The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-03 00:00:00

THE SUNS LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 3, 1857,

LYCEUM.

Two pieces were performed at this theatre last night,
which may be regarded in some measure as novelties.
The first was "Don Comar de Bazan," a well-worn and
hackneyed drama, but, having been laid aside a good
while it has recovered something of its original fresh-
ness; and this was its first performance by the present
Lyceum company. The part of the melodramatic hero,
with his dissipation, gaiety, fearlessness, and high sense
of honour, is well suited to Mr. Charles Dillon, and he
sustained it with great effect. Mrs. E. White played
the character of the Gipsy, Maritana, with considerable
feeling, and Miss Woolgar gave a new interest and im-
portance to the little part of the boy Lazarillo. The
piece was well put upon the stage and received with much
applause.
The other piece was "Angel or Devil I" announced
as a new drama by Mr. Stirling Coyne. This announce.
ment is scarcely accurate, as the drama is neither new
nor by Mr. Stirling Coyne. It is a third English ver•
sion, under a new name, of the popular French piece
which is at present performed every night at the Hay-
market under the title of " The Wicked Wife," and at
the Olympic under that of "A. Sheep in Wolf's Cloth-
ing." Mr. Coyne has made a few alterations, but they
are not improvements, and he had better have stuck to the
original. It was extremely well acted ; Mr. Dillon being
the prescribed royalist husband, Mrs. Dillon the devoted
but seemingly heartless wife; and Mr. Toole the faithful
comic servant. The part of the child was prettily
played by a remarkably clever little girl, Miss M. W►l-
ton. The piece had a very favourable reception, and
promises to be as successful at this theatre as it has
been at the others.

THE MEETING OR' THE CONSERVATIVE

PARTY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir,—As one of those mentioned in the account of the
proceedings, on Friday last, at Lord Eglinton's house,
which the Press newspaper has pretended to give, and
on which you have founded an article, I beg to inform
you that the article in the Press newspaper contains an
unauthorised distortion of the truth. You will not ex-
peat me to follow the example of the caterer from whom
the Press newspaper has derived its matter, by violating
the confidence of those with whom I have been for
some years politically connected. I must, therefore, con-
tent myself by thus endeavouring to disabuse you of the
belief (if you ever entertained it) that the article in the
Press newspaper conveys a true version of what occurred
between Lord Derby au his party on Friday last.—
I have the honour to remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
C. N. NEWDEGATE.
House of Commons, March 2, 1857.

ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL, GRAY'S-INN-ROAD. The
number of patients relieved at this hospital during the
week ending 28th February, 1857, is 2,890, of which
973 were new cases.
FREE EMIGRATION.—Yesterday a meeting of , the
working-classes was held in Bethnal-green-fields, to pe-
tition Parliament on the above subject. Resolutions,
praying for the promotion of free emigration, were
greed to unanimously.
REDUCTION IN THE PRICE OF BREAD. Yesterday
another reduction in the price of bread was made by a
large number of the bakers in the metropolis, ami what
is termed "good wheaten bread" is now selling as low
as 6d. the 41b. loaf, and "best wheaten bread" at 7d.
the 41b. loaf, in the densely-populated districts chiefly in-
habited by the poor ; and in some parts, where strong
competition exists, the first-mentioned description of
bread is even selling as low as sd. the 4!b. loaf. The
high-priced bakers, who sell bread of a better quality
and give credit, are charging Bd. and 9d. the 41b. loaf.
The corn-chandlers are selling flour at from 2s. 2d. to
2s. 6d. the stone of 141bs.
FIRE IN WATLING-STREET.—Last night a fire took
place in the premises formerly in the occupation of
Messrs. Fisher and Watson, silk warehousemen, which
are situated two doors from the corner of St. Paul's-
churchyard in Watling-street, and extend almost as far
as Cord wainer's Hall in Cannon-street West. The en-
gincei from Watling-street, Jeffrey-square, Farringdon-
street, that of the West of England Insurance Office, and
several others, attended. The firemen, under the direc-
tion of Mr. Braidwood, the superintendent, Mr. Fogo,
foreman of the A district, and Mr. Connorton, of the
West of England Office, went to work with a good sup-
ply of water from the New River Company's mains ;
and a strong body of police, under the command of In-
spectors Hamilton and Newnham and Acting-Inspector
Salter, kept the crowd out of danger. The fire was con-
fined to the premises in which it commenced.
SCENE AT A FlRE.—Yesterday morning, between four
and five o'elock, a destructive fire, attended with great
loss of property and danger to life, broke out on the pre-
mises belonging to Mrs. C. Da Caux, proprietress of the
Essex Tavern, High street, Aldgate. A police-constable+
observing smoke to issue through. the bar shutters,
alarmed the inmates, who attempted to descend by the
staircase, but on reaching the second floor lauding the
smoke was so dense as to overcome Mrs. De Caux, who
is very corpulent. Her family being unable to lift her,.
commenced screaming most piteously. At thiejunc‘ure
George Harmsworth arrived with the'Aldgate escape,
lyinglaess iu -
saennds
ibbel
ei n
ugpinformedlanding,
nthat g t
wh t
hproprietresss
twcaoso
as-
cended and entered the second floor window. The crowd
called loudly t, him to come down, bat he proceeded to
crawl along the, flooring and to reach Mrs. De Caux,
whom he found quite insensible. Having raised her on
his back, he carried her through the smoke, and pushed
her safely down the escape, amid the enthusiastic greet-
ings of the spectators. The fire was not extinguished
until considerable damage was done to the upper part of
the house, and the bar and its contents utterly destroyed.
ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.—The question about the
future permanent home of the Royal Italian Opera after
the present season has expired may, there is good reason
to believe, be looked upon as settled. Until last week
no arrangement had been concluded ; but we are now
informed, upon the best authority, that the necessary
documents are signed. The Duke of Bedford has leased
to Mr. Gye, for 90 years, not only the ground on which
Covent-garden Theatre stood, but also that which is
covered by the Piazza Hotel, together with other tene-
ments in the rear, extending into Hart-street—the whole
being equivalent to upwards of an acre of land. The
area of the theatre will be considerably larger than pre-
viously, comprising an enclosure of 240 feet by 100. The
building is to be entirely fire-proof. Although the space
to be occupied by the theatre is necessarily large, it will
not include the whole of the ground comprehended in
the lease. It is intended to devote the remaining por-
tion to a flower market, in the shape of a vast glass
bazaar, 80 feet in diameter and 250 feet in length, for
the exhibition and sale of flowers, plants, and all the
objects and conveniences that incidentally relate to them.
Tells idea was suggested by the well-known Marcb6 aux
Fleury, which forms one of the most popular and agree-
able lounges in that city of loungers, Paris.
THE DISTURBANCES IN EDINBURGH. On Saturday
afternoon, after the generaL meeting of the students,
the deputation waited upon the Lord Provost at the
City Chambers. They stated that they would place
themselves unreservedly in his hands and act upon the
counsel he might give them. After expressing his re-
gret for the course they bad taken, and which had un-
fortunately led to more serious consequences than they
anticipated, his lordship advised them to cease from
further agitation on the subject, which course the deputa-
tion, on behalf of the students, plc-iged themselves to
follow. The lecture of Dr. M'Culloch, of which the
students, by their taking possession of the hall, pre-
vented the delivery on Monday evening, has been an-
nounced for Friday next, at is. charge for gentlemen.
On Saturday night there was again considerable uproar
in the streets around the college, in which, however, the
ed.
students took no part. A good many lamps and windows
were broken by stones, and 10 or 12 persons were ap-
prehended. The police, however, soon succeeded in re-
to Dlellar'nKaliN's
iprse pssoipnuglatrhity, isturbance
Museum—THE GREAT TOBACCO CON-
TROVERSY.—This valuable institution continues to retain
t
something
largenumbersofth
e wonders of
he assembling
human
frame, daily
andtomake themselves acquainted with those laws of
divine Providence the violation of which produces so
many of the
physical ills that flesh is heir to. On Satur-
day eveningthe audience was unusually large, arising
doubtless from the fact it had been previously advertised
Dr. Sexton would discus what has been cared—from
the great interest all classes seem to take in it—" The
Great Tobacco Controversy." The lecturer first glanced
at the origin of the present movement. Then gave a
sketch of the history of the tobacco plant—described the
chemical properties of the weed—showed its effects on
the human constitution—and reviewed the papers of
Professor Solly and others in the medical journals, and
the pamphlets of Professor Lizars, Dr. Shew, &c. Ile
contended that the moderate use of tobacco neither in-
jured the body nor clouded the intellect, and that most
of the statements made by the opponents of smoking
were gross exaggerations and hideous caricatures. Some
of them were so amusing, that the doctor's description of
them created roars of laughter. The lecture contained
a happy combination of scientific knowledge, pleasantry,
logic, and humour, and was eloquently delivered. The
audience seemed highly delighted, and the announce-
meut that Dr. Sexton would repeat his discourse every
evening whilst the present excitement lasted, was re-
ceived with unanimous applause,