The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-04 00:00:00

LYCEUM THEATRE.

Mr. Falconer's new play, "Francesca," will not
fail to promote his literary reputation. The scene
is laid in Venice during the seventeenth century,
and the story is that of a lady, young, high-born,
and beautiful, who, being basely calumniated by
another woman, and cruelly deserted in consequence
by her lover, preserves the sweetness of her nature
untainted amid all her trials and temptations, repay-
ing her enemies with kindness, and magnanimously
preserving the life of the man who had so heartlessly
abandoned her. The fervour, purity, and tenderness
of her love are brought into strong dramatic con-
trast with the fierce and scathing hatred which
burns in the heart of her father, who views 'his
daughter's slanderers with the deadliest animosity,
and is ravenous for revenge. The plays wants
rapidity of action ; the plot moves too slowly,
especially in the last act; but this defect may be
easily remedied. In all other respects the drama
possesses remarkable merit. The characters are
vigorously conceived, the incidents ingeniously
contrived, and the dialogue exceedingly poetical,
both in sentiment and, iion. Indeed, the play is
well' written throughout, and abounds in fine
thoughts, imaged forth with singular grace and
felicity of expression. Mrs. Charles Young plays
the leading character with a truthfulness and pathos
which carry her audience completely with her, and
procure for her in all her great scenes the unani-
mous applause of the spectators. She is effectively
supported by Mr. Falconer, who -personates the
wronged father, with whom " revenge is virtue."

WILLIS'S Rocats.—Mr.. T. Mason Jones, whose
oration on Curran we noticed a short time since as a pro-
mising indication of .a new talent, seems fast settling into a
permanent "institution." As yet he has confided himself
to four heroeg—Curran, Grattan, Milton, and Swift—all of
whom he strongly eulogizes, but though his subjects have
been few, his orations have been frequently repeated, and
he is clearly acquiring that fame that is only within the
reach of exceptional endowments. Hundreds of persons
with a decent amount of cramming can write essays on either
or all of the four great men just enumerated, and hire a room
to read them in ; but Mr. T. M. 'Tones is a real orator, not
a reader, and therefore he has an attraction of his own. His
matter is good, and his form most striking.
COAST DEFENCES.—BRIGHTON, Saturday.—Yes-
terday much curiosity was excited at Brighton by the sight
of a number of Royal Artillerymen with their horses about
the streets ; and, on inquiry, it was ascertained that they
belonged to a detachment which had arrived that morning
from Woolwich,.by road, halting at Cuckfield on the pre-
vious night, in charge of two '4B-pounders, with ammuni-
tion, for the cavalry barracks. Each gun, weighing 56
cwt., was drawn by 12 horses ; and the entire detachment
consisted of 80 men and horses. It is said that these guns
are intended as the first instalment of 40, which are to be
sent to the barracks, so that Brighton may, in common
with other towns on the Sussex coast, be in a position
to put itself on the defensive in case of need.
The Select Committee of the House of Commons
on Military Organisation met on Friday. After taking the
evidence of Lord Palmerston, the committee adjourned till
Tuesday next at 12 o'clock, when it is expected that his
Royal highness the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of New-
castle, and Earl Grey, will be examined.
The committee, on Friday, in passing the Brighton
Bill for a junction with the West-end and Crystal Palace
line at Norwood, inserted a clause in the bill compelling the
Brighton Company to make such arrangements for the
conveyance of the East Kent traffic to the London-bridge
and Bricklayers' Arms stations as the Board of Trade may
approve, if the East Kent Company desire it.
PUBLIC WORKS IN INDIA.--From a return to
the House of Lords, published on Saturday, it would ap-
pear that the gross total amount of money for the construc-
tion of railroads and other public workS in India, for rais-
ing which under a guarantee of interest measures have
been duly taken, is £32,314,300, the rate of interest being
generally 5 per cent., and in a very few cases 41 to 4.1 per
cent. The portion of this enormous sum of money paid up
on the 28th of February last was £20,869,016. The in-
terest on the capital paid to that date amounted to £1,012,685,
and that on debentures to £23,188. Upon the Great Indian
Peninsular line the net receipts from the opening, in 1853,
to the end of June, 1858 (the latest date of returns)
amounted to £99,421, and those on the East India line from
4)&114.4,0A to the 30th of June, 1858, in £216,261, b
WRECK OF THE NORTH SEA, HULL, AND GOTTEN-
itinG STEAMER.—A telegram was received at. Lloyd' sin th e
course of Saturday, announcing the wreck of the North Sea
screw steam-ship, which had gone ashore at Holman, on the
coast of Scotland. She left Hull on the 27th of last month for
Gottenburgh with the mails, her usual complement of pas-
sengers, and a general cargo of merchandise. She stranded
on the night of the 28th, but the passengers, mail, and crow
were all saved. It was hoped that she would be got off,
but later accounts mention that she fills with water, and
appears a complete wreck. Her cargo is all damaged, Her
loss will involve a considerable amount.
EXPLOSION AT THE FAVERSHAM GUNPOWDER.
MILLS.—On Saturday morning last a terrific explosion,
which was heard for miles around, took place at the gun-
powder mills, situated at Ore, near Faversham. The acci-
dent occurred at 11 o'clock in a portion of the establishment
where a considerable amount of gunpowder was stored, but
fortunately where no person was at the time employed.
Fragments of the building were found at a distance of seve-
ral
miles front the accident, and in the town of Faversham
the houses were violently shaken, and the utmost excite-
ment prevailed. The whole of the surgeons and medical
men residing at Faversham, °spring°, &c., drove off to the
scene of the accident, and it was feared that a great sacrifice
of life had taken place. It is, however, .singularly fortunate
that u number of hands generally employed near the spot
were at the time away, and we understand that no person
wok killed, although a few were slightly injured by the
falling of portions of the building. The shock of the ex-
plosion was distinctly felt at the city of Canterbury, about
10 miles distant. •

ACCIDENT TO -WOMB WELIA LIEN. GERIE.—FOUR
LIVES LosT.—An awiclent of a singular and distressing
character occurred on Friday owning last to Wninhwe
Menagerie, which was at the titue crowded with people, in
a field at Maes-dre, liolywall, Flintshire. About half.
past eighta furious gale of Wind Was blowing, and four of
the caravans (forming one entire . side), containing-lionA,
tigers, and bears, were thrown in upon the people, carryinv
with their! PilflVas tQR( plus, ft 44 lialtf§,
burying the people betipatk. 44qat §ecpa (4. persans
were pinned to the ground `by the glen carriages--some
by their firma, some by their legs, the majoiity, however,
having 140.04 lip* beneath the carriages theinselves. Four
persons were ldlieci---Nr. 4! 311illrle?, tt porifT, galho
loaves a widow, and three youtus neionipng to the 1,..,1,4;
Edward Jones, 11; DaVid .oxfo4 !Min I:TIOW,s,
1,1- 44 4yr4t6t, held 04 Stio444i, 1414414 iu verdict of
" Aceidentarcleath:"