The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-30 00:00:00

CANADA.

The Provincial Parliament was prorogued on the 29th
of March, by Lord Metcalf in person. The fulloNing is
his Lordship's speech on the occasion :
" Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and
Gentlemen of the Legislative Assembly,
_ _

"I thank you for your indefatigable attention to the
laborious duties which you have had to perform during
this unusually long session. I trust that the acts which
have been p...ssvd will prove beneficial to the province,
and I consider myself justified in especially congratulat-
ing you on those for improving the administration of
justice in Upper Canada, and those relating to education
and municipal institutions in Lower Canada, all of
which are of the highest value, and promise to render
essential service to the community. I regret, at the
same time, to notice that severs' important measures
have been unavoidably postponed. On this account I
am reluctant to part with you, for I am loth to lose your
assistance while anything remains to be done which the
good of the country requires. Nevertheless I am sensible
that your presence is much required at your homes, and
that it would be unreasonable to expect your longer at-
tendance at the present period. Whatever has been
left incomplete will I hope be accomplished at our next
meeting.
" I have had the satisfaction of assenting in her
Majesty's name to nearly all the enactments which you
have passed, and the few reserved for the decision of her
Majesty's Government have been so dealt with under
circumstances which, from positive instructions or other-
wise, have rendered it imperative on me to pursue that
course. The Act to amend the Ordnance Act of the
last session of the late Parliament comes necessarily
under that description, as it affects the property of the
Crown.

•4 I have received authentic information of the passing
of an Act by the Legislature of the United States which
may seriously affect the commercial interests of this
province. I will rot fail to submit the subject for the
attention of her Majesty's Government, and I am sure
that it will receive the most earnest consideration.

" Gentlemen of the Legislative Assembly,
" I return you my hearty thanks for the liberality
with which you have provided the requisite means for
the due administration of our affairs. I shall anxiously
cooperate with you in every measure of economy con-
sistent with the efficiency of the public service. It is
satisfactory to observe that the prosperous condition of
our revenue enables us, after providing for a reduction
of the public debt by commencing the establishment of a
sinking fund for the redemption of the guaranteed loan,
to apply a considerable sum to additional public works
calculated to produce great advantages.
"Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and
__ Gentlemen of the Legislative Assembly,

" You are about to return—to your homes to resume
those occupations which in most cases are indispen-
sable for the support of your families, and which are un-
avoidably interrupted with some degree of injury to
yourselves by your attendance on Parliamentary duties.
I earnestly hope that you may be successful in your un-
dertakings, and I beg you to convey to your several
constituencies the assurances that her Majesty's Go-
vernment ardently desires the welfare of this province,
and is anxious that the whole of the inhabitants, with-
out distinction and with perfect equality, may enjoy
all the rights and privileges of a free people, and expe-
rience the prosperity, contentment, and happiness
which are naturally derived from unfettered industry,
prudent enterprise, good fellowship, and brotherly love.
And now, gentlemen, with the heartfelt wish that you
may be partakers in these blessings, I will say farewell
until we meet again. I cannot, however, conclude with-
out expressing my warmest thanks for the aid and sup-
port which you have afforded to her Majesty's Govern-
ment by your loyal, zealous, and patriotic labours."

THE PRESS AND THE RAILWAY
COMMITTEES.
(From the Times.)

