The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-17 00:00:00

GAETA.

A private letter from Gaeta of the 9th, after
mentioning what the telegraph has already informed
us of—that the fire had ceased—adds that it was
quite time, for if the shells continued to fall as they
did the two days previous, the 7th and Bth, the
town would soon be a mass of ruins. On the Bth
there could not have been less than many hundreds
of projectiles thrown into the town, causing de-
struction among the houses, and much loss of life.
The Queen was forced to quit her residence, which
was injured by the shells. Her Majesty took refuge
on board of a Spanish ship. The King, with his
brothers, the Counts Trani and Caserta, remained in
the town, but lodged in casemates which are bomb
proof. They visited, from time to time, the guns
which answered the fire of the besiegers, who have
opened seven batteries, from which they have poured
a continuous fire. The fire of the besieged told with
effect, though, of course, not so much as the be-
sieging batteries, which have for aim a whole city.
The Cavilla guns have done good work ; but the
besieged have also several rifled guns in battery,
of which two or three are of large calibre.
Excepting the damage done to the houses, it was
thought that the besieged could still hold out a long
time, since on the sea side the walls are very strong,
and covered with guns. Gaeta has received supplies
for more than six months, though the garrison is
said to consist of 12,000 men, the greater number
being foreigners. Perhaps it will be found that
the garrison is too crowded, but it was thought best
not to reduce the number of those who still remained
faithful to Francis 11. General Bosco commands
the troops.

THE ARRIVAL OF PRINCE ALFRED
' AT PLYMOUTH.

PLYMOUTH, JAN. 16, 12.40 P.M.

At 11 o'clock this morning his Royal Highness
embarked in the Admiralty barge and proceeded to
Mount
.Edgcumbe, the demesne of the Earl of
Mount Edgcumbe, where he partook of luncheon.
His Royal Highness is expected to proceed on
board the St. George early this afternoon, and will
probably sail for the North American station
immediately after. The Avon, steam-tug, has her
steam up, and is in readiness to convey the Prince
on board. The wind easterly, blowing strong, but
is fair for the departure. His Royal Highness was
last night the guest of Admiral Sir Houston
Stewart, K.C.8., the commander-in-chief of the
port. The dinner party last night consisted of
Prince Alfred, the Earl and Countess of Morley and
Miss Coryton, Lord and Lady Frederick Kerr,
Admiral Sir Thomas Sabine Pasley, superintendent
of the dockyard, and Lady Pasley ; General
Hutchinson, the commander-in-chief of the western
district ; Hon. Captain F. Egerton, of the St.
George ; Hon. Col. Byng ; Major Cowell, who
came with the Prince ; Capt. A. C. Key, R.N. ;
Lieut. Miller, the flag lieutenant; Mr. and Mrs.
Jones, and Miss Montgomerie Cunningham.
PLYMOUTH, WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

Prince Alfred embarked about 2 o'clock this
afternoon on board the St. George, which left at
4 p.m. under sail and steam for her destination.

THE FRENCH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.

The first sitting of the year was, as usual, de-
voted to the renovation of the Board and other
matters'of routine. Mr. Milne Edwards succeeded
M. Chasles as President for the year 1861, and M.
Duhamel was elected Vice-President.—M. Bonna-
font sent a paper on the foot-lights of theatres, and
other matters relating to their construction. The
competition opened by Government, he observes, for
a new Opera•house, invests the subject with pecu-
liar interest; and it is therefore essential to take
the following circumstances into account :-1.
That the foot-lights, in their present position, are
extremely hurtful both to the eyes and voice of
the actors, and especially in the case of singers.
2. That the communications existing between the
stage and lower storey by means of trap-doors,
cause draughts of cold air which are highly pre-
judicial to the actors. 3. That it would be highly
advantageous both to the actors and to the public,
if the foot-lights were replaced by a system of
illumination from above, invisible to the public,
and exercising no noxious influence over the per-
formers. Dr. Demarquay communicated some
remarks on subperiosteal sections. We have several
times had occasion to mention the surprising results
obtained by M. Flourens, Dr. Allier, and Dr.
Blandin from the power of reproducing osseous
matter which resides in the periosteum, or mem-
brane enveloping bone in the animal system. Dr.
Demarquay in his paper mentions two remarkable
operations of his own ; one, the extraction of a
lower jaw-b'ine, followed by the reproduction of
another at the end of 11 months by means of the
periosteum ; and the second the reproduction of the
fibula, or small bone of the leg, through the same
agency. M. Bernard sent in a description of a
contrivance of his, by which he raises water
through the agency of wind. The idea is not a
new one, and we have ourselves seen a windmill
which, while it ground its modicum of corn, at the
same time worked a pump, by which water was
'raised to a cistern above ; this water-serving, when
there was no wind, to drive the mill by its fall.
But it often happened that the supply of water was
short owing to the wind's not having been strong
enough ; and it is this inconvenience which M.
Ballard professes to have removed.

GOVERNMENT EMIGRATION. Her Majesty's
Emigration Commissioners have given notice of their in-
tention to receive tenders on Monday next, the 21st inst.,
for a ship to proceed to Algoa Bay, Cape of Good Hope, to
carry not exceeding 200 statute adults, to be ready for the
recePtioA of her paimenger6 on the 12a4 o March.