The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-28 00:00:00

SACRED HARMONIC SOCIErY.

Mr. Costa's oratorio of " Eli " was again per-
formed by this society last night, at Exeter-hall.
This talented and successful work has already
acriieved a reputation, and its merits were attested
by the crowds who assembled to hear it last even-
ing. Mr. Costa himself was the conductor, and
the orchestra was as usual very efficient. Madame
Rudersdorff and Miss Dolby task the parts of
Hannah and Samuel, and d'stinguished themselves
very highly. Madame Rudersdorff, who took the
soprano part, was very successful in the air, " I
will extol thee." and Miss Dolby rendered the
music allotted to Samuel with her usual abi-
lity and expression. It had been antici-
pated that Mr. Sims Reeves would have
been prevented from attending by illness, but
ho did appear, and, not with,tanding the rules
of the society, was much applauded in the air
‘*PhiliAines, hark !" This passage, which is the
most striking in the oratorio, produced its usual
effect—the chorus catching up the war cry, and the
admirable adaptation of the instruments are very
effective. Signor Belletti took the arduous part of
Eli, and acquitted himself with credit. Mr. Mon-
tent Smith and Mr. Thomas, two promising singers,
who have lately appeared at this Society's perform-
ances, undertook the minor parts. The hall was
crowded in every part, and the audience apparently
highly gratified. The " Creation" will be the
next oratorio given by this Society, and will be
performed on the 13th of March.

MR. ALBERT SMITH.—The " Ascentrof Mont Blanc,".
which had been interrupted of late by a severe domestic
affliction in the family of this most popular of " enter-
tainers," was on Thursday night resumed with all the
éclat that usually belongs to it.
THE PEOPLE'S MONDAY EVENING CONOERTS.—The
Lord Mayor has kindly forwarded, through Mr. Under-
Sheriff Anderton, a donation of 51., in aid of the Fund
now being raised for defraying the expenses incurred in
establishing the Cheap Concerts for the People at St.
Martin's Hall. His lordship, with several of his friends,
recently attended ono of these popular concerts, and was
so highly pleased with the result, that, in compliance
with the express wishes of the managing committee, he
promised, at the earliest opportunity, to pay another
visit, with the Lady Mayoress, and, he hoped, the I
Sheriffs and their ladies.

THE BANK CHARTER ACT.—Yesterday an important
return in reference to the Bank Charter Act was issued,
showing the operations of "banks of issue." The names
of 47 banks are given which had ceased to issue their
own notes prior to the order in council, according to the
provisions of the act.7th and Bth Viet., c. 32. The
amount of the authorised circulation of the banks was
712,6231. On the 13th of December, 1855, the amount
of Bank of England notes issued under the order in
for replacing
council,
the amount of circulation with.
drawn by banks of issue up to that date, was 475,000/.,
since which date no further issue had been made. Fur-
ther, it is shown that seven banks have ceased to i sue
their own notes since the order in council, and they were
authorised to have a circulation of 111,0201.
ACCIDENT AT A BREWERY, RATCLllT.—Yesterday
morning, between 9 and 10 o'clock, a shocking accident
occurred at the premises of Messrs. Walker and Sons,
I llo,phin.Brewerv, Broad street, RAW if, to a man named
R4ger Spauswick, aged 45 years. He was standing on
I
the side of a copper containing a large quantity of boil-
ing liquor, when he slipped and fell in, and was scalded
in a most fearful manner. Ile was removed to the Lc:IL-
I don Hospiy, where Mr. Jenkins, the house surgeon,
nmelered every assistance to alleviate the poor fellow's
sufferings. He lies in a dangerous state.
THE VICTORIA CROSS.-I‘fr. C. F. Hancock, of Bru-
toi.--frreat, has been intrusted with the manufacture of
the Vict,ria Cross for distribution among the officers and
privates of her Majesty's soldiers who distinguished them-
selves for their valour in the late Crimean war. The
Cross, which is of the order " Victoria, instituted and
created 29th January, 1856," is manufactured from the
metal of Russian guns captured at Sebastopol. It is of
the Maltese pattern, and bears the inscription, " For
valour," the escroll being the Royal Ardis. It is to be
Worn by the navy with a, blue ribbon, and by the army
with are I. In execition it is neat, and will form for
the distinguished wearers a pleasing souvenir of their '
toils and perils that are past. The decoration carries :
with it a per,sion of 101. a year. 1

TFST f4l LAI •

CHINA.

