The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-23 00:00:00

CRYSTAL PALACE.

Mr. Scott said, upon the evidence as it stood he was
entitled to a verdict. Mr. Buchanan intimated that the
preponderance of evidence was in his client's favour, but
his Honour decided in favour of defendant.
Mr. Scott asked for his cost, and said it was a case calling
for a solicitor.
His Honour agreed, but said he could not allow costs.
THE SMOKE PREVENTION COMPANY-FRANCIS V. THE
SMOKE PREVENTION COMPANY.
Mr. Buchanan appgared for the plaintiff. This was a
claim for commission. It appeared that plaintiff had been
the London agent to the company, who agreed to pay him
15 per cent. • When he applied for his commission they
discharged him.
His Honour thought that was very hard, and gave plain.
tiff a verdic with full costs.

Yesterday the first Bird Show which has ever
been attempted in this country on an extensive
scale was held in the tropical department of the
Crystal Palace, and attended with as much success
as, perhaps, could have been anticipated from an
exhibition in which the public feel such a very
qualified amount of interest. It was understood
that the success of the poultry shows had led the
directors to initiate a show of canaries and British
and foreign cage birds, in the belief that thoit dis-
play would excite the same feeling and command
the same success. The experience of yesterday,
howeVer, would seem to prove that they were mis-
taken in their hopes, for certainly but compara-
tively few were in the building itself, while at no
time throughout the day did the visitors seem at
all inclined to give up the real attractions of the
admirable Crystal Palace band for the sake of look-
ing at the little occupants of one or two thin rows
of cages placed at intervals about the tropical de-
partment. Every one, of course, went to see the
show on first entering the building, but a most cur-
sory inspection seemed to satisfy their curiosity,
for who but professional bird fanciers could feel the
least interest in the precise shades of difference be-
tween a " Mealy London Fancy " and a " Jonque
London Fancy ? " As far as the majority
were concerned, there seemed not many
who could say where a "mealy linnet mule "
differed:from a magpie, or even whether there
was any difference at all. There were some 200
canaries of various kinds, many of them very
beautiful little birds, yet we must say that no one
seemed to care the least about them—even those
which took first prizes. Perhaps the taste of the
public wants cultivating in this respect, and this
very likely may be so, fbr apparently there was no
bird in the collection which excited so great a sen-
sation as a monstrous long-eared owl from Baden-
Baden, who sat on his perch as if carved in wood,
scarcely opening his eyes to glance at the hundreds
which were bent upon him. Next to this interest..
ing "warbler" two German rats came in for a fair
share of admiration. On these curious competitors
for the honour of a bird show, a price—prohibitive;
we presume--of .£5 ss. was fixed. One would
imagine that the same number of pence would have
answered the purpose equally as well. Next to the
canaries came an interesting but very limited col-
lection of British birds. In this division are some
very extraordinary hybrids of the goldfinch and
bullfinch. Among the birds of passage were black-
caps, nightingales, titlarks, and whitethroats.
Mr. Hanly, of the Ist Life Guards, exhibited an
aviary of 14 varieties, all caught wild, including a
skylark with white wings. Among the thrushes,
also, is one perfectly white, an albino thrush,
in
fact, an exception to the general rule of colour,
which is found among birds of all kinds. A divi-
sion of the show is devoted to foreign birds, gray
and green parrots, love birds, ptroquets, cocka-
toos, &c. Some of these were represented in
the calalogue as wonderful birds for talking,
but they are apparently shy of displaying their
accomplishments before strangers. We must
not, however, omit to mention that among
the canaries was one not only gifted with an un.
usual flow of song, but which had also learnt to
speak a great many words from a paroquet, with
which it had been reared. The prizes awarded
varied in sums from £2 to 10s., and .£7O was thns
distributed among the successful competitors.
Perhaps owing to a want of interest in the bird
show, all the Fine Arts Courts yesterday received
an unusual share of public attention, and were
better filled than we often see them. The private
courts, too, were extensively patronised, and none
more so than Mr. Hawkins's China and Glass Court,
where there is probably of its kind one of the finest
and most tasteful displays of English manufactur-
ing and artistic skill that can be met with in Lon-
don. This court is fast becoming one of the most
attractive in the building, The preparation for
the Great Handel Commemoration of next June or
July are already beginning, and, from the scale on
which they arc intended to be carried out,
the fete is likely to leave all other musical festivals
yet attempted in this or any other country far
behind.

The great Handel orchestra is to be made still
larger, and, instead of accommodating 2,500 per-
formers, as it does at present, will be so enlarged as
to give ample space for no less than 4,000 persons.
A canvass roof will also be placed upon it and the
sides heightened, and so constructed as to throw
out the whole of the immense volume of sound into
the centre transept. The mere orchestra, in fact,
will be a curiosity in itself, as it will be nearly
three times the size of any yet built in Europe.

