The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-08 00:00:00

VESSELS SPOKEN WITH.

The English ship Correa, Nor. 7, in lat. 2/ S., long. 4
B.

The ship Prince Albert, Dec. 25, in.lat. 33 N., long. 29
W.

The barque Abbott's Reading, bound south, Dec. 29, in
lat. 40 N., long. 12 W.
The barque Genevieve, for Pernambuco, Dec. 31, in lat.
42 N., long. 12 W.
The Neva, from Newcastle (supposed), for Barbadoes,
Deo. 30., in lat. 45 N., long. 9 W.

The Swiss Randeldrarier confirms the news of a
petition having been addressed by the Royalists of Neu
cbitel to the King of Prussia, in which his Majesty is
earnestly requested not to make any attack on Switzer.
land.

CHEERFUL HEART.—Tbere are some persons who
spend their lives in this world as they would spend their
lives if shut up in a dungeon. Everything is made
gloomy and forbidding. They go mourning and com-
plaining from day to day that they have so little, and
are constantly anxious lest what they have should escape
out of their hands. They always look upon the dark
side, and can never enjoy the good. They do not follow
the example of the industrious bee, who does not stop to
complain that there are so many poisonous flowers and
thorny branches on its road, but buzzes on, selecting his
honey where he can find it, and passing quietly by the
places where it is not.—Corner Cupboard.
Several journals having lately mentioned as a very
prompt and effectual means of extinguishing a fire in a
chimney to throw a handful of raw onions on the burning
mass in the fireplace, an inhabitant of Chartres has
written a letter to the journal of that town, in which he
states that, his chimney having caught fire, he tried the
plan and found it perfectly successful.
IRONMASTEREV QUARTERLY MEETING. -- WOLTER-
HAMPTON, Wednesday Eveniog.—The first of the series
of the quarterly meetings ofithe ironmasters of this dis-
trict for the current year was held yesterday at Walsall.
The second assembly took place here to-day, but the
attendance was thinner than usual, and the business
transacted was not large ; both of which circumstances
may be traced to the fact that a very large quantity of pig
iron has been sold. The same remark will apply to almost
all descriptions of finished iron especially rails, for which
there are some orders in the district for the Italian rail-
ways, and for America the improvement first manifested
in the condition of the trade three weeks since has been
fully maintained ; indeed, prices are firmer than they
were at that time, home consumers having bought more
freely, and the demand for sheets and plates for the
United States having also increased. It is much too
early in the year to expect that there should be any
great excitement in the trade, with so high a rate of
discount as is still maintained ; but the increased anima-
tion which prevails, and the decidedly healthy tone exhi-
bited in every branch of the trade, are sufficient to show
that the trade was fully justified in the resolution agreed
to on this day fortnight. :Mine pigs are unquestionably
dearer than they were at that time. Mine pigs are firm
at 4/. for a good make. Orders could not be accepted
by some of the pig-masters at less than 4/. 2s. 6d.
per ton. Nearly all the large works are in full opera-
tion, and the activity at the v arious forges is sufficient to
account for the price of the pig-iron in this district.
Stocks of that commodity are Liman notwithstanding the
large make and the fact of there being importations of
pig-iron to the district. These favourable indications
relative to pig-iron are observablo to the full extent with
reference to the manufactured commodity ; all the large
houses are tolerably full of orderA, and a very general
feeling prevails amongst the best informed members
of the trade that early in :February there will
be a still further improvement'. Stone of the
district is in demand, and prices are firm. Robbens
are quoted 16s. to 16s. 6d. per ton ; balls, 17s.
to 17s. 6d. The coal trade is remark ably brisk both
here and in Wales ; some particulars in reference to the
increased quantity raised of the commodity we must
defer until our next article. Prices are ranarkably firm;
in some instances advances have been maintained. The
various manufacturing trades of the district, are reported
of favourably for the season, but the old dispute relative
to the time of holding quarter day has been renewed this
quarter, here and at Walsall. The factors issued notices
to the effect that they would not pay their accounts
until next week ; the result was great inconvenience to
many parties.