PARIS, FEB. 27.

Lettera from Macao, of the 10th of January,
,state that the Emperor of China had just placed
in a state of siege the five ports of the Empire

open to Europeans.

The Paris correspondent of the Times (second

edition) says :

" The French and Turkish Ministers at Teheran
have received instructions to support England in
the present difference with Persia. The former,
in particular, has, I understand, been charged
by his Government to urge on the Shah the
necessity of ratifying the treaty which has
been negotiated in Paris, and the draft of
which has been submitted to the English Go-
vernment, and otherwise to co-operate to the ut-
most of his power towards the satisfactory solu-
tion of the question. If Russian influence be
not uppermost when the treaty is received at Tehe-
ran it will be ratified ; if otherwise, the chances are,
as I have already mentioned, against us. In the
meantime it is stated that an armistice has been
agreed on between the officers commanding the
British troops in Persia and the Persian forces.
The armistice will be in force for three months, and
will date from the Ist of March. Three months
would be about the time for the treaty to reach
Teheran, and an„answer to be received.
Having alluded to the convention said to have
been concluded between Russia and Persia on the
18th of January, I may again notice the fact, which
has not been denied, of the visit of a general of en-
gineers, accompanied by other officers of the same
arm, to the country about Mount Ararat and the
pass of Bayazid, and of their having examined and
taken plans of it, no doubt with a view to the erec-
tion of forts. The object, as averred, was simple curi-
osity or harmless study of topography—as harmless,
no doubt, as the archaeological visitrof the Russian
officers to Athens before the war broke out, when
King Otho was ordered to be ready.

"It is announced in the Patric that the Russian
Government has recently despatched a memo-
randum to the Russian diplomatic agents in foreign
countries, in which the union of the Danubian pro-
vinces is said to be as natural as it is desirable,
inasmuch as the population of the two Principali-
ties are the same by descent, by religion, and by
language, and that their union cannot by any
means be prejudi!_iat to European interests.

" The Neuchatel affair is not improving, and,
from what we can learn, all the parties concerned
are in a very bad humour with each other. The
Emperor Napoleon cannot but feel mortified at
being duped by the King of Prussia,

. . . whose word no man relies on ;
`Who seldom says a foolish thing, and never does a wise

one.'

"His Imperial Highness finds he has gone too
far in lecturing the poor Swiss, as he took
the liberty of doing when he thought he had' the
King of Prussia all to himself, and in pledging
himself to the Swiss that all would be right. He
finds now that all is not right. Then the King of
Prussia is angry that Dr. Kern should have pro-
claimed in all tha 'cabarets' of the Confederation
that the Emperor of the French showed him his
l Hyatt) and confidential letterz, in which the de-
scendant of the Great Frederick was understood to
pledge his word that if the prisoners were set free
renunciation would follow. These effusions were
of course most amicable, and not a little
:?
senti-
mental, and they bore the impress (so at all events
we are told) of being composed in those moments
when the Royal heart is most expansive. Then
again the Federal Government is annoyed that the
hopes it held out to the Cantons are not yet
realised ; the Cantons are indignant that
they are not realised, and feel that they have been
duped; and poor Dr. Kern, conscious of having
acted with much indiscretion, and of meriting the
charges of overweening vanity, if not of more
serious faults, is worried to death by reproaches,
to some of which he has certainly laid him-
self open. Russia has not named her Plenipoten-
tiary ; until that is done no day can be fixed for the
opening of the Conferences, and people here begin
to suspect that there is an understanding on this
point between Berlin and St. Petersburg. The
King is also vexed that the Royalistsshould, before
they were liberated, have signed a declaration that,
on their restoration to their country, they would
abide by the laws of the Canton of Neu-
chatel ; and, as might be expected, his
Majesty profits by every circumstance to avoid
fulfilling his promise—or what was entirely under-
stood as a promise. The Emperor of the French is
much to blame in this,affair; the moment the pri-
soners were liberated he should, without any delay,'
have summoned the King of Prussia to keep his
word. He showed bad taste and no small ingrati-
tude towards the Swiss in the beginning ; the best
way of redeeming his error was to have compelled
bis prevaricating brother' to perform his part of
the implied bargain."

