The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-27 00:00:00

MB. MINNOC.H AND MISS SMITH.

A correspondent of the Northern Whig writes to'
that journal as follows :—" An article appeared in
your columns of the 11th inst., censuring, in very
strong terms, the conduct of Mr. Minnoch during
the late trial at Edinburgh. I, therefore take the
liberty of writing, to set you right on one or two
points—or, rather, to lay before you facts which
will induce you to alter your opinion of that gentle-
man. In the first place, you condemn him for
consenting to appear as a witless at the trial.
Upon Miss Smith's being arrested, so firmly was
he convinced of her innocence that he declared his
intention of marrying her as soon as she was
acquitted. In the meantime he left Glasgow,
giving up his businessfor a month, in order to avoid
the chance of being subpcenaed as a witness; but it
was represented to him that it would go against Miss
Smith if he refused to give evidence. And besides
this, I think that you will allow that the situation
in which he was placed—that of an accepted lover
giving evidence against his affianced bride—was a
most painful one, and not one that any man would
willingly have courted. After he had given his
evidence he did not return l'ome, as might have
been expected, but remained at Edinburgh, and
there awaited the issue of the trial ; and as soon is
Miss Smith was released, he escorted her, not only
back to Glasgow, but the whole way down to her
father's country house, Row Aleyn. The next
thing we hear of bim is, that he has put down
liis—narne for 800!:-.to a subscription which was
got up for the purpose of defraying the expenses
of the trial—a delicate way of testifying to poor
Mr. Smith his esteem, for him, and his sympathy
with him during his affliction. What his private
conviction with regard to Miss Smith's innocence
may have been I am at a loss to say ; but this is
a point on which Mr. Minnoch has a right, and
ought, to judge. If he thought ber guilty, it only
renders his conduct all the more meritorious. The
whole affair is involved in the deepest mystery, and
forms a problem for moralists to speculate upon,a
problem which will, perhaps, not be solved until
the day when all things shall bo made known."

A "BLOODY MURDER" IN AUSTRALIA.-4t was ru-
moured that a cruel and mysterious murder had been
committed near the dry diggings at Daylesford. There
is a large deep waterhole, in a secluded spot, which one
might easily imagine to be the scene of sueb a dead.
Blood was seen near the rim of the hole, and in several
places down the side. The police were on the alert—
the neighbourhood was in an uproar. Drags of all kinds
were procured, and the inspector and his men were all
the week indefatigably engaged in endeavouring to solve
the enigma. At length their labours were crowned with
success. Something heavy was felt on the drag ;it was
slowly and solemnly raised to the surface. It was the
mangled body of—a dog I—Mclbourne Age.
AUSTRALIAN WINES.—From New South %Vales we
have received most favourable accounts of the vintage
for the present year, which had a'ready commenced in
the counties of Cumberland, Camdeuni,nHe
atinnttiecri,paDtiuornhsaamr,e
and Northumberland, where the chief vineyards of the
o doily are planted ; and most sang
entertained that in a few years we may hope to see the
names of " Camden Park, Irrawang, Tomago, Lochin-
var, Carwarra, Tnleela," &c., rank as high in the wine
market as Lafitte, Latour, Chateux Margaux, Sillery,
Ay, Romano-Conti, or Chambertin. Wish respect
to any extensive exports of Australian wines;- it
is stated that we must entertain no hopes for
some years to come, The demand, both in this
colony and Victoria, for colonial wines at present
exceeded the means of supply. The chief holders of
wine, it is also reported, would not execute any large
orders until next season, when th'sy anticipate a supply
of the finest quality. As regard i the present' vintage,
the wine, with the utmost care, cannot be expected to
arrive at maturity within the next three years. The
stock on hand' from former vintaies was comparatively
'small ; but the steady increase of vineyards in almost
every 'part of the colony promises that wine will before
long become a valuable commodity in the articles of ex-
portation, and vie in value with its wool, taller', gold,
and coal. The produce of wine during the past year
has been estimated at 170,000 gallons—only a small
portion of which has gone beyond the immediate neigh-
bourhood of the respective vineyards,. which, however,
with due care and proper skill, might easily produce
double the quantity they do at present.—Australian and
'Vete Zealand Gazette.
NECESSITY FOR LARGE ROOMS,—TO meet the de-
mandwhiohu
pis
capableevidently
of ghroolwd
iinngg,
lablugieldinngusnihhaervs.e
beenTtahbinaya rinourta fortyudien
eyee a
ofr s atoo,ooa ►rwo
em
lookedwhich would
wenith
curiosity. Since. Exeter Hall, the Surrey Music Hall,
and other places in the metropolis, have been erected
on a much larger scale ; and in the provinces, the
Free Trade Hall at Manchester, the halls at Birming-
ham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and other places, are re-
markable, when contrasted with those formerly' used for
a similar purpose. The lecture-room at the Polytechnic
Institution has' been enlarged from time to time, and
at present from 3;000 to 4,000 persons can both 'hear
the lectures and clearly see the explanatory
Lions ; and we hope the day is not far distant when men
like Faraday, 0 wen, and 'others famous in art, litera-
ture, and science, will have the means ofaddressiug them-
selves to classes of many thousand strong. In the
Surrey Music Hall from 8,000 to 10,000 peisions
flock week after week to hear the popular preacher
of the day, and, what is more, do Lear him.
One of the chief difficulties in bringing about etich a
desirable result seems to be. the difficulty in modern
buildings of getting the voice of a speaker to reach
a sufficient number, and there are instances in halls of
even moderate size, where an orator is not so well
heard by a considerable portion of the audience as he
would be from a platform in the open air. In lobking
at' the vast space of the new reading-room at the
British Museum, the notion arises that a magnificent
ball for the purpose of illustrated lectures might be
erected on this plan, capable of holding an immense COE-
course of people who would see better than those in the
background of a building of an °Moog form : and it might
be useful to make some acoustic experiments in order
to show if, -for. the purposes of lectures and music,
similar buildings could be made available. Should such
experiments be made, and found to be sueceesful, it
might-lead to our having. in the metropolis a structure
devoted to the most useful purposes, wherein thousands
at the same time might find, cheaply, instruction and
delight,—The Builder.

