The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-04 00:00:00

CHRISTY'S MINST (ELS.

Laqt night "Christy's Minstrels" commenced a series
of performances as the St. James's Theatre. Their
entertainment is partly musical, partly terpsichorean,
and partly dramatic. The musical portion, though the
"bones" and the banjo are conspicuous as with Pell's
company, is marked by more ambitious efforts at
vocalization and has less of that peculiar element which
we are accustomed to associate with the idea of " nig-
gerism." Viennese airs and reminiscences of the Tyrol
are warbled forth by extremely red lips set in ebon
faces, ani there is a general tendency to elevate the
sentimental and the pathetic at the expense of the
comic. In the dancing, on the other hand, full scope
is given to the grotesque humour of the artists, and
several feats are remarkable not only for their eccen-
tricity, but for the wonderful bodily agility displayed in
new forms.

The entertainment went off to the entire satisfaction
of the audience.

I HAYMARKET STARS.—The veteran T. P. Cooke
commences an engagement for six nights at the Hay-
mar4et, on Monday evening, in his original character
of William, in "Black-eyed Susan." Although it is not
announced that these are to be Mr. Cooke's farewell
performances, it is probable that he will on this occasion
retire finally from the stage. He will be succeeded on
Monday, the 10th of August, by the celebrated comedian,
Mr. Charles Matthews, who, previous to his departure
for the United States, plays a round of his popular
characters here for eight nights. He will appear for
one night (the 19th of August) at Liverpool, and will
sail on the following day for New York, whither he has
been precedel by Mr. Povey, for the purpose of making
preliminary arrangements and engagements for Mr.
Mathews.
Tne PAVILION AT BRIGHTON.—The town council of
Brighton off.o.eil a premium of 2001. fee the
heel, and 50/ for the second best design for aperopriatt
ing the north-west portion of the Pavilion for the use o
the public, eight arch.tects; designs have been sent in for
consid-ration. It is intended to provide the town on the
site of the Pavilion, with a music-hall, an antheum or
winter garden, a free public library and reading-room, a
public picture Ehliery, and a museum, at a probable cost
of about 12 0001.
PROSPECTS OF THE SPORTING SEASON. SoIITH-
AMPTON MONDAY —Our sporting friends will be glad
to hear that the breed of partridges in this neighbour-
hood will be one of the best known for many years.
The coveys are numerous, and the spring birds exceed-
ingly strong on the wing. Should the present fine
weather continue, and harvest operations be unimpeded,
the sportsman will have something to do to follow his
game. Reports from the upper parts of Hampshire, as
well as from Wiltshire, agree as to the abundance of
sport for the Ist of September.
CRYSTAL PALACE. The Vocal Association, Corn•
prising 330 male and female voices, will make its third
appearance on Friday, August 7th, under the direction
of M. Benedict, in the Central Transept of the Crystal
Palac3. The success which attended the two previous
performances there, has indeced the directors to mace
arrangements for a third, of an entirely different cha-
ractme The programme will be Mendelssohn through-
out, including "The Walpurgis Night," and " Loreley."
The vocalists engaged are Mr. and Madame Weiss, Aliolo
Fanny Huddart, and Mr. Montem S Miss Ara-
bella Goddard is also engaged to perform Mendclssohn's
concerti.
Tim WEATHER IN FRANCE.—A letter from Mar-
Bellies, of the 31st of July, sts'es that the heat on that
day was so intense that a dense heavy mist completely
obscured the lights of the lighthouses at night, and
rendered the entrance into port. dange-rous. The VectiA,
with the Indian mail, was a long time getting in ; the
Avenir lost her way for an hour and a-half. The ther-
mometer marked 30 deg. centigrade. The wind rose W.
half-past 10, but instead of refre4i-g the atmosphere it
was het and sultry. In the Tarn-'t-Garonne on the 29th
of July a violent thunderstorm burst over the country.
It came frk;ni the west, and was acfrompanied by heavy
rain. The lightning struck a farmhouse and set fire to
it. Storms, accompanied by great beat, have taken
plw.e in ocher parts of Fiance.
RAPID TOWAGE —LIVERPOOL, SATURDAY —A tele-
graphic despatch was received here this morning an-
nouncing that the James Baines, Captain M'Donnell,
had arrived at Portsmouth, for the conveyance of troops
to the Ea-t Indies. She was towed to Portsmouth by
the steam tug Resolute, Captain Jevons, belonging to
the new steam tug cmnpan., in 82 hours, although er-
cluntering a head gabs in channel. The Champion of
the Seas, Captain M`Kirdy, of the same line, and of a
similar tonnage (2,350 tons) was taken in tlw an hour
previous by the tug Mazer, but no intelligence has been
received of her arrival. It may be stated that the Re-
solute when she took the James Baines in tow had been
only one week off the sticks.

