The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-29 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

Mr. Gye last night gave the first representation
this season of Donizetti's " Favorita,' with Grid
and Mario as the representatives of the heroine and
hero. These pets )nations are thoroughly familiar
to the patrons of the theatre, aad have long.been
ranked among the best of the combined efforzs of
the two moot popular operatic artists of the day.
Grisi, who is singing this year with little deteriora-
tion either of voioe or fluency, avien compared
with herself in 1856, delineated the unfortunate
"favourite" with all her native force, and, in the
principal scenes, exhibited an energy.and passion
which she has not lately, and scarcely in her prime,
surpassed. The character is -one of her finest,
and like the Valentine in the " Huguenots," and
other striking melodramatic parts, will always be
honourably associated with her name. Mario, too,
has invested Fernando with an interest as vivid
and enduringas that appertainingtothe Leonora of
Grisi. Nor could it be otherwise. If there ever
were perfection, it is to be found in his delivery of
the pretty romanza " Ah si, un angelo," or, again,
in the "Angiol d'amore" in the last act, one of the
most pathetic effusions as sung by him, that ever
dropped from mortal lips. The separate airs, in
common with the more elaborate portions of the
music, were given by this exemplary singer last
night with his usual admirable effect. Graziani was
the king, and Zelgar the monk B.tldassare. The
house was well attended.

THE RUSSIAN RAILWAY ROBBERY

SCHEME.

The Steele thus replies to some remarks made by
the .Nord on its article on the Russian railways :
. "We have never sought, as the echo of St.
Petersburg asserts, to direct any insinuations
against the men who have placed themselves at
the bead of the enterprise. We only stated that
by the statutes of the company, the majority of
the council of a'lministration wi I always. remain
Russian. Also, 'we cannot conceive that our re-
gret that the majority should not be composed of
French Men, or of any other nation, can be con-
strued into a crime. We thought we wore paying
a compliment to the non-Russian members in pie-
.
ferring them to their Muscovite partners, but their
clumsy friends have imagined that it was our wish
to insult them. We are also a'..x.used of, having
wilfully' forgotten to mention that the foreign
directors can not only be represented in the deli-
berations of the council, but that they form in
Paris a committee which in'erferes in all import.
ant questions. It is true that we wilfully omitted
this circumstance and many others that we might
have mentioned; we did not wish to draw atten-
tion to the hopes that are entertained of blinding
the eyes of the public by means of such illusory
guarantees as are trumpeted about. You will be
represented, it is very true, but by whom I By
Russians ! You deliberate in Pad., but on what ?
Only on that which is found convenient for you to
be made familiar with. You will deliberate whilst
in Russia they will act ; yet you tetra this a serious
guarantee. We shall return to this subject if neces-
sary, but we believe that we have sufficiently indi-
cated its character and object to permit everybody
to make up his mind on the question. For our own
part we persist iu beLeving that our capital would
be infinitely better employed in completing our
great lines and our branches, in endowingalgeria
with q, complete network, and in reducing the rate
of discount, which weighs on agriculture, industry,
and commerce,"
The remaining journals contain no articles of
interest.

DIAiIKET NEWS.— (This ay )

CORN. EXCHANGE.

The supply of English wheat on sale here to-day, coast-
wise and by land carriage, was very moderate. For most
descriptions we have had a fair demand, at Monday's im-
provement in the quotations.
Foreign wheat, the show of which was good, sold slowly.
In prices, however, no change took place.
We were fairly supplied with foreign barley, but the
show of English was limited. The barley trade ruled
steady, at full prices.

. -
Malt ruled inactive, but not cheaper.
We bad a good demand for oats, and prices were well
supported.
Beans, peas, and flour roo:ed off steadily, at late rates.

ARRIVALS THIS WEEK.
Wheat. Barley. Malt.
1,770 1 2,010

Oats.

English.
Irish

Flour.
1,36 J

Foreign..,,, 1'2,660 14,180

1,690 I
11,750 • --

BOROUGH HOP.
There is a moderate business doing in most kinds of hops
and prices generally are supported.

WILITECHAPEL.

Beef from 3s 2d to 4s 6d; mutton, 38 4d to 4s 8d ; lamb,
4g 6d to 5s ; veal, 4s 01 to 4s 8d ; pork, 43 Od. to 53 Od
per 81hs., by the carcase. A moderate demand.

SALE OF DRURY-LANE THEATRE SHARES.—Yesterday,
at the Auction Mart, Mr. Robins submit,ed to public
auction the following shares in the Theatre Royal
Drury-lane :—A renter's share of 5001,, originally en•
titled to 2s. 6d. per night of performance, since reduced
to I.s. 31 per night, but now paving an annual dividend,
with a free admission, transferable or saleable, annually,
held for an unexpired term of nearly 40 years—sold at
44 guineas. Five 1001. joint stock or Fropri. tors' shares,
affording a nomination tor the general committee, with
a life nomination to the freedom of the theatre, to be
filled up at any time—sold at 5 guineas the lot. Five
birailar shares, at the same price; while a third lot of
similar shares sold at 7i guineas,