The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-25 00:00:00

VAN AMBURGH.

We have had an opportunity of inspecting the esta-
blishment of the above spirited individual at his stables,
near the Horn's Tavern, Kennington, and, we confess,
we had formed but an inadequate opinion of it.
It is but partially known that Van Amburgh started
a travelling collection of animals (including his own
justly celebrated menagerie) in May last, and his suc-
cess has exceeded his most sanguine expectations, in
consequence of which, he contemplates remodelling it on
an extended scale. New carriages, of the most novel
construction, additional animals, ten beautiful cream-
coloured horses (daily expected from America), in addi-
tion to his former splendid stud of greys, are among the
novelties contemplated.
The manner of exhibiting wild animals in this.
country has scarce undergone any change or improve-
ment in our recollection ; the same heavy, ponderous
carriages, with their tasteless, uncouth decorations ; the
same inefficient arrangements; and the same noisy, vulgar
fellows, as showmen, have been the distingushing charac-
teristics (with but few exceptions) from time immemo-
rial. It remained for Van Amburgh to open a new
era, to strike out a new system from the dull beaten
one of his predecessors, and to raise for himself a
pre-eminence by the taste and costliness of his appoint-,
ments, the manner and appearance of his. attendants,
and the novelty and originalty of his daring performances.
Another improvement, and a most striking one, is the
method pursued with regard to his exhibiting. At the
day advertised there is the collection, and the same
punctuality obsnved in its departure ; thus enabling
him to keep faith through the line of his route.

To the strict observance of all these particulars we
attribute his success, and which will, we have no doubt,
in spite of the somewhat diminished attraction of tra-
velling manageries, ow;ng to the establishment of Zoolo-
gical Gardens in various places), long continue to at-
tend him.

On the 6th instant, says the Toulonnais, as a
painter, who had emigrated to Algiers was travelling in
search of employment, he got enveloped in a dense fog,
near Ben Ackoun, on his way to 1)ely Ibrahim. His
attention was suddenly roused by a loud roar, which at
first he took for the lowing of an ox in one of the in-
closures ; but, on its being repeated, he found himself
face to face with a monstrous lion. The poor painter,
though more dead than alive with terror, retained suffi-
cient presence of mind to brave the animal with his
shouts, and, thus acti▪
ng on the known nature of the
beast, put him to flight. Having communicated his ad-
venture to M. Dumartin, the land-surveyor at Dely Ibra-
him, that gentleman, with permission of the colonel in
command of the
garri▪
son, went out with about thirty
officers and soldi▪
ers in chace of the lion, but did not fall
in with it. A day or two afterwards the same animal
was seen at Elbi▪
er, near
.Algiers, and a general battue
was contemplated to relieve the country from this un-
welcoma intruder, and of several others who have come
down to the plain of Mitidjah, since it was deserted by
the Arabs.

The police arrested on Tuesday a female who had
been for some time carrying on an extemtve system of robbery
in the first-rate hotels of the capital. Her plan was to call
at an hotel, dressed in the first style, and engage a splendidly-
furnished room, which she said she should want only two days,
and the rent of which she paid beforehand. She would then,
after having taken possession, go out, taking the key with her,
and as she did not retnrn it was found necessary to break open
the door, and it was then discovered that bhe had plundered
the room of the most valuable portable articles. When
arrested she had jast repeated this trick at a hotel in the 1m-
Passe Doyenne. On being searched there were found in poc-
ketsb_ made for the purpose two cande.abras and a clock, which
had been taken to pieces for the convenience of carrying
away. She turns out to be a woman named Godard, Who h
been several times in prison for theft.