The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-03 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—Will you allow me, through your influential paper,
to make inquiries as to the issue of prize• money for India ?
Is this policy the policy for the times ? Is it expedient,
when mutiny is rising in our European army, to keep back
the just dues from English officers and soldiers ? lam an
officer, and have served there under a blazing sun, and
hardship, and toil, of long, weary marches after the rebel
Tantia Topee, and the Indian-office, in "magnanimous
generosity," have only given me a silver pictefre of the
Queen. This is.a prize ; but what men want is prize-money,
to pay for years of toil and sickness.
CNE OF THE WOUNDED IN INDIA.

P.S.—Regarding the medal, I value it, and wear it for
her beloved Majesty's sake ; but I would add, may be face-
tiously, "all is not gold that glitters."

CANTERBURY BALL.

Amongst the greatest novelties prepared for the holiday-
makers at this fentivc ocaaon of thp year is a ,4 Pantomimic
Sketch" at this attractive place of amusement. It em-
braces 18 different characters, in an " introduction and
harlequinade," very cleverly played by two persons, who
are rarely off the " stage," and who, by the impetuosity
of their drollery and thorough abandonment to the
spirit of pantomime, keep the audience in a roar from
first to last. There is no scenery, but all is bustle and
action. The characters, played in rapid succession, include
a couple of embonpoint fairies—intensely musical and
terpsychorean—who open the ball with initiatory ex-
planations : the conventional plough-boy lover and his love-
sick lass ; the " parient," indignant at that love, and his
soothing sister, cordial bottle in hand ; two demons from
the coal mines, who lead to the " Transformation (without
a) Scene ;" clown and pantaloon, &c. The changes of
dress are managed with astonishing rapidity, and the get-
ting up of the characters, down to every minutire of dress
and mask, is admirable. The dialogue and songs contain
some rattling hits at passing follies; and both in action
and in verbal quip and crank, this little piece de resistance
contains the quintessence of a regular pantomime.
In addition to the above Mr. Morton has secured the
services of two very talented performers, who go through
a number of astonishing feats, which are a great improve-
ment upon the usual style of acrobatic entertainments.
The painful distortions are entirely done away with, and in
place of which we have some of the neatest " tricks" ever
attempted. Of course, we cannot undertake a full descrip-
tion of their entertainment, but in order to give some idea
of it, we may mention that they, while in the act of turn-
ing this summersaults, accompany themielve s on the
violin. The applause they elicit is immense.

The operatic selections for the week are taken from " La
Figlia del Reggimento," " Norma,"," Sonnambula," and
"Martha," the principal solo parts being sustained by
Misses Russell, Tyrell, Williams, Madame Maria, Messrs.
Herbert, Bernard, and Signor Tivoli.
A great addition has lately been made to the comic de-
partment by the engagement of Mr. J. Blanchard, who bids
fair to become :as ',great a favourite as the renowned Sam
Cowell.

We recommend all those who wish for a cheerful and
entertaining evening's amusement to visit the Canterbury
Hall.

FRIGLITFUL COLLIERY .4 CCID.E.NT
AT MANSION, NEAR LEEDS.

Major Wand, of Manston, the eminent colliery proprietor,
has been for some time past engaged in sinking a shaft on
Brown Moor, near Whitkirk, Leeds, with the object of
reaching the deep Beeston bed of coal, which lies at a
distance of 200 yards from the surface. At the bye-pit,
which is already sunk 120 yards, and which goes by the
name of the "New' Old," the sinkers have been very much
inconvenienced by the stream of water which flows into the
shaft, and renders the use of expensive pumping •engines
necessary. On Tuesday morning, a little after seven o'clock,
Robert Taylor, a man about 40 years of age, W. Ambler, a
young man of 20, and the overman, Thomas Greenhow by
name, were on the cradle or half-moon of the bye-pit, on
their way to their work at the bottom. The engine had
only given a half •stroke when the crank broke, and the three
men were precipitated to the bottom of the shaft. The brake
was on, and would probably have the effect of keeping the
cradle exactly perpendicular, in its fearful descent, but it
did not further act in the way of arresting the progress of
the men. It is thought that the brake would not bite owing
to the slipperiness of the machinery, caused by the frosty
weather. As soon as possible after the accident, " crabbs"
were got into requisition, and Greenhow, who was alive,
and had sustained himself in the water, which was five
yards in depth, by the aid of a piece of wood, was brought
to the surface about eight o'clock. Re was in a very ex-
hausted condition, but will be fully recovered, having sus-
tained no severe bruises, in the course of a day or two. At
nine o'clock the bodies of Taylor and Ambler were also
brought to bank, and as they were not disfigured by their
fearful fall it is thought they must have been suffocates in
the water. Taylor has left a family ; Ambler was unmar-
ried. The inquest will be held this (Thursday) morning,
at the Lion and Lamb Inn, Seacroft. Mr. Morton, the
Government Inspector of Collieries, made yesterday a full
examination of the machineiy of the pit, and he will give
the result of his inspection before the coroner's jury.