is shown by Mr. Paget, our diplomatic agent
at Lisbon (in the blue-book already referred to hi
the City article, and in a separate notice), that the
exports to England from Oporto amount to 5,712,581
milreis, and the imports from England into Oporto
to 5,475,769 milreis. The exports from Lisbon to
England amount to 1,669,050 milreis, and the ports from England into Lisbon to 4,138,522 mil-
reis. These figures show that the trade of Portugal
with England is more than double the whole of her
trade with the rest of the world. The Portuguese
tariff taxes very highly both manufactured goods
and the raw material. The manufactories of Por-
tugal are prosperous and on the increase, and the
result is highly injurious to the English trade with
that country? But it is thought by Mr. Paget
that an undue proportion of manufactories is an
unnatural state of things, and caculated eventually
to bring Portugal into a state of greater poverty
than that in which she at present lies. Portugal
should content herself with being an agricultural
country, and supplying the markets of the world
with grain and wine. There are about 1,600 fac-
tories in Portugal, employing some 20,000 opera-
tives. The system of Government monopolies is
rife, and is of course productive of the worst effects.
The cutlery and ironmongery of Portugal are worth,
less, except for native use. The Portuguese agricul-
turists are incorrigibly and stupidly " conservative."
They will only act according to " custom," they
disdain the wisest counsels of savans, and they cen-
sure those who attempt to make innovations. There
are districts in which vile wine is made from good
grapes, although much better wines might be pro-
duced with less trouble. But of this the manufac-
turers (or rather makers) cannot be convinced even
by " repetition hammered on their ears." There is
no wine of any kind, or anywhere obtainable, that
may not be grown in Portugal, yet more than half
the land is uncultivated, and all modern improve-
ments are carefully eschewed. This sad state of
things is chiefly attributable to the want of roads
and means of transport throughout the country.
Another great bar to progress in Portugal is the
absolute reliance of every one on the Government
for every work of utility and improvement. What-
ever the Government do not undertake remains un-
done. A source of immense wealth exists in the Por-
tuguese mines; quicksilver and copper are known to
be plentiful, but the mines are only slightly worked.
The imports of minerals into Portugal greatly
exceed the exports, notwithstanding her peat
mineral wealth. Mr. Paget, at the close of his re-
port, observes that every work of improvement and
progress finds the most strenuous support in the
present intelligent sovereign of the country. As
regards port wine (of which more hereafter), it is a
fallacy to suppose that "pure" port wine exists, as
it is invariably mixed with brandy at Villa Nova.
and, indeed, would not "keep" without.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

TATTERSALLS'.—YESTERDAY.
This afternoon was chiefly occupied in settling the ac-
counts of the past week, and betting on future events was
very limited.

CHESTER CUP.
60 to 1 agst Ravenstondale (taken)
1000 to 15 agst Prioress (taken)
1000 to 15 agst Arsenal (taken)
[OOO to 10 agst Anton (taken)

DERBY.
10 to 1 agst Promised Land (taken)
25 to 1 agst Cavendish(taken)
30 to 1 agst Rainbow (taken)
40 to 1 agst Viking (taken)
40 to 1 agst Hal o' Kirklees (taken)
[OOO to 15 agst Napoleon (taken)

THIS _DAI'S SHIPPING.

LONDON, Nov. 23.—Wind this day at noon, E. ;
strong breeze and sharp frost.
Ha van
SWANSEA, Nov. 22.—Wind E.—Sailed—Sclavonia, for
nah.

CLYDE, Nov. 22.—Wind N.E.—Arrived—Laurence,
' from Quebec.
SHIELDS, Nov. 22.—Wind N.W.—Sailed—Ottowa, fcr
Rio Janeiro.
HARTLEPOOL, Nov. 22.—Wind W.N.W.—Arrived—
Change, from Quebec.
POOLE, Nov. 22.—Wind N.E.—Arrived--Seven Stars,
from Rio Janeiro for Bremen.
PLYMOUTH, Nov. 22.—Wind E.—Arrived—Wye,
from MogAdore.

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
LIVERPOOL, Tuesday Morning.
Wind S.S.W., light breeze and foggy.
Arrived, Nov. 22--Nimrod, from Catania.
Sailed—Clayton, for Gibraltar.
Sailed, 23—Jack Tar, for Gibraltar; Tiger, for Dun-
kirk ; Sandman, for Amsterdam; Andrea Mathilde, for
Rio Grande; Jenne Prosper, for Bordeaux.

(BY SUBMARINE AND BRITISH TELEGRAPH.)
GRAVESEND, Tuesday Morning.
Wind N.E. ; tide one hours' flood, foggy.
Arrived, Nov. 22—Dolphin, s teamer, from Antwerp.
DEAL, Tuesday Morning.

Wind S.E., ligh
Passed, Nov. 22.—Ripple and T4erdinkha, for Swansea ;
Lightning, for Liverpool ; Peter Simons, for Demerara ; all from London.
Passed, 23d

Tesult, from London, for Port Phlili

SOUTH DURHAM AND NORTH YORKSHIRE FAT
STOCK AND POULTRY SOCIETY.--Some idea of the extent
and success of the approaching meeting may be formed when
we remark that the ground plan, independent of the sham-
bles (exclusively to be appropriated for pigeons), to which
the erection will be attached, covers an area of 290 feet by
65. Although the particulars of the entries are, of course,
as yet unknown, enough has been gathered from various
exhibitors to warrant the anticipation of the best show, in
all classes,- of which this thriving society has been able to
boast. The dinner takes place on the 9th, at Mr. WI ight-
son's, Sun Inn, Darlington, when, we hope, a large gather-
ing of country gentlemen and friends of apiculture under
the presidency of P. H. Howard, Esq., of Corby 'Castle,
will testify their approval of the excellent accommodation
and encouragement the society has always afforded.—
Carlisle _Examiner.
MMILFORD HAVEN.—It is worthy of remark that
during the late severe gales, by which so many vessels have
been distressed and injured, the shelter this harbour affords
is such that the communication with Ireland has never
been interrupted ; and, while the Holyhead boats have not
been able to venture to sea, the Milford Haven boats have '
made the passage regularly, with a difference of only a few
hours.