The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-30 00:00:00

" THE OXFORD" MUSIC BALL.

West-end patrons of Epsom may vind-up the
day's festivities with advantage, by paying a visit
to this magnificent hall, where they wil find much
to delight the sight and enchant the ear. We are
glad to hear that a judicious advocacy of the claims
of the music-halls to a recognised and unfettered
position amongst the entertainments of the metro-
polis is likely to result in a satisfactory compromise
between these new claimants upon poplar favour
on the one hand, and the theatrical interests on the
other. The Oxford Music Hall, although the newest
in the field, may be regarded as a most favourable
type of the class of amusement to be found in these
establishments.

When at " The Oxford," a night or two ago, we
heard two admirably represented operatic selec-
tions—the one from Verdi's " Macbeth," and the
other from Meyerbeer's " Dinorah." To hear one
of such selections is worth the whole admission
money. You get the creme de la creme of operas
in this their compressed form. A person may be
very far from ignorant of the beauties of Italian or
German opera who has only heard it through the
medium of the concert hall. Especially would we
make this remark on the " Dinorah" selection,
which fully retains the aroma and rich warmth of
colouring of the original. The pure and artistic solo
singing of Miss Ernst and Mr. Greville as Dinorah
and Hoel, is just what we should like to hear on
our English operatic stage—and that is the best
praise we can give it. The singing of Miss Russell,
the prima donna assoluta (to borrow from the ope-
ratic vocabulary an apparently exaggerated but
really deserved designation), is also rich in florid
execution. The choruses and band accompaniments
are admirable, and reflect much credit upon the
conductor, Mr. Jenghmans. Turning from the
concerted music we come upon a rich vein of comic
singing. There is little Mr. Randall, who, on the
night we were present, amongst other things, cast
the ;horoscope of the " Derby" with perhaps as
much prophetic knowledge, and with much less mys-
tery than more professional vaticinators. Perhaps
he will predict the winner of the Oaks. Mr.
Randall sings some new and capital songs—little
pieces de circonstance—with unction, just emphasis,
and clear articulation—the latter quality being a
desideratum too often neglected. He causes shouts
of laughter by a song in which he depicts the
eccentricities of the various nigger potentates—
from the swarthy apostrophiser of " Sally" to the
sable hero of " The Strand." " The Young Man
from the Country" is another song containing a
ludicrous exposition of character. So clever a youth
as Mr. Randall makes him could have come from
no other county than York. It would throw a
London detective into a delirium of admiration to
see his splendid checkmating at little schemes for
destroying his peace of mind and emptying his
pockets. In Miss Harley and Mr. Hollingsworth
you will also find quaint, and in Mr. Blanchard and
Mr. Wieland robust exponents of different styles of
comic singing. It is rich in every variety of
amusement, which we have not space to deaoribc,
but in which the public may pleasurably share.

TENNIEL'S cartoon in Punch this week, " The
Derby Obstruction," is certainly one of the most
deliciously humorous caricatures we ever remember
to have laughed at, even in our delightful London
Charivari. Dizzy—as that most irritating and
defiant of costermongers on his donkey tray-upon-
wheels—" Shan't get out o'the way. I'd like to
upset the lot o'yer." Pam, on the box-seat of
the Great Government-drag, cooly chewing his
everlasting scrap of straw, while interrupted in
tooling his powerful team down the road. Glad-
stone, beside him—tthe unveiled Prophet of Khoras-
san—his ittensioldedacross his- breast with an air
of gentlemanly obstinacy. Little JOHN on the
back seat—a sort of " Tiger Tim" of a Guard—for
once not: intent, apparently, on " upsetting the
coach." But quiet though John the Guard may
be—is there not right in front of the high-
mettled team that vexatious and alarming Dizzy
the costermonger—whose "turn out" (caricature it
though Punch may, thus extravagantly), may just
prophetic as
possibly'asa " turn out," prove to be literally
a Derby Obstruction, bringing to
grief after all that grand drag of the Government.

We understand that, under the late Duke of
Bedford's will, Lord John Russell inherits the estates of
the late Earl of Ludlow, in Ireland, worth £3,000 a year,
and valued at £120,000.

Lord Brougham has consented to preside at a
public meeting which is to be held on Saturday, the Bth
June, in St. James's Hall, for the promotion of self-sup-
porting boarding-schools for the lower and middle classes,
in connection with St. Nicholas College, Shoreham.