The Isle of Wight mail packet, while proceeding
between Ryde and Cowes, yesterday, was struck near the
stern by a shot from the shore, where gunnery practice was
going on. The captain, fearing some serious damage was
done, prepared to lower his boats to save the passengers.
The steersman had just altered the course, or the shot
would have raked the stern and probably have killed some
of the passengers.

The steamer Pera, which will leave on Friday,
will take £154,376 in specie, of which £8,168 is gold and
the rest silver, Subjoined are the particulars, viz.:—For
Calcutta, silver, £73,490, and gold, £65 ; Shanghae,
£67,883 ; Hong Kong, silver, 4735 ; Madras, gold, £7,103;
Singapore, gold, £1,000; and for Malta, silver, £lOO.

ALLEGT:DENCROACEMENI ON PUBLIC

RIGHTS AT HIGHGATE.

-

YEserday afternoon, at a meeting of the St. Pan-
cras Representative Vestry, the subject of an at-
tempt about to be made to close an ancient public
foot-path, leading from the end of Swain's-lane, at
the foot of Highgate-hill, to Highgate-church, was
brought under consideration, and memorials were
presented on the subject.
Mr. Churchwarden CARTER occupied the chair,
and a report was read from the Highways, Sewers,
and Public Works Committee, stating that the com-
mittee had taken into consideration a letter which
had been received from Miss Burdett Coutts, calling
upon the vestry to close up a lane called Love-lane,
or Bromages-lane, Highgate ; that the committee,
having also viewed the locality, recommended that
the foot path should not be closed or abandoned,
being a :right of way for the public, but that it
should be properly repaired and drained, for which
they had directed the surveyor to prepare estimates.
Iwo memorials were presented, one from the in-
cumbent and curate of St. Michael's, Highgate, and
another from the incumbent and some forty or fifty
of the inhabitants of St. Ann's, Brookfield, stating
that the lane known as " Bromages-lane," or Love-
lane, leading from the north end of Kentish-town
by Swain's-lane to Highgate, was of no use or bene-
fit to the inhabitants, but for some years past had
been the resort of improper characters, and from
the immoralities practised there a great nuisance ;
that there were several schools in the neighbour-
hood, including the endowed public school of Sir
Roger Cholmondeley ; and as allowing the lane to
remain open only tended to immorality and was of
no public benefit, the memorialists submitted that
instead of any parish money being spent thereon,
it should be at once closed.
Mr. SILAS TAYLOR said he had a memorial to
present, which was signed by the whole of the
clergy of Kentish-town and the northern districts,
by 20 members of that board, and by upwards of
300 rate payers of Highgate and Kentish-town,
praying the vestry not to listen to the attempt to
close this right of way against the public. The
memorialists stated that, understanding an attempt
was being made to stop up the footpath (known as
.‘ Bromages-walk") leading across the fields from
Swan's-lane to Highgate, they urged the vestry
not to sanction, under the plea of immoralities
having occurred there (but which was denied by
the police), so unjust an encroachment on the rights
of the public, closing, as it would, one of the few
retired and rural walks still left in the neighbour-
hood of the metropolis, and debarring the inhabi-
tants of our crowded streets and thoroughfares
from seeking within so accessible a distance of
their own dwellings that fresh air and healthy
exercise which would thus be lost to them for ever.
He moved that this memorial be received and en-
tered upon the minutes.
Mr. C. CRANE seconded the motion, which was
carried.
Mr. DOUGLAS said there could be no doubt this
was a public right of way. He could remember it
himself 60 years ago. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. ECKETT said the subject was an important
one, and he moved that all the memorials be taken
into consideration when the estimates were brought
up.
This was seconded and carried unanimously.