dynasty, the law will not
permit discussion, and the system of warnings will
then be enforced." The Minister concludes as fol-
lows:—"I declare that although disposed not to
flinch before anyresponsibilityin prohibiting attacks
by the press against the State, on the other side I
shall not consult any private considerations in the
resolutions which I shall take to encourage the
habit of free discussion in France."

NAPLES, DEC. 7.
A reactionary movement has taken place at Sorg,
but public order has been re-established.
A grand military. review will be held to-morrow.

MADRID, DEC. 7.

The Correspondencza Autografa gives a denial to
the report of the organisation of 13 battalions of
volunteers in Catalonia.

The garrison of Tetuan will be replaced by troops
from the Peninsula.

VIENNA, FRIDAY EVENING.

Endeavours are being made to bring about all
understanding between England and France con-
cerning the prolongation of the French occupation
of Syria, which will not, however, take place with-
out the acquiescence of the European Powers, and
without being approved by another Conference at
Paris.
The Fortschritt states that in a Council of
Ministers held within the last few days the pro-
gramme drawn up by Baron Schmerling for the inte-
rior development of Austria was agreed to by the
Government.

It is to be expected, therefore, that Baron
Schmerling will enter the Cabinet.
The Wanderer of this evening says :—" We learn
from an authentic source that Baron Schmerling
was yesterday appointed Minister of State, in place
of Count Goluchowski, and that the baron hao
accepted this appointment."

BERNE, DEC. 7.

The elections to the Federal Council took place
to-day. The former members were reelected in
consequence of the parties not being able to come
to a compromise.

M. Kniisel has been elected President, and M.
Staempfli Vice-President.
The following are the members elected, and the
votes for each :
M. Furrer • 138
M. Staempfli
M. Knusel
M. Fornerod B7
M. Naeff
M. Herose B6
M. Pioda .... 76

MADRID, DEC. 7.

As General O'Donnell was leaving the Senate
to-day he was wounded in the left shoulder by
pistol-shot.

The assassin, whose name is Imaz, was immedi-
ately arrested. He is known to be a man of
extreme opinions.