The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-31 00:00:00

DUTCH MAIL.

ROTTERDAM, JAN. 24.—We learn, from good
authority, that the shipowners of this city have peti-
tioned his Excellency the Minister of Finance, in
order to obtain an improvement in forwarding the sea
letters from Bromoenhaven to Helvoet, so that they
shall no more he sent by the ordinary post, but, on the
arrival of the ships, immediately be forwarded by an
express at the expense of Government. We think
that this improvement is very desirable, for it now
very often happens that the letters reach their desti-
nation one, and even two days, later than they might
do, which is a great inconvenience to the merchants.
ZEVELLE, JAN. 23.—Some time ago a joint-stock
company was formed in this province for improving
the commercial road over the Zevoesche Drep. This
company has now presented an address to the King,
the contents of which are certainly remarkable. It
shows the advantages which may be expected from the
improvement; particularly that in Overyssels, which
has an area of 300,000 acres, nearly the half laying
waste, though the land is very well adapted to cultiva-
tion, only on account of the want of markets and
canals. Situated between the northern and southern
provinces of the kingdom, washed by the Yssel and
the sea, traversed by small rivers, and bounded by
North-western Germany, it possesses all means to-
wards a considerable development of its commerce
also, and it is no illusion to believe that this country,
with a population of 200,000 souls, might support
double the number if its waste lands were cultivated,
and its commerce relieved from the difficulties under
which it now labours.

THE HAGUE, JAN. 27.—We learn that his Royal
Highness Prince Frederick and his family will shortly
go to Italy.
It is said that Baron Huyssen Von IC-Itendyk,
formerly Minister of Foreign Affairs, and at present
Member of the first Chamber of the States-General,
is to succeed Mr. Rochusson as Ambassador of the Ne-
therlands at the Court of Belgium.
A Rotterdam paper mentions Mr. J. Boeye as the
probable successor of Mr. Rochusson.
DUTCH FUNDS.—AMSTERDAM, J. 27.
Money. Bills.
Actual Debt, 234 per Cent .• ••.••• • • • • 61% 64%
Ditto, 3 per Cent ....
Ditto, 4 per Cent..... ••••••.. • • • • • • 9834 99
Ditto, 5 per Cent... ••• • • •• • • 99% 100
.Amort Syndic, 434 per Cent.. •••• • • • • 99% 100
Ditto, 334 per Cent••
Commercial Company, 412 per Cant .• 14734 147%
East India Loan, 4 per Cent ••.•• • • • • •
Exchange on London, one month l2 20
Two months.
On llamburgh •• • •

—.. _
Two months.• •••••• • • • • • • 35 43.25
On Paris •• .• ...... ...... 59 06.25
Two months. ••••••• • • • • • • • 56 68.75
-Dutch Papers, Jan. 28.

NEW POOR-LAWS.—We understand it is the in-
tention of her Msjesty's Ministers to introduce a Bill,
during the coming session of Parliament, to amend the
New Poor-laws. It is proposed to make all the metro-
politan magistrates Poor-law Commissioners, as there
are more paupers relieved at the police-courts than at
all the bastiles in London. This alteration is expected
to give great satisfaction to the poor, as they then hope
to be favoured with prison diet, which is looked upon as
feasting.--Punch.

SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY,
EXETER HALL.
llandel's magnificent oratorio, Judas 3faccabeus,
was performed here last night as the Sacred Har-
monic Society alone can perform it. The Sacred
Harmonic Society—and that Society alone—can do
justice to the soul.stirring choruses of Handel. It is
true that at the provincial musical festivals great
things are done; but no set of chorus singers—albeit
each individual may he a most accomplished musician
—if they all meet together for the first time, and
for one occasion only, can give due effect to
the glorious concerted pieces of the Milton of
music. To do that, practice, arduous and long.
continued practice, is requisite ; each individual
must be used to the singing of his companions ; but
when, as is the case with the Sacred Harmoide
Society, we do meet with a body of 600 chorus
singers, each so used to the other's practice, and all so
admirably drilled as to go together like one vast in-
strument, how sublime is the effect produced. Never,
until the institution of this Society, had the lover of
Handel an opportunity of duly appreciating the
vast, the transcendent genius, of the mighty
maestro; and never did we feel more grateful to
the Sacred Harmonic Society for their efforts in
the cause of classical music than we did last even-
ing. Could Handel but come to life again for one
short hour to hear his magnificent choruses given as
they were given by the Sacred Harmonic Society,
how would he glory in his works. The solo parts
were taken by Mr. Manvers, Mr. Lockey, Mr. Leffler,
Madame Caradori Allan, and Miss Poulter. This
last young lady is, we believe, new to the musical
public. She has been known to the dilettanti for
some time as one of the most promising pupils of the
Royal Academy of Music, and her performance of
last evening reflects the highest credit both on
herself and on her instructors. Her voice
is a mezzo soprano of rich quality, and it
is completely under command. Nothirg could
exceed the correctness and beauty of her intonation,
and her enunciation is exceedingly clear and dis-
tinct. Her duet with Madame Caradori Allan,
" Sion now her head," was beautifully and correctly
given, and her solo, " Wise men flattering," was ex-
quisite. It was given with a true appreciation of the
beauties of Handel; there was no attempt to intro-
duce adventitious, and, in such a case, worse than
tasteless, graces. She gave the music as it was set down.
She was a tasteful; judicious, and correct developer
of the inspiration of the mignty master,. and, it is
needless to add, was rapturously applauded by the,
perhaps, most critical audience in the metropolis—for
the frequenters of the Sacred Harmonic Society are
the most acute and accurate musical critics in the
kingdom--they applaud but seldom, but they always
applaud in the right place, and to succeed with them
is to succeed indeed. We cordially congratulate
Miss Poulter. She has aimed high, and she has hit
the mark. Henceforth she will take her place among
the notabilities of the musical world. The Hall was
crowded to excess—in fact, too crowded to be com-
fortable ; every avenue was blocked up, and before
the conclusion of the first part there was not standing-
room.

THE THEATRES.
PRINCESS'S.
The public have no reason to complain of the want
of spirit, liberality, or activity in the management of
this establishment. On Wednesday there was a new
piece, or perhaps we should speak more correctly if
we said that Mr. Wallack appeared in a new part.
The title of the novelty is The Brigadier. In the
regiment of the Royal Guard of Louis XV. of France
are a captain and a private soldier, so extraordinarily
alike in person, that they are scarcely distinguishable
except by the difference of uniform. The first (who does
not mak", a personal appearance on the stage, but, like
Queen Elizabeth in Mr. Puff's tragedy, is only talked
of) is about to run away with a nun (Constance)
from a convent in the neighbourhood where the regi-
ment is quartered. To effect this, he invents a pre-
text for desiring leave of absence, which, as the regi-
ment is expected to face an enemy on the morrow, is
refused. The captain, being annoyed at this, drops
some hot words, and is placed by the colonel under
arrest for twenty-four hours. Determined not to be
thwarted, he exchanges uniforms with Bras de fer, his
double (Mr. Wallack), who is to remain under arrest as
locum tenens fdr his officer, while he departs on his
dangerous mission. The disguised officer is seen to
pass the lines towards the enemy's frontier, and so is
reported, as Bras de fer, a traitor and deserter. The
real Bras de fer is called upon, in his assumed capa-
city of the captain to sign a proces verbal against the
delinquent. This situation, as may be supposed,
affords scope for some excellent acting on the part of
Wallack. Bras de fer is privately married to
Louise (Miss E. Stanley), and it is her earnest
desire to have their union avowed, which the
former dare not do, fearing the anger of his supe-
rior officers. With this view she seeks the capta n,
to confess all and entreat his intercession with the
colonel. This is a very amusing scene, for the lady
expresses her feelings to the captain with rather more
ardency than is gratifying to Bras defer, who, in his
officer's uniform, listens to her story. Meanwhile the
real captain not only succeeds in carrying off the fair
lady, but in securing the convent itself, which is a most
i'nportant post at that time for the French army. Poor
Bras de fer is then exceedingly mystified by the entrance
of the fugitive nun, who, by the way, is niece to the co-
lonel (Mr. Granby), and who mistakes the soldier
for her lover. Here is another very amusing scene of
equivoque. The colonel discovers the flight of his
niece, but, for the sake of her reputation, not only
forgives all, but insists upon Bras de fer espousing
her on the spot. From this dilemma he is released by
the arrival of the captain, but the mistaken identity
being still partially continued, the soldier receives the
rank of brigadier in reward for the gallant action of
capturing the convent, which had been performed by
the officer. These are the materials, and slight as
they are, they afforded half an hour's very pleasant
amusement. Wallack, upon whom rested the whole
weight of the piece, was admirable and versatile as
ever, and Miss E. Stanley was pretty and piquant in
Louise. The piece was quite successful.

