The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-18 00:00:00

DEATH OF MR. BRAD AM.

We have to announce the death of Mr. Braham,
which took place yesterday—a name of which the world
has heard little for some yearA, but which will call up
many recollections, and will long live in the memory of
Englishmen as the greatest of English singers. It was
John Braham who, beyond any other man, excited in
this country a knowledge and love of the highest musical
art ; but the unbounded popularity which he so long en-
joyed was derived not so much from the Italian opera,
as from the fact that he expressed, in his well known
sonv, with wonderful force and fire, the national feelings
of his time. The immense fortune which his genius and
energy had once gained, was lost by unfortunate specu-
lations ; but his declining years have been passed in the
moat cheerful comfort, secured to him by the care of his
daughter, Lady Waldegrave. Me died unexpectedly,
but not unprepared, fall of years and of honours.

A ÜbTRALIAN MAILS. —PLYMOUTH, Feb. 18.—The
Failieg ship Keut, Captain Coleman, left the Sound this
morning at 8 o'clock, and the screw steam-ship Royal
Charier, Captain Boyce, in the afternoon at 4 o'clock,
both fur Port Philip ; wind easterly ; fine breeze.

COURT OF COMMON CouNcit. --At a Court of Corn-
men Council held on Friday, some conversation took
place upon the subject of corporation reform, the result
of which appeared to be that the Government bad given
an intimation that it bad not yet been able to mature a
bill upon the subject. A very long discussion ensued
respecting the report "on the several petitions relative
to the baths and washhomes in Goulston-square, White-
chapel, and recommending the purchase thereof, at the
sum at which they are offered, viz., 11,5001." Mr.
Tow. ,e referred to the opinion of Mr. Simon, the late
Officer of Health of the City of London, ani to various
circumstances, with a view to show that the opportu-
nity of benefitting the poorer classes by the purchase in
question ought not to be neglected, and moved that the
report of the committee be agreed to. The motion was
seconded by Mr. Abraham, who said that the question
was not whether the establishment would pay, but
whether it would not be advisable to purchase at a low
price the means of improving the health and increasing.
the comforts of the poor. Mr. Cox spoke in favour of
baths and wasbhonses, but condemned the proposed
purchase as a job, and moved the previous question as an
amendment. Mr. Anderton, who seconded the amend-
ment, said that he also was an advocate for baths and
washhlusee, and he then proceeded to state various ob-
jections to the establishment.in_Goulstone-square. Mr.
Bell said that his name appeared to the report, but he
put it there to forward the principle of baths and wash-
houses, and he was decidedly opposed to the motion.
Mr. H. L. Taylor opposed the report. Alderman Law-
rence supported it. Mr. Fry said the cergeoration
ought not to look to profit alone in speculating upon the
advantages of a purchase. He denounced that doctrine,
but he was not quite sure that the present was a specu-
lation into which the corporation ought to enter, and he
should therefore withhold his support. After a few
words from Mr. De Jersey, who opposed the original
motion and from Mr. Towle, who replied, the previous
question was carried by a majority of 45. The num-
bers being—for the amendment, 62 ; for the original
motion, 17.
The following notice of motion has been placed on the
paper of business for the Court of Common Council :
"That the physical and moral condition of man is much
influenced by cleanliness in his dwelling, person, and
apparel, that the want of public baths and wash houses
in this city is severely felt Ly the labouring and poor
population, and that it be referred to the Coal, and
Corn, and Finance Committee, and Improvement Com-
mittee, to consider and report to this court the best
means of supplying the want alluded to, and the esti-
mated cost thereof."

