The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-13 00:00:00

INDIA.

The advices from Calcutta by the present mail
are no later than those via Bombay published in
our impression of the 3th inst.

CHINA.

The Overland China Mail says that Sir Ruther-
ford Alcock, her Britannic Majesty's minister and
plenipotentiary, is just arriving at Peking, at a
most critical moment, when the anti-foreign party
at the court and in the provinces is raising its head
and asserting its exclusive policy. " Now that the
danger from the rebels has vanished, the Imperial
Government (it adds) is beginning to breathe more
freely; and taking advantage of the present com-
parative quiet, is re-establishing its power through-
out most of the eighteen provinces of the empire."
It is stated that her Majesty's gunboat Grass-
hopper, Lieut. Morant, has had a very severe en-
gagement with pirates near Port Matheson, the fight
lasting between two and three hours. It appears
from the report in circulation in Amoy that she fell
in with no less than eight heavily-armed craft of
Rogues Point, and met with very determined resist-
ance, one shot piercing the gunboat's quarter and
wounding severely several men ; seven or eight shells
were fired into one junk before she blew up. The
Grasshopper, at the termination of the engagement,
however, proved to have had the best of it, as she
sank four, and managed to capture another, which
she towed into Amoy. She also took 17 prisoners
she had captured to Amoy, and delivered them to
the authorities. None of her crew were badly
wounded.

(47-
Glltt N
a% al:

HER MAJESTY•

OSBORNE, Friday%

her Majesty drove out yesterday afternoon.
M. Van de Weyer and the Earl of Clarendon or"
rived from London, and had the honour of diniog
with the Queen and royal family.
The Count de Lannoy, on a special mission fr?ni
ea
his Majesty the King of the Belgians, accompany
by Count Cornet and Count Ferdinand de LODI'
arrived this morning.
M. Van de Weyer was presented to her Molest);
at an audience by the Earl of Clarendon, to deliver
a letter reaccrediting him as Envoy Extraordinary
and Minister Plenipotentiary from the King of the
Belgians.
The Count de Lannoy was presented to her l‘faci
jesty to announce the accession of King LeePel
11., and to deliver up the Field-Marshal's baton
and the insignia of the Order of the Garter and t/j:
Grand Cross of the Bath of the late King of i,
Belgians.
Count Cornet and Count Ferdinand de Lalln°
had tho honour of being presented to her Majesty
Lord Clarendon had an audience of the Quee%t
M. Van de Weyer, Count de Lannoy, C°1•107
Cornet, and Count Ferdinand de Lannoy renal
at Osborne.

Lord Clarendon has returned to London.

The Prince and Princess of Wales at

Holkham.

HOLKIIAM, Friday• a
The severity of the weather yesterday threatened
to prevent the Prince of 'Wales and the distinguished
guests at Holkharn from the enjoyment of any 011;
door sport, and the best day's shooting in the Para
had to be postponed. As the weather cleared
little in the after part of the day his royal hien:a,
and brother sportsmen went out and had some "
fowl shooting on the marches.
The Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe left 11°11‘..
ham yesterday morning for town.
This morning this park is covered with a thin
layer of snow ; and, as the ground was very Mucci
hardened by frost, the party of visitors commenc:,
shooting the preserves on the 'Wells sides of theParig
The party at present staying at Holkhara ss'of
break up to-morrow. The Prince and Princess
Wales will take their leave of the Earl and Count
of Leicester on Saturday afternoon, and will retara
to Sandringham by the same route as they came
Holkham.

The DUCHESS OF CIIARTRES.—IIer Royal frig
411;
ness the Duchess de Chartres and her son are progressilla!
favourably. The now born infant is the first great gran
son of the Queen Marie Amelie by male descent. the
His Excellency the Marquis d'Azeglio left the
Italian Legation yesterday for Turin, on account of
dangerous illness of his uncle, the Chevalier 31351 e
d'Azeglio, the statesman. Count Maffei will 1104°
direction of the Italian Legation, as charge d'affaires,d'
the absence of his Excellency.
The Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe ha/' roi
turned to town from visiting the Earl and Countoo

Leicester at Ilo&ham Hall, Norfolk.
The Earl and Countess of Listowel are no-
pected to return from their tour in Italy till the spring' ore
The Earl and Countess of Mount-Edgeunabe
passing the winter at Cannes, and are not expected t°
turn home till April.
The Countess Cowper has passed several fave
able nights, and is considered somewhat better. tY
It is Lady Gertrude Coke, third daughter of ta,
Earl and Countess of Leicester, who is engaged to be
ried to the Earl of Dunmore. vat.,
The Right Hon. Sir John Pakington, it
M.P., and Lady Pakington are expected to arrive at ;0"-e0
residence in Eaton-square early in the ensuing month
Westwood Park, Worcestershire, for the season.
€ll'
Sir Trevorand Lady Wheler have left the Que
Hotel, Upper Norwood, for town.