OUR SOLDIELS' DuEss IN INDIA.—The sufferings and
loss of our noble troops in the Giinea, and the causes
from which those sufl irings and that loss arose are fre-h
in the putAic recollection. They will be repeated in
India, but with far more fearful resifts, unless instant
attention is paid to the proper clothing of our tromps
there. Becair e ur men can live there in their Euro-
pean clothing, it is not censithred requisite to alter it.
The frightful waste of streng,:hi and efficiency it enta
and the consequent predi=positidn of the body to disease,
and the lowermg of the system at a time when it needs
to be uphill at its utmost vigour to resist fatigue and
iiisease—these points appear to be uncared for, as well
as the sufferings of the men from excessive heat, so much
aggravated by their clothing. Away with Et :cks,
shakoes, and red tunics, as well as black leather boots,
which attract the sun and a'vell the feet. Away. also,
wilt the cressbelt and any breast-belt Let each man
have a forage cap with peak aad two white covers ; two
white woollen loose tunics ; their pack. ammunition
belts, to be arranged like the French Zouaves' ; and
brown leather boots. N,,ne of our men ought to leaie
this country without proper clothing for India.—Corres-
pondent of the Times.
rHE TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCHES FROM INDIA.—It is
understood the government have thus far been unable
to obtain any satisfactory inforrnaiicio regarding the
causes of the delay list week in the Indian telegraph.
The diucto7 at Trieste cannot give any explanatior,
except that many mes,ages seat about the same the
experienced equal or greater detention. A thunder-
storm somewhere between Trieste and Munich is still
said to have occasioned the interruption. There is, how-
ever, a difficulty in accepting this solution. A thunder.
storm might stop a succession of messagee, but it is not
easy to see how, when communication was resumed, it
should cause them to arrive in different order from that

in whinh they were originally transmitted. Tow, it
same that the devatch addressed to Lard Clarendon

from Trieste at 11 5 a.m. on the 23% of July did not
arrive in London till 12 35 p.m. on the following day,
while a message despatched between three and four
hours later arrived at the India-house more than an
hour sooner. Probably the whole can be mada clear,
but the subject is hard of investigation, the ways of
telegraphs being often as incomprehensible as the
majority of messages they contrive to pervert. There is
reason to conclude, however, that if any fault is to be
found in the present instance it does not lie with the
English company.

GENERAL BARNARD.-It will be learnt with great
satisfaction that General Barnard has greatly dis-
tinguished himself by the military capacity he has dis-
played before Delhi. He arrived there with all possible
speed by a long forced night march, and found that the
mutineers had taken up a very formidable position
about two miles in front of the town. Notwithstanding
that hi.; mon were suffering, he attacked at once by a
bold advance and a skilful flank movement with that
hearty will which at once carries soldiers to victory
The 71st sprang from behind two sandbills where the
worn-out men had obtained a brief rest, and immediate
success crowned the efforts of the soldiers and their
gallant leader—the position was carried and occupied,
the rebels being driven out with great loss. General
Barnard was complimented by those about him on
the achievement due to his skill ; and in the hasty
council of the battlefield was advised to bring in his
wounded, rest his men, who were now suffering ter-
ribly from over-fatigue, and to retrench himself in the
excellent position he had won. But the General turned
a deaf ear to every counsel, 'Anted to a ridge outside
the town where the rebels were again wisembling, in a
few words expressed his will that the ridge should be
carried, and the discomfiture of the enemy be corn-

pleted :—"lf this be not done, they, too, will intrench
the►nselves, and it will cost us three times as much to
dislodge them. They are now panic-struck ; but if
allowed to boll that place they even might attack us at
a disadvantage. No ! lam sorry the poor fellows are
tired, but they will take the ridge." Again, animated
by their General's will, and guided by consummate
science, the small and wearied force marched forward

with unfailing pluck. Again victory was theirs ; they
ru-hed on the guns with devoted courage, and cap-
tured 26 of the enemy's cannon, and drove them with
great elaughter within the walls of Delhi. Morning
POilto _ .