The Paris correspondent of the Morning Post
(second edition) says :
" An exchange of despatches has lately taken
place between the Cabinets of Vienna and Turin of a
somewhat serious nature. M. Buol is understood
to have protested against the encouragement which
Piedmont offers to the national cause of Italy.
The reply of M. Cavour is said to be dignified and
loyal. The correspondence is reported to have
been submitted to the Governments of England
and France, The Austrian Cabinet has found, I
hear, little sympathy in Paris, 'whilst at the same
time her Majesty's advisers have not, by any
Means, encouraged the threatening language of
Austria. The relations between Austria and Pied-
mont are not likely to improve. The former Power
seeks to bully the Sardinians, and they are not in
a position to accept insult."

FRANCE.
The following telegraphic despatches have been
received :

TRIESTE, 26TH.—Intelligence from Constanti-
nople has been received to the 20th. The commis-
sion for organising the Turkish gendarmerie had
been nominated. The English fleet was still at
Bujukdere. Two intendants had been arrested
at Constantinople for being concerned in a consider:.
able robbery from the treasury of the Sultan. The
Hungarian Mehemet Bey had accepted a high com-
mand among the Circassiaus ; and 400 Pohs who
had belonged to the legion had left for Circassia.
The Russian flotilla in the Caspian Sea was, it was
said, to land 2,500 men at .A,strabad. Letters from
Athens to the 21st announce that a Greek student
' was found concealed with arms on his person in
King Otho's cabinet and arrested. He wag de-
clared to be insane."
4' TRIESTE, 26TH, EVENINO —Advices from Bom-
bay to the 2d state that Mr. Murray had arrived
at Bushire, and that the English were establishing
i
their head-quarters at Bassora."
" MARSEILLES, 26111.—News has been received
of
ed
from Palermo to the 21st. Theoffilecaiacil journal
er
Sicily states that Spinozza, second
tivegla's movement, and several other fugitives,
were is;
were arrested by the assistance of the peasants.

Letters from Naples to the 23d gate that the ut-
rnrlst tranquillity prevailed there."
" TURIN, 26TH.—The Grand Duke Constantin©
arrived here to-day."

BOURSE, Feb. 27.—The following were the last
quotations :
Cash. fr. c.
4i per Cents
3 per Cent 5..........- 69 75
New Loan —
Bank! Shares 4,200 Roman .....
Credit Mobilier 1,415 Austrian
Belgian Fives 99 - Spanish Threes
Piedmontese (5) 9O 75 Home Debt
RAILWAYS—FOR CASH.
fr. C. fr c
Orleans 1,415 Western - 820
Northern 970 Strasburg
Lyons 1,437 50 New Ditto 765
Mediterranean 1,825 Grand Central
Lyons Geneva
Cette

End of Month.
—fr. —c.
69 85

AUSTRIA.
The Emperor of Austria visited several interest-
ing monuments of Milan on the 23d, and among
others the Church of San Carlo, lately decorated
with two fine subjects executed in stained glass by
the Chevalier Bagatti-Valsecchi. His Majesty then
honoured the studio of the sculptor Magni with a
visit, when he admired some of the latest works of
that artist. Here M. Colla, a scene-painter of much
merit, laid the plan of a new cemetery for the city
of Milan before the Emperor. The cemetery, as
as far as we may judge by description, is con-
ceived much in the taste of the Cemetery of
Pere-Lachaise, and it is proposed to select a
space outside the town for it, between the Porta
Comasina and the Porta Nuova. His Majesty then
visited the Mint, a building dating from the teign
of King Desiderius (757). Here a medal was struck
in his presence, commemorating the Imperial visit
to Milan. The next place the Emperor honoured
with his presence was the Civic Museum, where he
particularly examined the collection of Subalpine
fossil shells, which is highly interesting. His Ma-
jesty afterwards returned to the palace.
A letter from Vienna states that M. de Bruck,
Minister of Finance, had arrived in that city on his
return from Italy.