The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-10 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—That .dashing style of
treatment which made last year's opera so delightful to the
public and so prosperous to the management, will character-
ise the present season. Mr. Lumley exhibits even an increase
of vigour in his present programme, instead of finding in
past success a moral Capna. The arrangements for his ballet
present an unprecedented accumulation of strength. Four
such artistes as Carlotta Grisi, Fanny Cerito, Mary Taglioni,
and Fanny Elssler, never before appeared in any theatre dur-
ing a single season ; and, in addition to these, we have Stephan,
Planquet, and Scheffre,with Frasi,whose beauty bestows a four-
fold charm upon her art. Perrot is wielding his sceptre as here-
tofore, and is busily at work upon a new ballet, to be en-
titled La Esmeralda, which will follow Herold's master-
piece, the Zampa, upon the opening night. This is to re-
store us "the" Hotta, anxious to expatiate the guilt of a
more easterly sojourn by her re-appearance on more aris-
tocratic boards. We may also announce a grand heroic
ballet, called Jeanne d'Arc, for Fanny Elssler's first appear-
ance. In opera, our old favourites and friends, the glorious
Lablache, those admirable artists Fornasari and Mario, the
divine Grisi, and that nightingale Persiani, come back to us ;
while the Signora Favanti, whom report describes as a star
of the first magnitude, and that excellent tenor,
Corelli, make their first appearance before an English
audience. Costa's opera, Don Carlos, which is composed
expressly for the company, will be produced ; and Ricci's
Corrado d'Almatura, with the Fantasma of Persiani, will be
added to the old repertoire. Such unprecedented attractions
ought to secure a splendid subscription, and will, we doubt
not, when coupled With.the intended visit of the King of the
French to these shores, produce a season whose brilliancy will
efface that of all its predecessors, We cannot close this
notice without a word for our own compatriote, Favanti, who
comes to us crowned with unfaded laurels, won in the land
of song. We hail the advent of this native syren with feel-
ings of mingled pride and pleasure, and feel convinced she
will receive the same 'warm welcome which has attended her
pro,ess through foreign lands.
HE LATE FATAL OCCURRENCE AT BARCLAY AND
CO.'S BREWERY.—Mr. Carter, Coroner for the Clink Liberty,
and a jury of the inhabitants, met at the Anchor Inn, Bank-
side, Southwark, yesterday afternoon, to investigate the cir-
cumstances attending the death of Henry Roberts, aged 39,
and John Steadman; aged 22. Thomas Harris, a labourer in
No. 16 store, deposed that, on Wednesday last, the deceased,
Mr. Roberts, who was foreman, gave instructions to Stead-
man and witness to get a ladder into the vat No. 71, in order
to descend and clear away the hops and sediment at the bot-
tom. While the ladder was being procured, Mr. Roberts was
supposed to have tried the safety of the vat by the usual
test—namely, by lowering a candle, as witness saw him with
a candle attached to a line. Mr. Roberts directed the de-
ceased (Steadman) to go down. The poor fellow 'descended
about three yards, when he returned. On reaching within
three feet of the top of the ladder, witness tried to reach
him, supposing he was Affected by the gas, but before he
could get hold -Of him Steadman fell over backwards.
Witness was . about to descend to the rescue of his fel-
low-workman, when Mr. Roberts placed • him on one
side, saying, " Let me go myself, Tom." He accord-
ingly went doWn and raised Steadman with his
right arm, and with his left hand appeared to be
loosening the handkerchief round his neck, when he sud
denly fell backwards with his arms extended, and Steadman
fell upon his legs. Witness raised an alarm, and several mess
came, and one, named Peter Hicks, was lowered with a rope,
round his body. Before, however, he had been let down two
feet, he showed signs of exhaustion, and was taken up again.
As it was not thought prudent for any one to make another
attempt to descend, drags were procured, and the body of
Steadman was got up in a quarter of an hour after the alarm
was given. He appeared to be quite dead. After the lapse
of another quarter of an hour, Roberts was got out, also dead.
Mr, Callaway, the surgeon, was sent for, and resuscitation
was attempted, but in vain. Witness had no doubt they
were suffocated by the carbonic acid gas that was generated
in the vat. William George Mountain, another labourer,
stated that he was the person who generally opened the vats
preparatory to cleaning them. The vat No. 71, in which the
two lives were lost, was opened about ten o'clock in the
morning of the day on which the accident occurred, and had
only been open about three hours. The vat had contained
East India ale, and it was unsafe to go into such a vat until
it had been open.some two or three • days, but in a mild beer
vat a man would take no harm directly it was emptied.
After the accident a candle was tried, and it would not burn
within six feet Of the bottom. The jury returned a verdict
of " Accidental death."