The House of Commons in theory regards it as a breach of
privilege for strangers to be present ; in practice it not only per-
mits, but affords the most ample facility for their presence, and
this is managed by allowing the whole public to have entrance by
proxy, the proxies of the public being the newspaper reporters,
whose presence the House not only tolerates, but of whose inatten-
tion or inaccuracy it is apt most grievously to complain. By this
arrangement thousands, nay millions, are enabled without fatigue
and inconvenience to themselves and others, without crowding into
a somewhat narrow house, to learn all that takes place. Even
here the advantage in having reporters does not end ; the public,
and each individual of the public, is enabled in some manner to
realise Sir Boyle Roche's supposed impossibility of " being, like a
bird, in two places at once;'' indeed, we might say, in twenty; for
when the House is subdivided into committees, a citizen of
London may attend one, or a gentleman in Cumberland, or
Cornwall, may stay at home, and not take the trouble of attend-
ing any ; and yet virtually, and by his proxy of the press, be
present at any, or at all, if he likes. It is, therefore, the citizen's
or the countryman's privilege that is in question, and not simply
the reporter's, when a Committee takes upon itself to deviate from
the usual—and usual because useful—course; and to exclude the
gentlemen of the press. It is impossible in the present day to
overrate the national importance of railways. Of all these
stupendous undertakings, perhaps Group X contains the most vast.
If the Committee, in the constitution of its Chairman and
members, is not quite so pre-eminent for talent and habits
of business , as the Immense amount of property and of
public and private interests involved would render de-
sirable, It is of all the more consequence that its pro.
ceedings should be open to the fullest observation. If any-
where, here, where above one thousand miles of rail..
way are to come under discussion, the public, and particularly that
large proportion of the public whose property will be dissected
and affected, are entitled to be present and hear all that takes
place. Such a thing is, of course, not to be literally attained, but,
as we have remarked, it may be substantially through the press.
The press, as will be seen by our report elsewhere, are from this
Committee most absurdly excluded. The group which this ex.
elusive Committee is to consider contains the London and York
line, the Cambridge and Lincoln, the Direct Northern, and several
other most important lines; and that our readers, if they are pre-
vented from knowing the merits of these different railways, as
brought out by evidence and discussion, may at all events have the
advantage of knowing what must be of no little interest to such of
them as have shares in or property near to these lines, namely,
what sort of conjurors are to tell their fortunes, we here repeat
the list of the Committee :—lt consists of Lord Courtenay, Mr.
Darby, Mr. I'. Scrope, Mr. M'Geachy, and Mr. B. Wall !

ADMIRAL SIR DAVID AIILNE.—The termination of
Sir David Milne's period of service as Commander-in-Chief at this
port imposes the very agreeable duty of referring to the three
years during which the town of Devonport has been honoured with
his presence, aad at the same time induces sincere regret, that his
command should with this day cease From the first arrival of the
gallant veteran in oar borough, his acts have been one unvaried
rould of charity, benevolence, and hospitality. The interests of
the town have ever received consideration at his hands, while the
comfort and convenience and the safety of the public have no less
occupied his marked attention, The active part taken by him in
the affairs of several of our most valuable charities, affirmed the
goodness of his heart, and the fair and honourable discharge of such
duties, when presiding over a public meeting, not only recorded his
businass-like habits, but manifested the uprightness of his cha-
racter. Sir David, while he was 'aver foremost in support of
charity, did not shrink from ideqtifying himself with the
prosperity of every intellectual and rightly conducted amusement
that from time to time visited the town and neighbourhood. He
proved himself the warm friend of merit, wherever it could be
found, and the cordial assistance rendered by him to the institu-
tions of the borough impose feelings of the deepest gratitude upon
the recipients of his liberality. For ourselves, we can speak
strongly of his urbanity and general courteous behaviour, whether
in public or private life. In the discharge of our public duty, we
have attended various courts of inquiry at which the gallant
Admiral presided, and on every occasion his impartiality was pre-
eminently distinguishable. We regret to say Sir David has
latterly been afflicted with illness, but it is our hope that in his
retirement from the fatigues necessarily connected with an im-
portant command, and in the comfort of domestic life, he will
speedily regain his wonted health, and live yet many years an
ornament to the society in which he moves--Dcvonpori Inde-
pendent,
RUNNING MATCH IN kiIYDE-PARK.—On Monday
a good muster of the pedestrian fancy assembled in Hyde.park to
witness the foot-race of one hundred yards, between H. Webb (a
well.known runner) and a footman. The parties met according to
agreement at Mr. Parr's, the Green Man, Green-street, Grosvenor.
square, where the stakes of 101. were duly posted. The parties
then repaired to the ground, and after the necessary preliminaries
a start was effected, the men getting away well together. The
footman soon showed in front, and ran at great speed; Webb
seemed on the alert, and closely pursued his opponent ; the con-
test had the appearance of a waiting race, when Webb shot out,
his adversary imitating him. They both exerted their pedestrian
powers, when the former went in the winner by one yard. A good
deal of money was speculated in the betting market, Webb being
backed at sto 4. _ _

