The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-17 00:00:00

TIM' SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 17, 1859,1 i

painful fact of " the unequal estimate of crime and
allotment of punishment by courts-martial, especi-
ally as regards clrporal punishment," the General
Order announcing this wise and noble reform upon
which we are here commenting goes on to observe
thusimplicitly, by way of explanatory announce-
ment :

" All men on entering the army will be placed in
the first class, and will not, except for aggravated
mutinous conduct, be liable to corporal punishment.
They will continue in the first class unless they
should incur degradation into the second class by
the commission of certain crimes hereafter speci-
fied."

After having enumerated the two classes of
offences, the General Order adds—

" No man guilty of offences under the first head is
to be subject to corporal punishment, except during
time of war, when the army is in the field."
While, upon the other hand, it is said :—" Men
guilty of offences under the second head, being
crimes of a very serious description, will, if in the
second class, be liable to corporal punishment. If,
however, they are in the first class, they will, toge-
ther with their other punishment, not being corpo-
ral punishment, be disrated, and passed into the
second class, when they will thenceforth, on the
repetition of crimes under the second head, be liable
to corporal punishment, as having degraded them-
selves by their own bad conduct." The soldiers in
this way being placed in the same position as the
criminal if brought up and duly convicted upon
certain charges upon trial before the Quarter-
sessions. An important provision has yet to be
specified as part and parcel of this beneficent
Order, namely, the paragraph announcing that
" Uninterrupted good conduct for a year will how-
ever, again restore the soldier from the second to
the first class, as proving a desire for reformation
and amendment." The closing sentence of the
Order is especially worthy of consideration.
It is expressed in the manner following
" His Royal Highness trusts that the above classi-
fication will greatly simplify to the officers of the
army the method of dealing with crime ; will deter
the evil-disposed from committing offences, justly
subjecting them to severe punishment, which,
though necessary to maintain discipline, should be
restricted as much as possible ; and will give con-
fidence to the good soldier by securing to him, on
entering her Majesty's service an immunity from
degrading punishment, which immunity it will be
in his power to preserve to the day when his en-
gagement shall expire." Again we say this wise

and just reform thus generously inaugurated by
the Duke of CAMBRIDGE as the General Command-
ing-in-Chief, is his Royal Highness's title to the
baton of a Field-Marshal, and with that to the full
and supreme designation of Commander-in-Chief.

Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge
and the Princess Mary have returned to Kow from visiting
her Majesty at Windsor Castle.
The Prince Vogorides has left the residence of the
Turkish Ambassador for Constantinople.
The Princess Olga Dolgorouky has left Long's
Hotel for Lisbon.
His Excellency the Belgian Minister and Madame
Van de Weyer have arrived at the residence of the Belgian
Legation, in Portland-place, from Brighton.
His Excellency the Portuguese Minister has
arrived at the residekce of the Legation, in Gloucester-placo,
from Widsor Castle.
The Duke de Richelieu arrived at the Pavilion
Hotel, Folkestone, yesterday, on his way to Paris.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Ailesbury left
Windsor Castle yesterday, for their seat, Tottenham-park,
Wilts.

The Earl and Countess of Elgin have arrived at
Farrance's Hotel, Belgravia, front Scotland.
The Earl and Countess Manvers have left Thoresby
Park, Notts, for Brighton.
The Earl of Itopetoun has arrived at Long's
Hotel, from Scotland.
Viscount and Viscountess Enfield and the Hon.
Misses Byng have arrived in town from Wrotham Park,
Herts.

Lord Kenyon is at present staying at the Pavilion
Hotel, Folkestone.
Mr. Lawrence and Ludy Jane Peel and Miss
Peel have arrived in town from Brighton.
The Right Hon. Frederick Peel, M.P., and Mrs.
Peel have arrived at Farrance's Hotel, Belgravia.
The Right Hon. T. H. Sotheron Estcourt, M.P.,
and Mrs. Sotheron Estcourt, have arrived at Farrance's
Hotel, Belgravia, from Estcourt House, Gloucestershire.
The King of the Belgians the day before yester-
day received in private audience Count de Ludolf, who pre-
sented his credentials as Minister of the Two Sicilies.

The Modena Gazette announces that the Arch-
bishop of Modena has caused the Sardinian arms to be
placed over the entrance of his palace.

