The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-14 00:00:00

MARKET NEWS.—(This Dly.)

CORN EXCHANGE.
GENERAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN
For the week ended May 14, 1857, made up from the Re-
turns of the Inspectors in the different Cities and Towns in
England and Wales, per Imperial Quarter.
WHEAT I BARLEY OATS I RYE BEANS PEAS
55s 10d 43s 5d 23s 3d 41s 5d 41s 5d 39s 2d
THE SIX WEEKS' AVERAGES.

WHEAT BARLEY OATS 1 RYE BEANS PEAS
I 54s 2d 44s M 23s 45d 378 4d , 40s ld 39s Od
ENGLISH GRAIN SOLD LAST WEEK.

Wheat, 114,930; barley, 13,119; oats, 10,422; rye, 30;
beaus, 6,666 ; peas, 621 quarters.

MEAT MARKETS.
NFARGATE AND LRADENHALL.—Beef, from 3s 01 to 4s 4d;
Mutton, 3s 4d to 43 8d ; Lamb, 4s 101 to 58 10d ; Veal, 38
81 to 4s S.l; Pork, 3s 6d to 4s 10d per 81bs, by the carcase.
Trade dull.
SOUTHALL, May 13.—The supply of fat stock was mo-
derate, and the trade ruled inactive, as follows :—Beef,
from 3s 43 to 4s 8d ; Mutton, 3s 6d t 5s 8d ; Lamb, 5s
01 to 5s 101; Veal, 4s 01 to 5s 01; Pork, 48 01 to 58 01
per 81bs, to sink the offal.
ROMFORD, May 13.—The trade generally was inactive,
and prices were not supported :--Beef, from 3s 4d to 4s
101 ; Mutton 34 61 to 5s 10d ; Lamb, 5s Od to Cs 01;
Veal, 4s 01 to 55 01 ; Pcrk, 4s to 5s Od per 81bs.

HAY MARKETS.
SMITIIFIELD.--Meadow hay, 2/ 15s to 4/ 4s ; clover do.,
3/ 103 to 5/ 53; and straw, 11 63 to 11 103 per load.
Trade steady.
CUMBERLAND. —Meadow hay, 21 153 to 4/ 4s ; clover
do., 31 53 to 5/ Os ; and straw, 1/ 53 to it 103 per load.
A fair demand.
VPHITECHATEL.—Meadow hay, 2/ 103 to 4/ 4s clover
do., 3/ los to 51 5e ; and straw, 1/ 53 to 1/ 1.03 per load
Supply good.

MEDITERRANEAN EXTENSION TELEGRAPH.—The pros-
pectus has been issued of the Mediterranean Extension
Telegraph, with a capital of 120,000/., in 101. shares, and
a guarantee from the English Government of 6 per cent.
for 25 years. The object is to carry the line, which has
already been laid to Sardinia, to Mafia and erfu, where
a communication will ultimately be effected with the
Euphrates line to India. Its length will be about 700
nautical miles, and a contract has been made for its
completion by October next, the manufacturers taking
all the risk of laying it down. From the number of ves-
sels touching at Malta a large revenue is especially con-
templated from that port. The tariff rates will be fixed
with the consent of the Government, and are not to be
liable to redUction, except when the profits of the cunt-
pany shall exceed 12 per cent. Mr. Samuel Gurney is
the chairman, Messrs. Ilankey are the bankers, and
Mestrs, Mullene, Marbhall, and Daniell the brokers.

•
The drama and the arts have been nk
an irreparable loss—the Princess's
was he imminent risk of a conflagration'. \ ,
It will be remembered that. the " act tiro
technically called, is at this theatre a curtain farimft
velvet divided in the centre; when this is down it isl6e
custom to let fall the " drop" behind it, so as to deaden
the sound from the stage to the front. Just before the
curtain is raised, the "drop" is pulled up. The act of
doing this causes a draft towards the front, which is
usually shown by the bellying out of the curtain, like a
sail suddenly catching the wind.
The fifth act of Richard the Second was just about to
commence, and the drop had been elevated preparatory
to erawing aide the curtain, when it was disc
vered that the current of air suddenly let in had impelled
the sides of the curtain against the "floats," or rows of
gaslights at the sides, and th tt it had caught fire !
The alarm was instantaneous both before and behind
the curtain. The welcknown fearful outcry betokening
first surprise, then terror, and finally panic—was raisers
among the auciience. Luckily, from behind the scenes,
where the most numerous dramatis persona ever known
upon a stage were collected—not less than 400 boing
engaged in the performance of " Richard the SecJild"—
immediate and efficacious aid rushed f while, with a
devotedness and a heroic courage beyond all praise, Mrs.
Charley Kean—while her husband did all that a man
could in assisting on the stage to control and regulate the
action of so many well-disposed friends—herself stepped
forward in front of the burning curtain, and assuring
the audience, by her voice, 11,r earnest gesture, and,
above all, by her own noble example that there was no
Auger ; that there was no more " fire" than what they
saw, and that they would speedily see that " fire"
eietinguithed—succeeded in allaying the rising tumult
and terror in the front of the house. The audience
resumed their seats ; and then might be seen the
remarkable spectacle of an audience sitting to see, not
the mimic spectacle of, human passa'm and terror, but its
reality—themselves, to no small extent, forming a por-
tion of the drama, and OOOtributing to its interest, and
its terror, for it was to save them from what must have
been the fatal consequences of a panic under such cir-
cumstances that /eirs. C. Kean, forgetful of a woman'a
fears and her own safety, generously and courageously
devoted herself.

To tear asunder the curtain quickly, to pull avey,the
burning fragments, to cut the re pea that heldriOstiO toe
let it fall in one blazing heap upon the stage, waa the
work of a few minutes. It was the courage of the in-
stant, the promptness of those few minutes, and the'
ready presence of so many auxiliaries, that saved the •
Princess's Theatre—now the only seat of the Britieh.
Tragic Muse, the home of Shakspeare, and the treasury ,
of the fine arts—from the fate of the Olympic Theatre, -
The coellagration of which was due to au exactly simi-
lar accident, which occurred immediately previous to
the admission of the audience, and when but three per-
sons were near the stage. Air. Hodson, the mechanist,
the firemen of the house, indeed every person in the
establishment, from Mr. Charles Kean down to the very
lowest sunernumerary and humblest carpenter, deserve
unqualified praise for the courage and presence of mind
which they, ono and all, exhibited. The fire was tx-
tinguished in about seven minutes from the commence-
ment, if time can be calculated under such circumstances;
and order being for a moment restored, Mr. Charles
Kean came forward to the front of the footlights, hold-
ing Mrs. Kean by the hand. A few words, exhausted as
he was from excitement and the labour of the occasion,
sufficed to reassure the audience, who greeted them
both with nine cheers, given " with a will."
Among the few words said by Mr. Charles Kean was
(the public will be glad to hear) an announcement that
so small had been the damags i-ustained that the per-
formances would continue uninterrupted, and the theatre
would re-open this evening.
The audience separated quietly, and we are able to
say that the whole passed off without casualty of any
kind.

4, PER
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