SOUTHAMPTON DOCK COMPANT.—The half-yearly re-
port of this company has just been printed, and will
be presented at the general meeting of the shareholders
on the 27th instant. By this document it will be
seen that the net revenue for the half-year ended
the 31st of December, 1855, after payment of the 1
interest on the debenture debt, of the dividends on the
preference stocks, and of all the working expenses, re-
pairs, &c., amounts to 8,277/. lls. 2d., and enables the
directors to recommend a dividend of 225. 6d. per share
for the half-year, being at the rate of 4 per cent. per
annum, and making, with the amount paid for the half-
year to the 30th of June last, a dividend on the ordinary
stock of the company of 4 per cent. for the year 1855.
This division of profits will leave a surplu., including
the l'alance of 441/. Os. sd. to the credit of the previous
half-year, of 738/. 19s. Id. to be ca•nied to the credit of
the revenue for the current half-year. The tabular state-
ment printed with these accounts exhibits the following pro-
gressive increase in the amount of gross earnings : —lB5O,
20,6131.; 1851, 26,391/. ; 1852, 30,303/. ; 1853, 39,705/. ;
1854, 43,501/. ; 1855, 52,442/., and tbedividend on thee',
&nary stock of the company has during the same period
steadily advanced from nil in 1850 to 4 per cent. for the
year 1855. The directors report that the reconstruction
of the entrance curve has been most satisfactorily com-
pleted, and has been found to be a great improvement
to the entrance into the open dock. they also report that
they have been able to afford at a small cost a consider-
able increase of accommodation in the close dock. By
lengthening the other two jetties on the west side of
that dock they are now able to berth satisfactorily
six of the largest screw steamers alongside of the
three jetties, an arrangement which has already on
several occasions been found useful, and which is
very important with reference to the great increase
of trade which may be expected on the termination
of the war in which we are now engaged. The com-
parative statement of the years ending December 31,
from 1844 to 1855, is as follows --1844, 4,018/. 7s. 53 ;
1845, 8,977/. lls. 6d ; 1846, 13,203/, Is. sd. ; 1847,
17,333/.145. 7d. ; 1848, 19,534/.88.7d. ; 1849, 20,543/.
154. Gd. ; 1850, 20,613/.18..6d. ; 1851, 26,391/.18.11d.;
1852, 30,302/. Os. 6d. ; 1853, 39,705/. 158, 10d ; 1854,
43,501/. 128. Od. ; 1855, 52,442/. 3s, Dd. The aggre-
gate amount of tonnage which entered the Southanapton
docks during the past year is thus given :—West Indies,
46,626 tons ; Brazils, 13,926 ; East Indies via Alexan-
dria, 23,156 ; Gibraltar and Peninsula, 15,822 ; Black
Sea and Crimea, 54,955 ; America, 14,993 ; Australia
(steam-ships), 4,087; Australia (emigrants), 26,774 ;
Cape of Good Hope, 1,400 ; Baltic, 1,014; Ostend,
607 ; French, 42,230 ; Jersey, 38,203 ; Irish, 51,486 ;
collier?, 50,706 ; coasters, 12,671; to repair from sun-
dry ports; 15,911 ; total, 414,567 tons, Messrs. Davi-
son, Liggins, and Young are the retiring directors, but
are eligible for re-eleation,

A correspondent of Le Nord, writing from St.
Petersburg on the 7th, gives the following account
of the marriage of the Giand Duke Nicholas :
Yesterday evening 'the ceremony of marriage be-
tween the Grand Duke Nicholas Nicolaiewitch and
Madame the Grand Duchess Alexandra-Petrovna,
eldest daughter of Prince Peter of Oldenburg, was
celebrated:at the Winter Palace. This new alliance
in the Imperial family of Russia has been followed
by the sympathies of all classes of society, from the
day upon which the news became known to the pub-
he. Five volleys fired from the ramparts of the Fort
The august
crimson magui fi
velvetcent, c r
dress,oi diamonds.
of St. Petersburg announced yesterday, at 10 o'clock
11.1 the morning, the day of the celebration of mar-
riage.ust bridowore, during the ceremony,
a train
which she of the
lined wThe
ermineitl
wore was borne by four chamberlains, and by the
general director of the new court of the Grand Duke
Nicholas. A splendid supper in the Marble salle of
theirMajesties' Palace brought together the Imperial
familyandthe high civil and military dignitaries. The
coup d'ccil wasfaity-like. The leaclingartistei of the
Italian Opera performed, during the banquet, a
vocal concert, occasionally introducing brilliant
morceaux of instrumental music, played by a select
orchestra. The toasts, proposed to the flourish of
trumpets, wero followed by discharges of cannon
fired from the fortress, opposite the palace, upon
the other bank of the Neva. The city was illumi-
nated, and the streets crowded with people.
Inßussia the entire population connects an event
of this kind in the Imperial family with its--owtr
lifeLivith the very existence of the country. It
was necessary to see the immense Place, which
extends before the Winter Palace, covered with
brilliant equipages, in files resembling new streets
—one must have seen the movement in the different
streets to have obtained a correct idea of the afflu-
ence of the city and of the order which prevailed.
I should add that the public, admitted on this
occasion to the Palace, was composed not only of
the very numerous perso,nnel of the Council of the
Empire, of the Senators, Ministers, diplomatique
corps, the high clergy, officers of all grades
of the army and navy, foreign merchants
and their ladies, as well as some Rus-
sian merchants of the first two guilds, but also
of a very numerous public consistingof ladies, who
do not belong to the Court, to whom Russian hos-
cpitality, of which the Court ever sets an example,
opened the tribunes or galleries of the halls of the
Palace'. The steward of the Imperial Court distri-
butes on these occasions more than 2,000 tickets ;
men are excluded from the tribunes. On the oc-
casion of the marriage the Grand Duke Nicholas
and his brother the Grand Duke Michael have been
named Aides-de-camp General. The first has also
been named Superior Chief of Engineers and Se-
cond Grand Master of Artillery.