Last evening Old Drury was crowded in every
part—Pit, Boxes, and Gallery. It was not only,
crowded but crammed—not, certainly to suffoca-
tion, as the phrase is (the cold weather prevented
that), but in many parts almost to inconvenience.
The barrier of division, for example, between the
stalls and orchestra being broken down, and the
surplus visitors accommodated with chairs imme-
diately under the footlights. Pretty tolerable evi-
dence—all this—of the success of the New Year's
Pantomime ! Well—rathar I As to the com-
pleteness of the success of it, there could be
very little doubt upon that point with any
one who glanced last evening over that sea of
faces clustered together so densely in the largest
Theatre in London—or who listened for a mo-
ment to the roars of laughter pealed forth by
some five thousand happy Holiday-makers. And
no wonder—looking from the audience back again
to the stage. For in "See Saw, Margery
Daw," we have about the most merry and
the most gorgeous of all E. L. Blanchard's
merry and gorgeous Pantomimes. The burlesque
opening, written in the author's liveliest vein, from
first to last—sparkling with fun, bristling with
puns, and rattling with smart hits in every couplet.
And how magnificently the author has been aided
throughout in his many droll and fantastic imagin-
ings—thanks to the "dash," the "fire," the
" go," in Mr. E., T. Smith's management. The
scenery, fur example, painted as only William Be-
verley can paint it—especially the exquisite and
fairy-like vista of " Holiday's Home iu the Green
Bower of Mistletoe," and " The Fairy Factory of
Fancy," the crowning scene of all, where the
old witch-wife of the piece, " Necessity," effects
the magical transformation ! That same old witch-
wife, Necessity, being enacted by clever Mrs.
Selby—Mrs. Selby, as we may call her, the peren-
nial. Then for the grotesque masks, the hugeous
Comic Faces of the Burlesque Introduction—
are they not things fit to make one's sides ache ?
Monstrous, preposterous, impossible Mugs, dancing
over the stage upon the " littlest" legs imaginable,
legs that look mere needles and pins by contrast 1
All those same stupendous Masks the emanations
from the hand and brain of the " celebrated Dyk-
wynkyn." And when the Harlequinade at last
fairly begins—don't we have enough of Fun and to
spare? What with two "Harlequins," Herr Deulin
and Signor Veroni, and two " Sprites," the Bro-
thers Elliott, and two " Columbines," Madame
Boleno and Miss Honey, and two " Pantaloons,"
(a most ludicrous pair of Pantaloons), Mr. Barnes
and Mr. Tanner, with cool Mr. Halford as " the
Gent.," and inimitable M. Auriol as " The Gro-
tesque," and, to crown all, two marvellous Lords of
Misrule in those wonderful piebald " Clowns"—
Messrs. Boleno and Flextnore! Leaving, as we
did, last night in the very midst of the boisterous
fun of the harlequinade, we passed by a large box-
full of urchins who seemed to be fairly laughing
themselves into convulsions. It did one's heart
good to see them, and hear them; yet they were
merely a small portion of that densely-packed
crowd of merrymakers. However small as
a portion though they were, still they were a
portion large enough, loud enough, and de-
lighted enough to be a perfectly sufficient evidence
of the success of " Harlequin Holiday and the
Island of Ups and Downs," or, as the playbill has
it—(a playbill that " draws" more effectually than
the strongest plaister ever vended across the coun-
ter of au apothecary)—Old Drury's entirely new,
original, symbolical, hyperbolical, parabolical,
extra-physiognomical, grotesque, statuesque, pic-
turesque, Grand Comic Christmas Pantomime.

THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD AND THE
INCOME TAX.

From the Morning Advertiser.)
Some curious questions suggest themselves with
regard to the noble lords and stately dames filling
great offices in her Majesty's Household, which we
trust some member of Parliament who is not soli-
, eitous about being invited to a Queen's ball will
make bold enough to ask. We should be glad to
know whether these noble persons, following the
example of their Royal mistress, decline the dis-
agreeable burden of the income tax, or whether
they are made, like the rest of us, to stump up,
wille nille, convenient or inconvenient.
The sums allotted for the support of the Royal
Household—" for the support of her Majesty's
Household and of the honour and dignity of the
Crown of the United Kinvom of Great Britain and
Ireland”—were settled at the commencement of
the present reign at 385,0001., of which modest
sum 131,2601. is
,spent in salaries, while the re-
mainder, within a few thousand pounds, for Royal
bounty, alms and charity, special services, and the
annual pittance for the encouragement of literary
and scientific services, and native talent in general,
is devoted to tradesmen's bills—any savings which
may be effected passing to the account of the Privy
purse. But though 131,2601. is the sum set down
for salaries, it is probable that in one way or an-
other it may arrive, by those by-paths and crooked
ways which the public eye is not permitted to scan,
at a still larger figure. Taken, however, at the
acknowledged estimate, the list of salaries stand
thus :

Lord Chamberlain's department £42,000
Lord Steward's 86,000

Master of Horse's

Mistress of the Robes'

39,500

5,000

£172,500
It would, we are sure, be interesting to the
country to know whether lordly sinecurists, the
ladies of the bedchamber, ladies and maids of
honour, gentlemen of the wine and beer-cellars,
treasurers, sub-treasurers, comptrollers of accounts,
gentlemen of the pantry, lords in waiting, bed-
chamber women, grooms of the privy chamber,
grooms of the great chamber, gentlemen of the
privy chamber, pages of the back stairs, pages of
the presence (which no doubt means of the front
stairs), the master of the tennis-court (which has
no existence), the bargemaster and watermen (who
only exist for the four hundred pounds A year
which each draws from the nation)—we say
the country would be glad to know whether
these persons and their fellows in sinecure
pay income tax—whether to select one illustrious
instance) Prince Albert pays it upon the 5001. per
annum he draws as Ranger of Windsor Hom• Park,
or on the 1,1201. which he receives for doing no-
thing as Governor and Constable of Windsor
Castle ? And, as we have taken the liberty of men-
tioning the name of this august personage, we will
just enumerate the items of his income, and ask
once for all how much he pays upon the lump ?

Parliamentary annuity - £30,000
Pay as Field-Marshal
Ditto as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards
Ditto as Col.-in-Chief of the Rifle Brigade
Grand Ranger of Windsor Great Park,,say
at a moderate calculation, for no account
is rendered
Ditto as Ranger of the Home Park
Governor and Constable of Windsor Castle

1,000

-500
1,120

X 41,553

MARKET NEWS.—(This 'Z'ay)

-
CORN EXLIIIANGE.
GENERAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN
For the week ended Jan. 8, 1866, made up from the Returns o. to e
Inspectors In the different Cities and Towns in England and Walt
per Imperial Quarter.
WHEAT. I BARLEY. } OATS. I RYE. BEAM. PEAS
i3B Id 44s lid 238 51 I 39s 21 41s 51 I 40$ 9d
THE SIX WEEKS' AVERAGE.
WHEAT. BARLEY. I OATS. Blum. PEA 4
603 21 448 id 248 3d L1D.403 41 43i 4d 41•
QUANTITIES OF GRAIN SOLD LAST WERK.
Wheat, &x,765; Barley, 90,524;
eaB,
2,631 quarters. Oats, 11,472; Rye, 234 ; Bean',
5,054 ; Peas,