The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-25 00:00:00

Stage Manager, Mr. B. Phillips.

THE WEATHER.—Surr OFFICE, DEc. 25.

THERMOMETER, TN THE SHADE.

49—highest Since noon yesterday.
42—lowest this morning and during he night.
48—this day at noon.

THE SUN.

SATURDAY. DECEMBER 25, 1858.

Christmas-day happily comes to us this year
without a Ministerial crisis, and with very many
of our past troubles, both foreign and domestic,
brought long since to a satisfactory termination•
Wars have ceased--insurrections have been sup-
pressed—alliances have been confirmed. There is
general tranquillity among the nations of Christen
dom. Industry is no longer paralysed by a com-
mercial crisis. The finances of the country no
longer threaten an inevitable deficiency. Thera is
really at last a tolerable certainty before us, in the
next session of the Legislature, that comprehensive
reforms will at last be applied in earnest to the
reorganisation of the Imperial Parliament.
The retrospect, altogether, for the past twelve-
month furnishes us with many a remarkable sub-
ject for grateful exultation. Recollect how many
extraordinary events have to be crowded together
in the record of 1858—events of the utmost im-
portance not only to the British Empire, but that
sublime cause with which the interests of this
empire are directly identified, the cause of modern
Civilisation. The insulation from the rest of th©
world of a power comprising within it, as the aggre-
gate number of its inhabitants, a third of the entire
population of this globe, has, at length, in
1858, been ended after the lapse of thirty cen-
turies China is henceforth open to the outer
barbarians. Within the Chinese dominions Chris-
tianity is now, for the first time since the epoch of
the Redemption, to be respected. Missionaries are
no longer to expect martyrdom as the one inexo-
rable result of their labours in China. The arma-
ments of France and Spain are at this moment
preparing the way in Cochin China for the recog-
nition there also of the same high principle of
religious toleration.

Another secluded race has recently, moreover,
in those_ eastern seas, thrown down, after the lapse
of hundreds and hundreds of years, the bar-
riers separating them entirely from the rest
of the human family. Relations have in
1858 been established between the empire
of Japan and the chief Powers of Christendom. In
Hindostan, again, the Sepoy insurrection has not
only been effectually suppressed during this same
year of grace 1858, but British rule there within
the same memorable interval has been permanently
and triumphantly conoslidated. An Oriental pearl
of priceless value has been added to the symbolical
jewels in the diadem of the British Sovereign—
YIeTORIA, by the grace of GOD, Queen of
Great Britain and Ireland, and of the colo-
nies and dependencies thereof in Europe,
Asia,• Africa, America, and Australasia, has
assumed in India the
place hitherto occupied
by that great conquering, company of mer-
chants—that H.E.1.C., whose initials will now
remain emblazoned upon our annals only as a
glorious memento of their rule, and
with the
splendour of which must henceforth continue for
the most part merely traditional. The Royal
Proclamation announcing the new order of things
to a Hindoo population of from 100,000,000 to
200,000,000, moreover, has been welcomed but very
recently by that vast multitude with an unaffected
enthusiasm, proving the happiest auguries as
to the future awaiting the reorganised
Anglo-Indian Government. Insomuch that
the tranquillity of India, from the Himalayas
to Cape Commorin, from the mouths of the Indus to
the mouths of the Burhampooter is recognised as
resting now more upon the loyal devotion of the
people than upon the bayonets of an army of very
nearly 100,000 Europeans, disciplined to battle

CANTERBURY HALL, Westminster-road.—
Proprietor --C. MORTON.
The public is most respectflly informed that the Frivz
ARTS GALLERY, in connectionu witk the above Hall, IS NOW
OPEN DAT AND NIGHT, from 11 o'clock a.m. until 12
o'clock p.m. The New Gallery contains an extensive Collec-
tion of Pictures, by Ancient and Modern Masters • and is also
devoted to Art productions generally. The Proprietor feels
he may confidently assert that, viewed altogether, the exist-
ing Music Hall, the New Fine Arts Gallery, and the recently
added Ante-Hall, will present an attraction which, whether
as regards the architectural beauty of the structures them-
selves, or the varied and hitherto unattempted combinations
within, will be found to be wholly without parallel in the
Kingdom.
The MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT commences as usual at
Seven o'clock.

In addition to the usual entertainment, the SAUVLET
FAMILY, of Amsterdam, Eight in number, whose varied
instrumental performances have created so marked a sensa-
tion in the principal cities and towns of the Continent, will
perform every Evening at Nine ant Eleven o'clock.

BAROMETER-29,68,
WIND, South-Westerly; light, with•finn morning, and
wet afternoon.

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