Li;';i;TOiNDIA AND HONG-KONG.—The fol-

lowing important notice was issued yesterday at the General
Post-office, St. Martin's-le-Grand :—" General Post-office,
Feb. 1844.—0 n and from the 15th inst., the postage on let-
ters posted in the United Kingdom and addressed to India,
marked to be forwarded via Southampton, may be paid in
advance or not at the option of the sender. This regulation
applies only to letters from places within the territories of
the Hon. East India Company conveyed by packet, vid South-
ampton, the postage on all other letters addressed to India,
vid France, as well as on all letters addressed to countries
beyond India (the colony of Hong-Kong excepted), by
whatever route they may be forwarded, must be paid in ad-
vance as at present, or the letters cannot be forwarded.—By
command, W. L. MABERLY, Secretary."
THE WILL OF AN ECCENTRIC AND WEALTHY BEG-
osa.—ln the i•arlsh church of Rotherhithe a tablet has been
erected to the memory of James Smith, who is designated Esq.
The career of this man has been a very extraordinary one, and it
shows how wealth is amassed by strict economy. He was a beggar
of no usual description, and though advanced in years, was one of
the most active of his class. His continued round of employment
was through two hundred and ten parishes, and his industry was
well rewarded. He left an immense deal of property, the chief
part for charitable purposes. None of the two hundred and ten
parishes have been forgotten, where he was kindly treated. To al-
most all he has left funds, but has carefully excluded from his will
all parochial authorities, in whose district he fancied he had been
neglected. To the parish of Rotherhithe, which was always a fa.
vourite resting place of his, he has left property which produces
40/. a year, and the interest of the money is thus disposed of:—
Upon each Sunday, after the sermon in the church, 120 loaves, of
the value of 6d. each, are distributed among the poor old people of
the parish, who thus profit by a beggar's wealth and gratitude; for
no doubt many of the recipients of his bounty have often given
their mite to the real and eccentric mendicant.

THE ITALIAN l/PERA.—The programme of 'the
engagements for the forthcoming season has just been Issued by
Mr. Lumley. It contains the names of Osisi, Favanti, and Per.
siani, Mario, Fornasari, Lablache; and in the ballet department,
Carlotta Grisi, Adelaide Fred, Fanny Ellsler, Cerito, and
Taglioni. The Opera will open in the first week in March, with
Fornasari and Persiani, in Herold's opera of Zampa. A brilliant
season is expected.
DEATH FROM DESTITUTION.—Yesterday, Mr.
Baker, the Coroner, held an inquest at the Black Horse, kingsland.
road, on the body of Johann Kuhulein, aged 40. John Smith,
gatekeeper at the Shoreditch workhouse, stated, that at eight
o'clock on Tuesday night last the deceased was found sitting on the
step of a door, in Hoxton, by police constable Dean, No. 205. De.
ceased was then in an insensible state, and the policeman had him
taken to the workhouse. Witness had him placed In one of the
wards, and sent for the parish surgeon. On the following day he
recovered a little, but not sufficiently to be able to speak. In the
night he grew worse, and at six o'clock the next morning died.
Witness found in his pockets a pawnbroker's duplicate for a pair
of shoes
,and a pistol, pledged at Dover, on January 15, 1844,
in the name of Henry Curling, of Ltmekiln.street. There was
also a book partly written and partly printed, and which contained
a description of Johann Kuhulein. The description agreed with
deceased's appearance, and it was supposed from some writing in
the book that he (deceased) had been a miller, and had travelled on
business through Dresden, Hamburgh, and many other places on
the Continent. Deceased was very poorly dressed in an old blue
coat, canvas trousers, and old cotton socks. From a passport in
his possession, and some entries in the book. witness thought the
last place he was at was Rotterdam. Mr. James Clark, the parish
surgeon, said that deceased was scarcely able to breathe when he
saw him. He died next morning, and witness had no doubt that
his death was caused by the want of food. Upon an examination
of the body nothing whatever was found in the intestines. Ver.
diet, " Natural death, accelerated by want and destitution."
LONDON FEVER HOSPlTAL.—Yesterday afternoon
the annual meeting of the Governors and supporters of this charity
was held, at the Freemasons' Tavern, the Earl of Devon in the
chair. Dr. Southwood read the report, which proved the exist.
ence in the metropolis of an awful amount of fever. The admis-
sions into the hospital were 1,462 during the year; being an excess
of 418 over the preceding year. In March fever was at its height,
and the admissions were 179. In the East-end there was little
fever compared with the central, southern, and northern districts,
where, iti some instances, there was not a house exempt from it,
which was attributable to the undrained, filthy, and closely.built
condition of these localities. A large proportion- of the patients
consisted of agricultural labourers and provincial mechanics who
came to Loudon in search of employment, and whose illness was
occasioned by want of food and clothing, and being obliged to sleep
in the open fields. Relapses frequently occurred twice and thrice.
The gross mortality was about 16/ per cent. Twenty-nine nurses
, and some officers of the hospital were attacked with fever, of whom
six died. The number restored to health during the year was
1,224 The receipts were 2,5561. as. 7d., and the disbursements
,9801. 14s. 10d., leaving a debt of 400/. After the adoption o
of
peptuibtiloicn
bodies,
eGa.oivaeranimd eanftt,
the
e theh
aCaopri pt
fr t, it
Loudon,wa resolveda
ndThe Earl of Devon was re-elected president, and the other officers
trhateiornep:
for the year wereappointed. After which thanks were voted to the
o t hteor
Noble Chairmen.