Although the official accounts received from India
by the Government by the last mail are believed to have
been especially satisfactory, it is still thought that Sir C.
Wood will ask power to raise a new loan of £1,000,000, and
that the application will be laid before Parliament early
next week.

From the present quotation of India Bonds, and
the fact that an advance has been found necessary in the
rate on Exchequer-bills, it is surmised that an increase of
their current interest to at least 41 per cent. must shortly
be resolved upon.
__

THE GALWAY CONTRACT.—Mr. Lanigan will
this evening ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the
representations made to her Majesty's Government on be-
half of the Royal Atlantic Steam Nayigation Company
relative to a recent letter of the Postmaster-General in re-
ference to the Galway contract have been considered, and
with what result.

MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT ON TUE GLASGOW AND
SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.—The train which was due
at Carlisle at 7.25 p.m. hut night did not arrive at the time
stated, and a telegram was despatched to ascertain the
cause of the delay. It was then found that the engine had
run off the line into a field, the carriages following. The
mail guard was killed on the spot, and a gentleman named
Crowther, of Harrowby, near Carlisle, died on his way to
Carlisle, from internal injuries. Several other passengers
were severely injured. The cause of the accident has not
been ascertained.

THE GALWAY PACKET CONTRACT.—A return
was made to Parliament yesterday of the substance of the
reports of the Admiralty and Board of Trade surveyors on
the steam ships employed by the Atlantic Royal Company
in conveying the mails between Galway and America. Mr.
J. Luke, the Admiralty surveyor, reports of the Pacific on
the 9th of July last, that in his opinion the general strength
of the vessel was not satisfactory for the transatlantic mail
service, and that she could not justly be regarded as con-
stituting a fair compliance with the true spirit and meaning
of the contract. The Parana was reported on the sth of
August to be fit for temporary but not for permanent ser-
vice; and ou the 31 of the present month the speed attained
by a trial on a previous day is reported insufficient to seem
a fulfilment of the stipulations of the contract. The Ad-
miralty surveyor's report on the Prince Albert in October
last, and on the Adriatic last month, was satisfactory, An
inspection of the Hibernia on the 6th of last month, after
she had encountered a heavy gale on her passage from
Southampton to Galway, indicated such a deficiency of
strength (according to two surveyors) as to render her un,
seaworthy. On the Ist of April the report on the Columbia
mentions several faults, but the surveyor considers the
vessel fit to carry the mails for two or three voyages during
the summer service. Several deficiencies were indicated by
the Board of Trade surveyors last y ear in the Brazil and
the Connaught; but the usual certificates were granted.
After the Board of Trade survey of the llibernia last
month, her certificate was, on the recommendation of to o
surveyors, cancelled,

LATEST NE WS.

NAPLES, MAY 29, EVENING.
The brigands who attacked the city of Sora were
commanded by Chiavone.
On being pursued by the Italian forces they re-
crossed the Roman frontier, after burning the
village of Castelluccio.
M. di San Martino has inaugurated his Govern-
ment with firmness. He has despatched orders to
the provinces to suspend the execution of the bri-
gands who had been condemned.
The trial of Duke Cajanello is drawing to a close.
He is treated with. great kindness.

MADRID, MAY 30.

The Correspondencia Autografa of to-day says :

" There is no fear of war with Morocco. The
Government has decided not to undertake a war on

a question of money."

THORN, MAY 29.

Yesterday and the previous day conflicts between
the police and the people took place before the
Carmelite church at Warsaw, occasioned by the
former taking down the names of those who sang
the national hymn.
Gendarmes were despatched to the scene of the
disturbances and re-established order.

A proclamation, signed by the governor's deputy,
has been posted up at the corners of the streets
exhorting the people to keep the peace, otherwise,
it says, severe measures will be taken.
Gen. Merchelewicz, military governor at War-
saw, has been entrusted with the supreme control
of the civil adminiistration.
The health of Prince Gortschakoff has somewhat
improved. It is said that he has received leave of
absence for one ycar.

It is also asserted that MM. Platanoff and Kar-
nicki have been relieved of their functions. The
latter has lett with his wife for his estate in

Lithuania.

ATHENS, MAY 29.

Several officers of high rank and some subalterns
have been arrested. The Ministers have been sum-
moned to meet in. council. Domiciliary visits have
taken place. The motives for this measure are un-
known. Public order prevails ; but great uneasi-
ness exists among the people.

FR AN CE.

PARIS, WEDNESDAY.

