The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-17 00:00:00

T "

This noble building being now completeg, its architectural
buty, elegance of ornamentation, and brilliancy of lighting
render '
it one of the sights of the metropolis. Open Every
Evening. The programme is varied, and includes Selecti ins
(by a full company of principals, powerful band, and chorus)
from "Macbeth" and "Un Ballo in 3laschera." both operas
by Verdi, the composer of the day—The wonderful Solos on
the Cornet-a-Piston of the renowned LEVY—Scotch Duets by
the Misses Stuart, and other vocal and instrumental music
of the highest order. Conductor, Mr. F. Jonghmans. The
Comic portion of the entertainment is supported by Miss
Green, Messrs. Sam Collins, Harvey, and French (the Nerves),
W. El. Wieland, E. Marshall. and W. Randall. Admission,
Halt, sixpenee ; Balcony and Stalls, one shilling. Private
Boxes, 10s. 6d.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
THIS DAY.—Morning, Bh. 54m.—Afternoon, 9h. 30m.
To-moßnow.-Morning, 10h. 14m.—Afternoon, 10h. 48m.

THE WEATHER.-SUN OFFICI, JULY 17, 1661.

THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADB.
74—highest since noon yesterday.
52—lowest this morning and during the night.
70—this day at noon.

BAROMETER-29.98.

WlND—Westerly; light, with fine sunshiny weather.

We are to be tantalized to the last about the
PRESIDENT'S Message. Until Mr. Bu CHANAN'S
last, when disruption began to loom ahead, a Pre-
sident's Message was rarely of more consequence
than a message from his Prussian MAJESTY ; but
in that, and in Mr. LiNcoLN's first and last, we
have all of course felt a deep interest. And now,
first a vessel sails just a day too soon ; and next, the
vessel sails on the day after—but, of all mishaps in
the world, the telegraph wires between New York
and Troy are burned, and we are again cheated of
full particulars !
Such as we have corroborate the views we
expressed yesterday that the Americans would
prefer Customs duties to direct taxation.
We read of a heavy duty on coffee, sugar,
and molasses. Tea, most convenient for taxa-
tion, is omitted, perhaps in deference to
tradition, and tobacco is omitted also, probably to
keep the peace with the smokers and—spitters.
But we shall soon know more about it. A light
direct taxation is recommended, a loan is to do the
rest. It remains to be seen whether the Secretary
of the Treasury's plan will be adopted. The PRESI-
DENT has asked for a good round sum—£Bo,ooo,ooo.
Of this he proposes to raise £32,000,000 by taxa-
tion, and £48,000,000 by loan, probably repayable
within a limited period. He will not find this too
much, according to our experience, for the four
hundred thousand men whom he demands. If he
gets off with £2OO a man in such a war,
we shall have to ask him to give our
"War-Office a lesson in economy. He is
probably quite right in his leading concep-
tion. Now that the war has begun, the cheapest
thing the North can do is to display an overwhelm-
ing force, though with a thousand miles of southern
frontier, from Missouri to the Atlantic, to guard or
to advance on, the number is not at all too large.
We have just seen that he has work in the far
'west and on the Mississippi, as well as on the Bay
of Chesapeake and at 'Washington.

From the brief military announcements, the
Federalists appear to have the best of it. A. manor
division of the rebels has been routed in
Western Virginia. For what purpose they
had gone to that part of Virginia which
has seceded from the State—whether for military
reasons, or to punish the Western Virginians for
seceding from the State to the Union—we do not
yet know. It is satisfactory, however, to know,
that they were routed. Large bodies of Federal
troops continue to cross the Potomac. And as
General M'CLELLAND, said to be one of their most
energetic commanders, is coming up from the West,
the rebels must either retreat or fight. As they
have some strongly fortified positions and powerful
batteries at Manassas Junction (of the Railroad),
and at Fredericksburg, neither of them far from
the Potomac and Washington, they may perhaps
resist. Much, however, will depend on whether
Generals M'CLELLAND and BUTLER are in strength
sufficient to threaten their communications from
the West and East, respectively.
At Richmond itself, the capital of Virginia,
where the rebel Government sits, the fortifi-
cations are now strong, several batteries having
been constructed round the city. A letter from
that city by a hearty Scutherner, dated the 22d of
June, Bays
For some reason or another General
SCOTT does not seem hasty in the carrying oat of his
programme. Richmond was to have been taken about
this time, but the delay of the Federal forces in
marching upon it has rather strengthened the hands
of the Confederate Government, and rendered its
capital less liable to assault. War preparations go on
here incessantly. Notwithstanding the slight con-
fusion attendant upon the removal of the Govern-
ment to Ri,-;Graorlds the ()- supplying?

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THE SUN.
LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1861.