The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-22 00:00:00

OPENING OF 7HE NEW FLORAL HALL,

THIS DAY.

The splendid Floral Hall erected by Mr. (dye,
adjoining the Royal Italian Opera-house, was
thrown open to the public this morning as a flower
market.

Down the centre of the hall a double row of ris-
ing platforms have been placed, each of which is
filled by a distinct species of plant, while the cen-
tre is occupied by an enormous circular table filled
with mignionette and purple stocks. The effect is
exceedingly pretty. No doubt the Hall will be-
come a favourite resort of the ladies. One very
good arrangement needs special mention, viz., the
price of the plants—and that very cheap, too—is
affixed to each table, so that a very great source of
inconvenience has been entirely done away with.
Around the hall stalls have been erected for the sale
of cut flowers, flower-stands, vases, trellis work, and
other ornamental articles.

The attendance of the public was exceedingly
numerous, and the arrangements made were ad-
mirable,

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.

A new drama entitled " Truth and Fiction" was
produced here last night with success. The inte-
rest of the piece rests on the fact that a certain
estimable sister Margaret Seymour (Miss Carlotta
Leclercq) has become an actress in order to provide
for a much younger sister who is left dependent
upon her. This sister Rose (Miss Maria Harris),
she keeps in perfect ignorance of her profession;
quite retired at a pretty country cottage, under the
dominion of her aunt, Mrs Walters. The idea of
the piece is by no means novel, but it is worked up
in a very admirable manner by Mies reclereq,
Miss Harris, Frank Matthews, and Widdicombe.
The piece has been put on the stage in a very
tasteful manner.

We regret to learn that Lord Brougham is at
present indisposed. His lordship had arranged to take part
in the meeting of tho Yorkshire Union of Mechanics' In-

stitutes to be held at Scarborough this day, but he will be
prevented from doing so owing to his indisposition.—. Daily
News.—[We earnestly trust we may be enabled very
shortly to announce the complete restoration to health of
the venerable and illustrious ex-Chancellor.—ED. Sun.]
HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE COMPANY OF SINGERS
—lt now appears by official announcements that the com-
pany of her Majesty's Theatre will perform at the Lyceum,
and not, as we were led to believe, at the old Opera House
in the Haymarket. The season will commence in the first
week in June.

CRYSTAL PALACE.—The Whitsuntide festivities
attracted 15,706 persons to the palace yesterday ; they will
be continued this day and to-morrow, when they will be
brought to a close. The fourth opera concert of this season
will be given on Friday; and Mr. G. W. Martin's Na-
tional Choral Society will perform a selection of glees and
part songs on Saturday.
PUBLICACCOMATODATTON—An opposition steamer,
the " Lord of the Isles," has been put on the passage be-
tween Southampton and Cowes, and the old boats have in
consequence doubled the number of passages. There are
now twelve to and twelve from Southampton to Cowes
daily, and the distance is done in fifty minutes I •

THE OUTRAM TESTIMONIAL.—NearIy £5,000
have been subscribed in aid of the memorial which it is pro-
posed to erect in recognition of the great public services and
eminent character of Lieut. General Sir James Outram,
K.C.B. It is the intention of the committee (consisting of
Sir George Pollock, G.C.8., Lord Keane, Sir J. M‘Neill,
G.C.8., Sir J. Elphinstone, M.P., Sir M. Farquhar, M P.,
and other gentlemen), to make arrangements for the erec-
tion of a statue of Sir J. Outram, near that of his illustrious
comrade, Sir Henry Havelock, in Trafalgar-square, and also
for the erection of a memorial in India.

NOTICE OF BLOCKADE.—LIVERPOOL, May 18.—
Extract of communication received from his Excellency
Juan do Francesco Monteux, Minister Plenipotentiary from
the Republic of New Granada to the Governments of
France and England, by the Consul of New Granada, at
Liverpool :—" It will be convenient for the Consulate to
give notice to owners of vessels, shippers, and underwriters
at that port to New Granada, that in virtue of a decree
iitsued by competent authorities of New Granada the fol-
lowing ports are temporarily closed for import and export
trade—viz., Rio Hache, Santa Martha, Savanella, Cartha-
gena, and Zapote ; that in accordance with the Customs'
regulations, parties attempting to violate these prohibitory
laws are liable to be fined and the goods seized, and that the
commanders of vessels of war belonging to the Confedera-
tion have received orders to cruise before the said ports to
enforce orders."

A STEAM GuN.—A gentleman who has seen the
steam gun at Baltimore furnishes the following description
of it :—" It is on four wheels; the boiler is like that of an
ordinary steam fire. engine, the cylinder being upright.
There is but one barrel, which is of steel, on a pivot, and
otherwise is like an ordinary musket barrel. It is fed or
loaded through a hopper entering the barrel directly over
the pivot. The barrel has a rotary motion, and performs
the circumference by machinery attached, at the rate of
about 1,600 times a minute. The balls are let into the bar-
rel through a valve at will, and every time the barrel comes
round to a certain point, another valve, self-operating, lets
cut a ball, which is propelled solely by the velocity of the
barrel in. revolving. It will discharge a two-ounce ball
300 times a minute. The range is accurate up and down,
but the balls are liable to hit wide of the mark on one side or
the other. The barrel revolves inside of a drum made of
boiler iron, between five and six feet in circumference, with
an opening where the balls are discharged. Its range is
not over 100 yards at best, and the gun can be worked so as
to discharge in any direction. The whole thing weighs 6,700
pounds, and is about the size of a steam fire-engine. It is
the opinion of our informant that the gun does not warrant
the expectations of the inventor."—New York Paper.