. _
THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET
Lessee—Mr. J. B. Buckston.e.
THIS EVENING, to commence at Seven o'clock, with
the now and greatly successful original Comedy, entitled
VICTIMS, in whiCh Mr. Eackstone, Mr. Howe, Mr. William
Farren, Miss ReYnolds, &e., will appear.
After which, by general desire, the late Douglas Jerrold's
comedy of THE HOUSEKEEPER.
To conclude with a new Ballet, THE GLEANERS.
Orchestra Stalls (which may be retained the whole of the
evening), 6s. each. (No charge for booking.)
First Price. s. d. Second price. s. d.
Dress Boxes ... .... 5 0 D:ess Boxes 3 0
'Upper Boxes .. 3 0 Upper Boxes 2 0
Pit
Lower Gallery 1 0 Lower Gallery . 0 6
Upper Gallery 0 6No half-price to Upper Gallery.

THEA.TRE ROYAL,
Lessee—Mr. Ben. Webster.
THIS EVENLNG, will be performed the new drama of
GEORGE DXItVILLE, in which Mr. BenjaminWelbster, Mr.
Wright, Mr. Paul Redford, and Madame Celeste sill perform.
After which, 0,--FEAItFUL TRAGEDY IN THE SEVEN
DIALS-.!? -- - •
To ebncltide With" -the sketch of WELCOME, LITTLE
STRANGER.. ,
,Mr. Wright, Mr. Paul Bedford, &c.

ROYAL 'OLYMPIC THEATRE.
, Lessee, Mr. Alfred Wigan.
THIS J.,V,ENING, will No revived WIATEi AS TIIEY
WERE, AND MAID 'AS 'HEY ARE Mr. Addison, Mr.
Mr, F. Vining, Mrs. Stirling, Miss Swanborongh, &e.
To ooneludo ,with the original Extravagann., by R )bert
B. Brpugh, Esq., MASANIELLO. Messrs. Rob-
son, Coolie, Danvers, dre. ; Misses Swanborough, Thirlwall,
Hughes, brontley, and Mrs. Melfont.

'Commence at half-past Seven.

IjIO!YAL ,SCIRRW,Y THEATRE,
P 111 A J.,efishilsiSkssrs. Shepherd and Creswick.
Suecqes of 11143. gre4t English Tenor, Mr. Henry Squires.
THIS EVENING, (MONDAy), will be performed
IL TROVATORE.
Mr. H. Squires, Lucy Escott, and Miss Lan2.P,
To con&udo with THE DAUGHTER OF THE REGI
MENT. Mr. Manvers and Mies Dyer.

GREAT NATIONAL STANDARD
TiIEA.TRE.

Proprietor, Mr. John Douglas.
Professor ANDERSON in a round of Dramatic Characters,
supported by Mr. H•imilton Braham, Mrs. Vickery, &c.
THIS EVENING, will be performed
ROB ROY.
Rob Roy, Professor Anderson; Major Galbraith, Mr. H.
&ahem; Helen Macgregor, Mrs. Vickery.
Between th• pieoes Mr. J. G. Forde, the King of Comic
Vocalists, will open his R.reel of Fun.
TO 'conclude with THE LONE CHATEAU.

ASUZY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.
Lessee and Manager, Mr. W. Cooke.
Under the patronage of Her Majesty and His Royal Highness

Prince Albert.
Last Nights of the Splendid Spectacle of MAZEPPA.
Thegrett Parisian Equestrienne, Madlle. Mililos, continues
to b-3 received with unbounded approbation.
e THIS EVENING (MONAY), and every evening during
the week, the entertainments will commence with Lord
Byrotes grand spectacle of MAZEPPA AND THE WILD
HORSE. _

Mazeppa, Mr. James Holloway.
Concluding with a Brilliant Series of Mr. William Cooke's
Novel and Inimitable SCENES in the ARENA, in which
Madlle. Mililos will appear.
Commence at seven o'clock. Dress Boxes, 4s. ; Upper
Boxes, 35.; Private Boxes, from 215., no charge for booking;
Pit, 2s. ; Gallery, ls. ; Upper Gallery, 6d. Half-price at
balf•past Eight.
Box•ofice open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager,
Mr. W. West. Equestrian Director, Mr. W. Cooke, jun.

CANTERBURY HALL, Westminster-road.—
OPEN EVERY EVENING.—The follow-
ccirnpany of Vocalists are engaged for the performance of
Selections from all the popular Operas, Madrigals, Choruses,
lees, Duets, die., viz.: Miss E. Pearce, Mrs. Palmyre, Miss
cott, Ifiss Brunell, Miss Summers, and Madame Marietta;
Mr St. Aliyn, Herr F. Jonghmans, R. Grover, T. Far.
rant, S. Jones, J. Barker, W. Melling, P. Corri, Senor An
tonio M. •le Soils, and E. L. Hime ; Master Corri; Messrs.
Sam Collins, and E. Mackney. i'ianoforte, Mr Cecil
}Licks; harmonium, Master Willi tins ; Director, Herr F.
Jenghmtns. Commence at Seven o'clock precisely. Si ?-
Pers. die., until twelve o'clock

ktIOR WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

T 115 DAT—Morn. 47 min. aft. 5 —Even., 5 min. aft 6
To MnititoW----Morn., 22 min. aft. 6—Even. 42 mmn aft. 6