V-V
BROOK• GREEN rAiß.—After an interval of twenty-
three years, during which time Brook-green Fair, Hammersmith,
has lain under the magisterial interdict, it is to be revived on a
very extensive scale on Thursday next, the lst of May, the old
anniversary, and to be continued for three days. The place
selected for the fair is Mr. Day's park, containing thirty acres of
land, a short distance from the Clock•house, and near the New-
road Hammersmith.

\\rHITE FISIIING.—We learn that the cod-fishing
on the west coast has been prosecuted with considerable
success this season, and the takes are still good. By our
latest accounts, the price of good fish was 171. 10s.
per ton. An instance of rather novel sport occurred,
in connexion with this fishing., a few days ago. As
a party were sailing in a passage boat round one
of the Applecross headlands, they discovered a shoal of
cod on the sand in two fathoms of water. The boat con-
tained, amongst other things, a gaff hook and a fresh herring.
The latter was attached to the end of the painter; and after
havingbeen lowered amongst the cod, it was gently raised
to the surface. On each occasion the bait was followed by-
one of the voracious fish, which was instantly gaffed and
taken into the boat.—lnverness Courier.

ERRATUM.—In the notice of the third volume of
M. Thiene work, which appeared in The Sun, for—under such
circumstances ` bribery was easy "—read 11. victory 19&11 cary.'!

COURT CIRCULAR.

The Queen and Prince Albert took an early walk yester-
day morning in Claremont Park. Her Majesty and his Royal
Highness afterwards rode out on horseback, attended by the
Equerries in Waiting, Colonels Arbuthnot and Bouverie.
His Royal Highness Prince George arrived at Claremont
soon after three o'clock yesterday afternoon from town, to
pay a visit to her Majesty and Prince Albert. His Royal
Highness took his departure in the afternoon, returning to
town via South-Western Railway.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent arrived at
Claremont yesterday afternoon from town, on a visit to the
Queen.
Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal was taken an air-
ing in the pleasure-grounds of Claremont yesterday fore-
noon.

Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, attended by the Hon.
Miss Eden and the Hon. Miss Mitchell, took an airing in the
Parks yesterday afternoon.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited the
Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, and the Princess Alice yes-
terday, at Buckingham Palace. The Royal Duchess left her
residence, Clarence House, St. James's, in a carriage and
four, at five o'clock yesterday afternoon, for Claremont, on a
visit to her Majesty.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the
Hereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklenburgh-Strelitz went
yesterday morning to Kew, returning to Cambridge House
in the afternoon.

Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester visited her
Majesty the Queen Dowager yesterday, at Marlborough
House.

Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess Stephanie of
Baden, accompanied by the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton,
and attended by the Baroness de Strumfeder and Baron Roth
de Schreckenstein, paid a visit yesterday to the British
Museum. Mr. William Hamilton accompanied the illus-
trious party through the different departments of the
Museum.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Hereditary
Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Mecklenburgh-Strelitz,
and the Grand Duchess Stephanie of Baden honoured the
Italian Opera with their presence last evening.
The Ecclessiastical Commissioners for England had a meet-
ing yesterday afternoon, at the office in Whitehall-place.
There were present the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishops
of London, Durham, Bangor, Carlisle, Chester, Chichester,
St. David's, Hereford, Lichfield, Lincoln, and Rochester; the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Judge of the Admiralty
Court, the Earl of Besborough, and Lord Ashley.
Archdeacon Marryat had an interview with Lord Stanley
yesterday, at the Colonial-office.
A meeting of the Commissioners for the government of
Pentonville Prison was held at the Colonial-office yesterday
afternoon. The Commissioners present were the Lord Pre-
sident, the Duke of Richmond, the Earl of Devon, the Earl
of Chichester, Major Jebb, Mr. Craufurd, and Mr. Russell.
Mr. Emerson Tennent had an interview yesterday with
Lord Stanley.