In to•day's sitting of the Corps Legislatif the
bill for the modiffication of the import duties on
grain, flour, and other alimentary commodities was
agreed to by 228 against 12 votes.

The members talf the different academies of the
Institut de Fran.rce assembled to-day, and, by 96
against 50 votes, confirmed the choice of M. Thiers
for the Emperor's prize of 20,000 f. for his " His-
tory of the Cons elate and the Empire."
According to telegrams received here to-day
from Constantinople, the International Conference,
in its third sittixg, accepted the proposition of
France that Sy via should be governed by a single
Christian chief.

The Marquis (Le Lavalette, the French Ambassa-
dor at Constantinople, is expected in Paris at the
and of June.

M. de Clercy Itas concluded his mission to Ber-
lin, and the ne; ;otiations for the Treaty of Com-
merce will not be resumed between France and
Prussia until th e latter Power shall have come to
an understanding on the bases of the treaty with
the other Germe ►aa States who have an interest in
it.

The Emperor 'Wft Paris yesterday morning by a
special train for Havre, It is said that one of the
special objects ol ts his journey is to judge for himself
whether the cite tdel of Havre, which the munici-
pality wants to have demolished, hut which the
military Pngl.ct n-ca think very hupnrtaut iu a de-
fensive point of view, is to remain or not. His
Majesty will ret am to Paris at 11 this morning.
A person who has just returned to Paris from a
tour in the south'. of France speaks of the large
sums spent in fc prtifying the islands of Hyeres.
There are four of these islands, lying near the en-
trance of the bay --namely, Porquerolles, Portgros,
Bagneau, and Ile ,du Titan. On these islands the
engineers have be en busily occupied for some time.
A sum of 750,000 f. is spent in putting Porquerolles
and Portgros, whi Oa is the smallest of the four, in
excellent condition t, and completing its four forts,
and 350,000 f. on o tlher works, as if an attack wero
expected. The sai n e person reports that there is a
strong feeling of di s satisfaction in the South at the
evacuation of Syria, by the French troops, and cor-
responding ill-feeli.z ig to England, to whom the
evacuation is attrib'r Ited, it being of course lost sight
of that when the .0 Xench Government signed the
Convention fixing t. he sth of June they meant to
observe it. But tt is is not the only subject for dis-
satisfaction. In son c e places the feeling of the clergy
on the Imperial po I icy in the Roman States is so
strong that the Sal c Untfac Domine is omitted to be
chanted at the masks.. My informant also speaks of
the commercial dis t ress prevailing in those parts,
and of the alarm ca .sed by the continued drought,
which has already d one much injury to the crops
and to the vines. ]ti i several of the Southern de-
partments the elm 7 have been ordered by the
bishops to offer up d aily prayers for rain.
Another instance of the liberality of the Govern-
ment. M. Dumme ri ty, the publisher of the Due
d'Aumale's pamphlet , in addition to his six months'
imprisonment and GA )00f, fine, is to be consigned to
ruin. An order of the Prefect of Poliee has been sent
him, withdrawing hi; s licence, and ordering him
immediately to close his establishment. M. Beau,
the printer, has also In en deprived of his licence. It is
worth remarking, tin t this is the first instance of the
application of such a.] igorous measure. M. Billault,
whom no one can ch:u •ge with over-tenderness for the
press, never ventur ci I upon such an arbitrary exer-
cise of power. It vr as reserved for M. de Persigny,
that enthusiastic ad a Lirer of English liberty, to carry
persecution to an e3d tent unprecedented even under
the Empire. The 'atrie, however, assures its rea-
ders that the mea 31 ire is strictly legal—" It has
taken place in fulfilm lent of the 12th article of the
law of October 21s1;, 1814, which provides that the
license may be witb,d rawn from printers and book-
sellers after the correctional conviction, no matter
on what charge." D,; adds—" M. Beau had under-
gone five condemnati .ons in the correctional courts,
and M. Dummeray t wo."
BOURSE, May 29'. —The market has been rather
firmer, and prices ha ye slightly improved. Threes,
forthe Account, are x ow at 69f 20c. Railway Shares
are quiet, but firm., The following were the last
quotations :

4f per per Cents ... 9 3 Credit Fouler 9SS
Do end month.... 9 3 25 Belgian 4f _
3 per Cents
Do. end month 4)9 251 Roman
Bank Shares %— Austrian
Credit Mobilier.... ,ri )1 25 Spanish Threes 5Ol
Do. Account '4,102 53 Home Debt -