During the tempo°rairyYtleinCce of Miss Davenport
in the provinces, the management of this theatre has
determined to make legitimate opera a feature, and,
accordingly, last evening the opera of the Maid of
Judah was produced in a style worthy of any theatre
in the metropolis. Miss Alicia Nunn was the Re-
becca, Mr. Binge the Ivanhoe, and Herr Fidor the
Cedric. Miss Alicia Nunn is already well known
to the musical world. After a long pupilage in
Italy, after having been for a season or two the
prima donna at La Scala, she appeared at
the Italian Opera in London, and succeeded in
winning the suffrages of the most critical audience
in the world. Her success last night was complete,
albeit she was occasionally rather deficient in
intonation, being once now and then a shade too flat
for the music. Her Rebecca, as a whole, was an ex-
cellent and praiseworthy performance, and was much
and deservedly applauded. We never heard Binge
to greater advantage ; his voice, which is too weak
for the large houses, is just the thing for the Olympic,
and gave the exquisite music of Rossini with great
taste and feeling. In the celebrated bravura, "Hark,
the trump of fame now soundeth," he was deservedly
honoured with the only encore of the evening.
Herr Fidor has a fine bass voice, and went through
the part of Cedric respectably. The opera was very
well cast in the acting parts. Waldron, as Bois
Gilbert, was a most valorous and right doughty knight ;
and Broadfoot's Isaac was, with the exception of poor
Egerton's, the best we have seen. Our old friend
Rayner, as Wamba, was a " fellow of infinite jest."
He kept the audience in a roar the whole time he was
on the stage. The house was well attended, and the
audience were sent laughing home by the drolleries
of Flexmore as the clown in the pantomime, which
still continues as attractive as ever.

----- ---. --,...—__-
Ills Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, the
Bishop of Chester, the Dean and Chapter, the Marquis' of Westminster, the Earl of Stamford, Earl Grosvenor,
the Bishop of London, Wilbraham Egerton, Esq., Lord
Robert Grosvenor, the Marquis of Cholmondeley, and
Lord Crewe, are among the subscribers of donations,
from 20/. to 100/, each, towards repairing and enlarging
the Chester Cathedral, the cost of which is estimated at
5.000 L The Dean and Chapter of Chester has just
given a second contribution of 300 L in furtherance of
that object.
SETTING I PIKE. EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUM-
STANCE.—The following anecdote is given on the autho-
rity on whose veracity we can
of " An old sportsman,"
rely :—A gamekeeper to a nobleman in an adjoining
county, being shooting on his employer's estate, on the
2d of September last, flushed a covey of partridges, a
brace of which separated from the others and fled in a
direct line for a large fish-pond, by the side of which
was a foot-road leading to the mansion. The keeper
having killed a sufficient supply for the larder, was re-
turning, when one of his dogs made a stand by the side
of the pool, and on the keeper's approaching, the brace
of strayed birds rose, and attempted to cross the pool,
but the keeper shot one of them, which was immediately
sourrtphre ise
fish. taken, while flattering on the water, by a large pike.
ti. En'
But on the as he well
knew This t
vcircumstancevoracious
s
did
not
propensitiesmuch
morrow, as he was again passing this large sheet of
water, the same dog made what is termed a dead set at
the edge of it, and kept looking steadily at a few rushes
that grew in the water, about two yards from land. Not
seeing anything on the water, the keeper was surprised
at his dog standing, and tried to send him in, but without
effect, when presently he saw a large pike, about four
inches beneath the surface, which he shot, when the dog
dashed in and brought it to land. In returning home
the keeper perceived an unusual fulness in the belly of
the fish, and, taking it into the kitchen, requested the
cook to cut it open, when, to his great surprise, he found
the bird of his yesterday's killing, which sufficiently ac-
counted for his dog standing when he got to leeward of
the fish, as no doubt he was setting the bird, which he
must have scented from the respiration of the fish.---The
above is one of the many wonderful circumstances which
frequently occur to the observation of sportsmen._
it orcestershire Chronicle.

THE SL N, LONDON, FRIDAYMORNING, JANATARY 31, 164