THE SEssioN.----Mr. Gladstone, as leader of
_House of Commons, has issued his circular to the inenli)e
who sit on the Ministerial side of the House. Jl'3 inf,(111130
them that tho House will meet on tho Ist of Fehrol.7:f
the choice of a Speaker, and on the 6th for the desp3te7,;
business, and hopes it will be t 4 consistent with their ew

venience" to attend.
We have much pleasure in announcing 03-t
oic
11. Fenwick, M.P. for Sunderland, has accepted the °al
of Lord of the Admiralty, vacant by the appointroenAire
Mr. Childers as Financial Secretary of the Treasury'
have reason to believe that it was the intention 431 [O9
Palmerston to request Mr. Fenwick's acceptance t
office. gee'
EXETER HALL.—The last performance of --„,11
delssohn's "Elijah" this season by the National O':101
Society will be given next Wednesday. The Pri,ilealot
singers will be Miss Ida Gillias (of the Royal English
Covent-garden), Miss FannyArmytage, Miss Lucy
lein (the new contralto), Madame Elwood Andre% )It,
Leigh Wilson (the now tenor), Mr. R. Mason,
Lewis Thomas. Conductor, Mr. G. W. Martin.
I.:AT
THE NEW ALEXANDRA OPERA I{ol/S-, tile
LIVERPOOL—A meeting of the shareholders (:)'ry
proposed new theatre and opera house—the .A-10%allnti tlJe
was held at Liverpool yesterday—Mr. B. H. Jones: vet'
chair. It was resolved to erect a theatre to hold 115°v,ot.
sons, at a cost of £15,000, to be opened in October -fro,
The chairman stated that they had had various
to
lft 4!,1 offers 1 pe
f
mangers to take the theatre at a percentage of gt
cent. on the cost. The foundation-stone will be ila°
11.30 to-day by Madlle. Titiens in the presence of
number of persons.
At the Alcazar in Paris Madlle. Theresa no"ri ifo
a new song, entitled "La Deeso du Bceuf-gran." -
considered a success.

THE EX-CONFEDERATE GENERAL EARLY'.
Jubal Early has written a letter from Havana rev`e,i,o;
his operations during the last year of the war, anclA:::voitl
to show that all his defeats were due to the great
between his own and General Sheridan's forces. - °
ll* Pr
e
faces his letter with the declaration that he has 119
made nor authorised any application for pardeu :00
made, and, what is more, he would not aecttioll
from the President of the United States if gratn""auf
tendered him without conditions or restrictions °f4lols
kind. He declares that Lee had only 40,000 nie% tlO/
Grant crossed Ole Rapidan in the spring of 1864, B.lliiof
his own force when he marched on Washington the_ii.`")),it'
ing July comprised only 8,000 infantry, three sou w, ,15°
talions of artillery, and 2,000 badly-mounted oval/
that he had about the same numbers in his battle
Sheridan. He represents that ho was all the Wlwe
ing a forlorn hope against superior numbers.
4.. beer
WINTER IN CANADA.—Winter—bright Cdf,
ful, merry winter—is fast crowding on us. ttirt.- iio9l
his touch, our streets, heretofore muddy and 1016°°-
7,
are hard bound, as though they were iron ; and °,
his fleecy showers assimilate all objects and VI
;
and healthful the atmosphere, now charged With
noxious disease—endangering exhalation. P°r„,-
cytold Father Winter will accomplish for us what "-wool/-
fathers have rendered themselves unable even to a's, ti)°
—the cleansing of the streets. While he is Witil :3014
impurities of our back streets and alleys will be re4-cAtioll,
innoxious, and a much needed and thorough P11;1;tena;
will take place. He is a great regenerator, aae ;
his cleansing services with the utmost impartialile,i
rich and poor benefit alike—ay, even to the VI gri°l
strata of want and wretchedness. This year tijoaiirge
of winter is particularly opportune, for that se-
nations," cholera, is abroad, and we have left ils Nill
val of preparation, which it is to be hoped We
prove. Although, then, the advent of winter is vise;'
stormy, it brings with it such a general increase ° And
health, and cheerfulness as to be most welcome. 0 10'
on the ono hand, his bitter, pinching frosts ilia."
ryie vv
uncomfortable, on the other we know that th°setais.4j°,f;
cessary in the economy of nature, and fulfil their
to. 00/,'
But the reign of winter inaugurates—and it is ° yor
object now to notice it—the merriest season of t`a ¢9
a time when gaiety is at its height outdoors, 'l3'l.dea
amusements of every description come to be re love, g'l3o,
indispensable indoors. It is the period 01
brilliant carnival, when balls, masquerades, L'-3,1 tre,dt
concerts, and panorama; with the more intelleetii:rees,
le
furnished by debating societies, lectures, old s°:
all inviting the public to recreation and enjoyo-;0001,,
sure has her myriad gatherings peculiar to 01° 134:4 1
her family parties -more formal, fashionable ov oyitt,eg
ties—her public assemblies—her sleighing 3%001 Of
carnivals—and the participators in all enj°l oir
with keener relish because of the sharp, Vac'
,reatieljo
winter. Skating, the most popular of outdoor nie' ri,lc`eg oafor
is now anticipated eageriy ; preparations are tiia po,
iu
sides for a brilliant campaign. This is as it sh°
olgeci of
the more generally recreation of this kind is i„ditio°
the greater the improvement in the sanitary cajorolt,
the city, the fewer our doctor's bills, and the nl°res prOP.4OO
our preparation for passing it in safety—se far: 1.051 i toe
tion can be said to be within human agencl'Airodi
succeeding warmer and less healthy season• wing aro
more adventurous skaters are to be found skim rinks 000
on the ice between the wharves ; the skating rev Will
been flooded and frozen again, and this week til
in full operation.—Toronto Globe, Dec. 18.