A communication from Vienna, in the "Cologne

Gazette," states :—" The Austrian naval authorities seem

inclined to introduce the French invention of gunboats
plated with iron. At all' events, an experiment with that
view has been made at Maria-Zell, in Hungary, by
covering with iron iron-plates a large chest made of thick
planks, and then firing 48-pound balls at it from a distance
of 400 yards. The effect is said to have been astonishing,
as the balls wore shattered to pieces without breaking any
of the plates."
A telegram was received at Lloyd's yesterday,
announcing the recovery from the Royal Charter of two
bags of sovereigns, weighing about 181 b. each, ono largo
box of gold, weighing 561 b., and a smaller box.
COMPOSITIONS FOR COATING SHIPS' BOTTOMS.—
A number of gentlemen interested in shipbuilding assem-
bled in the Southampton Docks on Tuesday morning, to
witness the result of an experiment which had excited some

interest among persons of that class. In the early part of
last May the Royal Mail Company's steamship Atrato was
coated on:the starboard side with M'lnnes's green copper
soap, and on the port side with Peacock and Buchan's pink
composition, for the purpose of practically testing the rela-
tive merits of the two articles in keeping the bottom of the
ship clean. On docking the Atrato on Tuesday for examina-
tion it was found that the starboard side was covered with
coral pipe, shells, and barnacles, with a good deal of corro-
sion; while the port side was perfectly free from coraline
incrustation or barnacles, having merely a thin slimy
unctuous coating upon it. The result is considered as hav-
ing incontestibly proved that preparations of copper are of
little value in preventing incrustation or fouling on the
bottoms of iron ships, while their galvanic action must,
sooner or later, prove injurious to the rivets and plates The
green composition is now being scraped off the Atrato.
THE AMERICAN AGGRESSIONS AT ►SAN JUAN.—

Accounts have been received from Vancouver's island
which state that the Americans are profiting by the im-
punity which has been so long allowed them, and are
steadily establishing themselves upon the island. - They
have now placel the island under the American Revenue
Law. A small steamer, the Caledonian' went a few days
before the accounts left with a party of respectable people
on a pleasure trip to San Juan, but on arriving were told
they would not be allowed to land without a permit from
the Custom-house at Port Townsend, in the Oregon terri-

tory. They were about to return to Victoria, when a shore
boat went alongside into which several of the passengers
jumped and went ashore without leave. The authorities
.aid they would overlook the act for the present, but would
carry the law into effect should it be attempted again. A
short time previously some fishermen from Victoria were
driven off from the neighbourhood of the island, and told
they had no right there.
BOILER EXPLOSION.—A fearful boiler explosion
took place at West Cranilington Colliery, about ten miles
from Newcastle-on-Tyne, on Tuesday ; one man was killed
and another dangerously hurt, but from the amount of de-
struction that occurred, and the number -of persons about,
the most miraculous thing is that so many persons escaped
without injury. There were three boilers placed along-
side of each other, and on Tuesday morning, Th.:mu
Graham, the foreman blacksmith, and Henry Tate, another
smith, were employed rivetting some plates in one of
them that was disused, when the boiler adjoining to it ex-
ploded with a noise that shook the earth, and which was
heard at the other colleries, three or four miles distant. The
boiler that exploded was torn completely in two, one-half of
it being carried into the air, alighting on the other side of
the pit. Dislodged materials were flying about in all direc-
tions ; a large piece of timber fell through the roof of a pit-
man's cottage, another large piece of boiler plate fell at a
pitman's cottage door; end a huge fragment of the boiler
was thrown on to the waggon way, close to where a wag-
gon driver was passing, but without injuring. him. Other
persons had most extraordinary escapes. Graham; the
foramen blacksmith, who was inside the unemployed boiler
at the time of the explosion, escaped with a slight cut of
the head, while his partner Tate, who was working under

:math it,.was literally boiled to death by the scalding, water
thrown out by the explosion. William Curtis, the fireman
attending th 3 boiler that exploded, was buried among a
alas.; of bricks and rubbish, but though he is very much
hurt, hopes wcrr entertained of his recovery yesterday. The
damage done by the explosion is very considerable, and
about 400 pitmen and lads will bo thrown out of employ-
ment some time, until the boilers and engines aro put into
a working state again.

PROPOSED UNIVERSITY PRIZE ESSAY ON SIR J.
FRANKLIN.—A member of the University of Oxford has
offered a prize of £5O for the best poem on The Life, the
Character, and the Death of the heroic Seaman, Sir John
Franklin, with special reference to the Time, Place, and
Discovery of his Death." Competitors, who must be ment-
bers of the University, are to send in their contributions on
or before Juno 1, 1860. The judges are t 3 be the Vice-
Chancellor, the Dean of Christ Church, and a third person
named by them.

N E TV NUS/C.

The- Gay Deceiver. W. IL Montgomery.
An Evening with the Christy Minstrels. Moir

gomery.

_Reminiscences from Flotox's Opera of" Martha

A. B. Berg.
Six Airs from " Liz Tratiata." Montgomery.
Mu Lovely Angel Mine. C. L. Fischer.

hou art _Adored.

-ATerctdante.

" The Gay Deceiver" forms one of an unexcep-
tional series of ladies' comic songs, and Mr.
Montgomery has certainly done justice to the quaint
and good-natured satire of the words, which are by
Eliza Cook, and appeared in this journal a short
time since. The melody is smooth and flowing,
and admits of great humorous effect in singing.
We advise young ladies to enlist it as soon as pos-
sible into their service, if they wish to give a gen-
tle " rap on the knuckles" to the modern " exqui-
sites" w•ho value themselves and their moustachios
at a very high figure. "An Evening with the
Christy Minstrels" is an arrangement of eight of
their most popular airs in an easy and
familiar style, admirably adapted for young
musicians, as it combines an amount of
useful practice with attractive genuine
harmony. Berg's " Reminiscences" from Flotow,
and Montgomery's selection from La Traviata may
be classed as possessing the 'same constituents of ex-
cellence and equally well suited to juvenile pianists.
" Thou Lovely Angel Mine" is a beautiful German
song—brilliant, elegant, and tender. " Thou art
Adored" is the well-known cantata from Merca-
dante's "Il Giuramento," and consequently needs no
further mention.