STRANGE DEATH AT BURTON-ON-TRENT.—EarIy
on Friday morning Joseph Greaves, of Winshill, a man in
the employ of Messrs. Bass and Co., and who on Tuesday
last appeared as complainant in a somewhat remarkable
police case, was found dead in a ditch, midway between
Burton and Winshill. When discovered a penholder was
found literally rammed under his chin and completely buried
in his throat, and a pair of spectacles was also found in his
hand, and his chest was bruised and much discoloured. A
letter was found in his pocket addressed to his wife and
brother, asking them to pray for him and forgive him,
stating that in consequence of some unpleasantness at his
work he could not live any longer..MaArdsliire Ad-
vertiser.

LATEST NE W;S.

MILAN, MAY 21, 8 P.M.

The Cap itulary Vicar has prohibited the clergy
from taking part in the approaching national fete.
The canons and cures of the city have replied, in
a respectful letter, that they will obey, but that
they disapprove the measure.

Some popular demonstrations have taken place
against the Capitulary Vicar.
The escocheon on the door of his palace has
been destroyed by the populace.
The National Guard hastened to the spot in
order to prevent the disturbances from assuming a
graver character.

LISBON, MAY 17.

It is expected that a measure will be brought
before the Cortes to reduce the duties on sugar. It
is also said that the duty on salt fish will be
lowered, which is important to parties interested in
the Newfoundland fisheries.
Baron Forrester was accidentally drowned on the
13th inst. His death caused a profound sensation
both here and at Oporto.
The weather is very warm.
The show of grapes is excellent, but symptoms of
the vine disease are strongly developed. -
The Oneida, with theoutward Brazil mail of the
9th inst., left Lisbon on the 13th inst. The
steamers Mino (from Liverpool) and the Carolina
(from Glasgow) have arrived here.

The Gladiator left Lisbon on the 12th for the
coast of Africa.

Exchange on London, three months, is quoted
541; Paris, 527 ; Amsterdam, 421- ; Hamburg,
481; Genoa, 525; Rcntes, 3 per Cent., 461; Cou-
pons, 46t ; Deferred, 40 ; Bank of Lisbon shares,
588; Commercial and Mercantile Banks of Oporto,
258.

ST. PETERSBURG, MAY 22.

The Journal de St, Petersburg of to-day publishes
a letter addressed by Prince Gortschakoff to Count
Kisseleff, the Russian Ambassador in Paris, in which
the Prince says :—" We call the attention of the
Representatives of the Foreign Cabinets to the
danger incurred by the departure of the French
troops from Syria. For our own part, we decline
to share the responsibility in regard to the results
of such a resolution, the consequences of which we
have foreseen and pointed out."

ROME, MAY 20.

M. de Cadone will be entrusted with the affairs
of the French Embassy at Rome during the ab-
sence of the Duke de Grammont, who will return
to France in June to drink the waters of Vichy.

MADRID, MAY 21.
An official declaration has been made that Spain
will not re-establish slavery at St. Domingo.

TURIN, MAY 21.

In to-day's sitting of the Chamber of Deputies,
Signor Tecchio directed the attention of the house
to the recent circulars issued by Count Rechberg '
on the state of things at Venice. He said," The
people of Venice do not desire the domination of
Austria. The opposition to the Austrian Govern-
ment in Venetia is not provoked from without.'
He concluded by recommending Venetia to the
attention of the King and the Italian Parliament.
Count Cavour thanked Signor Tecchio for hav-
ing brought this question under the consideration
of the house. He said that Signor Tecchio had
proved by his speech that what Count Rechberg
had alleged in his circular notes was wrong. Count
Cavour then continued.—
I do not doubt the present liberal intentions
of the Austrian Ministers; they will always, how-
ever, meet with insurmountable obstacles in Vene-
tia. This fact is principally important from its
influence on public opinion in Germany, where
liberal ideas are now progressing."
The following order of the day was then adopted :

" The Chamber having heard with extreme inte-
rest the recital of the sufferings of Venetia, passes
to the order of the day."

MESSINA, MAY 20.

The decree ordering a levy of the people for
the army has been published and received with
enthusiasm.

NAPLES, MAY 20.
Prince Carignan has left for Turin.

THORN, MAY 21.

The Official Gazette of Warsaw says :—" The
bills relating to the reforms to be introduced in the
kingdom of Poland have been drawn up.

" MM. Platanoff and Karniski have left for St.
Petersburg, for the purpose of obtaining the Im-
perial sanction to the bills."
A portion of the troops have been withdrawn
from the public squares of Warsaw.

COPENHAGEN, MAY 21.

The Dagbladet of to-day says :—" The majority
of the soldiers who were lately called in will be
allowed to go on furlough at the end of the present
month. Three-fourths of the army will then be
placed on a peace footing."

SOUTHAMPTON, MAY 22.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Tagus, with the Peninsular mail, has arrived. She
brings 54 passengers, £2,990 in specie, and 1,400
packages of cargo.
She spoke the Ceylon on the 21st inst.