The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-26 00:00:00

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT -GARDEN.—
Her Majesty, the Prince Consort, her Royal Highness
Princess Alice, and her Royal Highness the Princess
Helena, attended by Lady Churchill, the Hon. Flora Mac-
donald, Lord Cremorne, and Lord Alfred Paget, honoured
the performance of '• Le Domino Noir" with their presence
last evening.
The Right Hon. the Speaker will hold his full-
dress Levees on the evenings of Wednesday, the 6th of
March, and Wednesday the 13th of March, at a quarter
past 10 o'clock.
Lord Stanley, it is said, though appreciating the
kind wishes of his friends in South Lancashire, has expli-
citly declined to dissever his connexion with the constituency
of King's Lynn.
CORK ELECTION.—CORK, Monday Night.—
Close of the Poll (Bantry excepted)—Majority for Leader
(Conservative), 2,733. At Bantry Mr. Leader is known
to have a large majority.
FREEMASONRY.—The Earl of Zetland, Grand
Master of the Freemasons of England, has offered to Earl
de Grey and Ripon the office of Provincial Grand Master
of West Yorkshire, vacant on the death of the Earl of Mex-
borough, and his lordship has accepted the appointment.
The installation of the noble lord is expected to take place
in the latter part of April next, or some time in May, but
the place for the ceremony is at present undecided. Earl
de Grey and Ripon is a member of the Wakefield Lodge of
Freemasons.

ANNEXATION OF THE FIJI ISLANDS.—Dr. Sea-
mann, commissioned by the British Government to explore
the Fiji Islands, arrived at Sydney on the 11th December,
on his return from a visit of inspection. His opinion of the
capabilities of these islands is very favourable, and there
seems every probability that they will be added to the pos-
sessions of the British Crown.—Australian and New Zea-
land Gazette.

DEATH OF THE REV. JAMES ASPINALL.—It is
our painful duty to have to record the somewLat sudden
and unexpected death, from dropsy on the chest, of our late
respected townsman, the rector of Althorpe, Lincolnshire.
I t will be remembered that Mr. Aspinall was for many years
incumbent, first of St. Michael's, and subsequently of St.
Luke's Church, in this town, and left Liverpool on his pro-
motion, in 1849, to the Crown rectory of Althorpe, at
which place he has continued his active and useful life in
health and vigour to the last. In addition to the deceased's
clerical duties he was also a magistrate of the county of
Lincoln, and gave considerable time and attention to the
due administration of justice.—Liverpool
CURIOUS MATRIMONIAL ADVENTURE.—In the
parish of St. George. in-the-East, which has become of late
years so familiar to the public, there are other curious cus-
toms than those formerly observed in the parish church.
On the Ist of May next certain young women, previously
approved of, will have an opportunity of drawing lots for a
marriage portion of £lOO, and the lucky drawer will be

entitled to receive that amount as soon as she can obtain a

husband to share it with her. The clispongpra of thp bounty
are Raine's charity trustees, and the young women who
offer themselves as candidates must have been educated in
Mr. Raine's school, and have attained the age of 22 years.
They must also have continued members of the Church of
England since they left the school. They aro admitted as
candidates on the sth of March.
LIFE SAVED BY CRINOLINE.—As a set-off against

life lost by crinoline, through fire, the fair sex may plead
that life is sometimes saved through the prevailing fashion.
Mary Scott, dressmaker, was going on business to the house

of Mr. Lawford's clerk, which is close to the canal, when
she mistook the water for the towing path, stepped in, and
was immersed. She screamed out. Two or three persons
were quickly on the spot. Neither of them could swim, and
all were fearful of the risk of getting out of their depth. A
ladder was soon found, but when brought to the spot was
found to be too short. After some further search, a boat-
hook was discovered, and the young woman was dragged
out. She had been in the water seven or eight minutes, and
was in an insensible state when rescued. She was imme-

diately conveyed to a neighbouring house, and means were
used to resuscitate her, fortunately with success. The young
woman's life was saved by the air getting under the crino-
line, and thus preventing her from sinking.—Bicester
Herald.
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF 1862.—We
have had great pleasure in hearing that her Majesty's Com-
missioners for the Exhibition of 1862 came on Saturday to
a resolution as to the precise character of the building re-
quired for the great industrial and fine arts display of next
year, and that as soon as the guarantee has been signed to
the required amount, so that the Bank of England (who, it
is understood, have offered very liberal terms) can advance
the money, the commissioners will be prepared to enter into
a contract with Messrs. Kelk and Lucas Brothers, the two
eminent firms who sent in the lowest tender, and who have
jointly agreed to execute the works. It will be satisfactory
theto
there guarantors
can b
ntorste a callobein on them,—namely, formedemth,tnianmtehly7 a losseonlye by ventin
which the
Exhibition, the liability of the commissioners in respect of
the building is limited to the sum of £2oo,ooo.—Observer.
SIGNOR VERDI AND THE ITALIAN PARLIAMENT.

—Signor Verdi, the great maestro, having been elected as
deputy by the college of the Borgo S. Donnino, has written
the following letter to the pre,ident :—" President,—The
honour, spontaneously offered me by the college of Borgo
S. Donnino, deeply affects me. It proves to me that I en-

joy esteem as an lamest and independent man, dearer far
to me than the little glory and small fortune bestowed on
me by art. I thank you then, president, and beg you
warmly to thank for me the electors who have entrusted
ms with the honourable charge. Would you kindly assure
them at the same time that if it is not given me to carry

into Parliament the splendour of eloquence, I shall carry
into it independence of character, a scrupulous con-
scientiousness, and the firm will to co-operate with all my
might towards what is good, for the honour and closer
union of this our native country, so long afflicted and
divided by civil discords. Now, to the end that this long
and hitherto fond desire of seeing a united country may be
satisfied, fortune sends us a King who loves his people. Let
us rally then all around him, since if he shall be acclaimed
before long the first King of Italy, he will also be, perhaps,
the only one who has truly loved his people more than his
throne. I beg you to accept the sincere expression of the
esteem with which I take pride in declaring myself your
devoted servant—G. VERDl.—Sant' Agata di Villanova,
Feb. 6, 1861."

MELANCHOLY EVENT.—Yesterday a painful sen.•
sation was caused at the Bank of England by the awfully
sudden death of one of the clerks. in the accountant's
office. The unfortunate gentleman was Mr. Thomas
Dighton, and his age is said to be about 45. He had been
in the office about 20 years, and had never been known
to be in bad health. Yesterday he attended to his duties
as usual, only complaining of a slight pain in the chest,
which he attributed to indigestion. About one o'clock in
the day he left the accountant's-office and went into the
Reduced Annuities-office to communicate with one of the
clerks in that department, but had no sooner got there than
he fell down and expired. Mr. Alfred Smee, the Bank
surgeon, who happened to be in the building at the time,
was quickly in att,ndance, but it was too late. The body
of the unfortunate gentleman was removed to the guard-
room to await an inquest.
UNEXPECTED LEGACIES.—When the late Mr.
T. M. Johnson, of the Cyclops Works, Sheffield, died
some years ago, he expressed a wish that a sum of money
should be distributed among his workpeople, but did not
add any provision to his will, which had been made some
years. The executors, one of whom was his brother, were
not legally required to pay this money, but determined
that it should be paid, though from various circumstances
they could not carry out their intention for a considerable
time. At length, however, they obtained from the Court
of Chancery the necessary authorisation ; and on Thurs-
day last the workpeople, numbering 130, were convened,
and to their great joy received sums varying from Z. 2 to
£lOO, according to length of service, Scc., the total amount
distributed being about £3,ooo.—Leas Mercury.