If is fairly due to the' publishers of The Musical
Bouquet to say that their fastidious judgment and
indefatigable energy in presenting first-rate music
to the public, at a fabulously cheap rate, demands
the praise and patronage of all who are not above
blending economy in expenditure with exhibitions
of sterling art and refined taste. The finest classical
works of the old masters, and the choicest produc-
tions of the modern ones, are given in rapid succes-
sion, while the superiority of the paper, printing,
and general getting up, fully sustain the character
of the Musical Bouquet as being amongst the very
best musical publications of the day.

SITAKSPEARE PAPERS.

By WILLIAM M!GINN, LL.D. Bentley, New

Burlington-street.
The name of the late Dr. Maginn is sufficient war-
rant for the quality of the volume before us.
Powerful in thought, lucid in criticism, and at-
tractive in style, his articles are always welcome to
the lover of literature; and, perhaps, among his nu-
merous works few have met with more appreciative
admiration than the "Shakspeare Papers," which
were originally contributed to Bentley's Illiscel-
lany, on the establishment of that journal. He
gives us an agreeable and instructive commentary
on each of the principal plays ; bringing the lead-
ing characters out with analytical and photo-
graphic distinctness, and presenting the consecu-
tive intention of the whole drama in a light that
renders every touch of refulgent brilliancy, and
every depth of masterly shadow as discernible to
the solf-taught artisan as to the metaphysical
scholar. The author's minute delineation of " Lady
.Macbeth," " Borneo," " Falstaff," " lago,"
and " _Hamlet," are peculiarly intellectual and
discriminative in treatment and tone, eliciting
much from the characters and construction of the
story which may have escaped the perception of
those who are accustomed to look on our " immor-
tal Shakspeare" rather in the aggregate than in
the integral. Many valuable incidental notes are
appended, which convey important suggestions for
consideration touching the various readings of the
text ; and the good taste and modesty with which
these suggestions are offered afford an example
which many of our flippant, shallow-brained de-
picters of the Great Bard would do well to profit
by. Dr. Maginn was becomingly impressed by
the magnitude of the genius he was approaching,
and evinced a delicacy and sense of veneration
which did honour alike to the shrine and the wor-
shipper. The acute penetration of his reasoning
faculties, the genial refinement of his poetic spirit,
and the energetic flow of his ideas, rendered him a
fitting judge to " sum up" in a Shakpearean case,
and we most cordially recommend this volume
as an essential and graceful addition to every
book-shelf where the " Swan of Avon" holds his
loved and honoured place.

LATEST NEWS•

The following telegrams have been received at
Mr, lle.uter's office :

PARIS, THURSDAY.

The Constitutionnel of to•day, in an article signed
by its S 3cretary Baniface, announces that the
French Government, true to the principles of its
policy, has recommended to the Cabinet of Turin to
annul the expedient of the regency which the Go-
vernment of the King of Sardinia has delegated to
Chevalier Buoncompagni, as such a course would
prejudice the questions brought before, and en-
croach upon, the competency of the Congress.
The Constitutionnel says :—" This advice must
be considered as a proof of the solicitude of the Em-
peror for the Italian cause, which cause he made to
triumph on the field of battle, and the final settle -
ment of which awaits to-day the decision of
Europe."

PARTS, Nov. 16.

It is asserted that the measures taken suddenly
in Turin in reference to the regency have been com-
pletely disapproved of by the Emperor. It is also
stated that the French Government has made known
its disapproval to the Sardinian Government, and
to all the other powers of Italy.
The Marquis do Mousticr, French Ambassador at
Berlin, has been appointed Ambassador to the Im-
perial Court at Vienna.

BOLOGNA, Nov. 15.

The document relative to the regency which has
been published has produced an excellent impres-
sion in Bologna, and likewise in Parma and
Modena. The Governor of Bologna has decreed
the suppression of the Tribunal of the Inquisition.

TURIN, Nov. 16.

It is expected that the treaties of peace will be
ratified on Sunday next. The full powers entrusted
to the Plenipotentiaries will then be withdrawn.
The subscriptions to the national loan having
reached the sum of 20 millions rentes, a proportional
reduction will be made in allotting the amounts
applied for according to the time when the applica-
tions were sent in. Those who subscribed during
the first five days of the opening of the subscription
will have allotted to them 47 per cent. of the amount
of their subscription ; the others less.

MADRID, Nov. 16.

Marshal O'Donnell has returned to Cadiz, after
having effected a survey of the coasts of Africa.
The military operations will immediately begin.