The Lord President of the Council and Lady Wharncliffe
.eft town yesterday afternoon for Brighton.

ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.
" MONSIt. PHILLIPPE.

"It is respectfully announced that the celebrated
Monsr. Phillippe, of the Theatre Bonne Nouvelle, Paris,
whose extraordinary experiments have created universal
astonishment, is engaged to present a short series of his
' Soirees Mysterieuses,' at the St. James's Theatre, which
will be commenced to-morrow evening, Tuesday,
April 29, and be continued, for a short period only,
every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday."
Such was the announcement which drew us to the
St. James's Theatre last evening. We knew not
what to expect. Who is Monsr. Phillippe, and what
is a " Soirée Mysterieuse ?" Such were the questions
we asked ourselves. Sages tell us that the future is
to be learned from the study of the past, and, accord-
ingly, we interrogated the past to enlighten us.
There was a Monsieur Phillippe (Due D'Orleans),
who flourished in the year 1789, and who, "if
they have writ their annals true," held sundry
" Soirees Mysterieuses" in his palace, au Palais
Royal, which produced the first French revolution.
Was Phillippe Due d'Orleans the prototype of this
M. Phillippe ? Was M. Phillippe, of the St. James's,
about to create a revolution—was he to introduce a
reign of terror ? Again, in 1830, there were sundry
" Soirees Mysterieuses" at Neuilly, and shortly
afterwards, Louis Phillippe, who had assisted
at these soirees, became King of the French
by the election of the people. Was M. Phillippe
about to become a king by the choice of the people ?
Then " Les Soirees Mysterieuses," perchance
he might, like Sir Robert Peeel, be a financier who
was about to create a large surplus revenue. The
evening on which Sir R. Peel brought forward his
property-tax was a " Soirée Mysteriense." The
evening on which he brought forward the tariff was
a " Soiree Mysterieuse." The evening on which he
proposed the Maynooth Bill was a " Soiree Myste-
rieuse," and even last Friday, when he brought for-
ward his project for the regulation of the Scotch and
Irish banks, was a " Soirée Mysterieuse," seeing that
he refused to give the least information on the sub-
ject before the arrival of the great, the important day.
Now, M. Phillippe is all these. A great revolutionist
is he certainly, for he has produced a
complete revolution in the art of la blanche
majie, which he professes. A king is he, too—
the King of Magicians, elected to the throne by the
unanimous voice of the people, and certes he is a
great financier, for if he do not create a surplus for
the treasury of the St. James's by his engagement,
there is no love of good acting, and laughter, and
fun extant. M. Phillippe is the very Prince of Ma-
gicians. To him even the renowned Herr Dobler
must yield the palm. Last night was the Jena of
the Prussians—M. Phillippe is the monarch of his
craft, and as one of the Ministers of the St. James's,
he must produce a surplus revenue. To attempt to
describe the tricks of this the most wonderful of
wizards would be as impossible as to attempt to com-
prehend them. Who can describe the incomprehen-
sible ? For ourselves, we were contented to sit still
and to wonder. We saw basin after basin filled with
water, in which were swimming gold fish innume-
rable, produced from a carpet, which had been pre-
viously thrown up into the air and spread out before
the audience. We saw rings placed in papers
and eggs, and flour and water poured into a hat; and
from that hat we saw produced—not a pudding, but
seven bouquets, to each of which was attached one of
the rings, which had been previously placed in paper.
From another hat we saw produced bon-bons suf-
ficient to have stocked a confectioner's shop, and from
one stick there were drawn forth more union-jacks
than T. P. Cooke has ever waved during the whole
course of his career. A hat borrowed from a gentle-
man who sat next to us, after producing feathers
enough to stuff a large bed, brought forth
cocks, hens, pigeons, ducks, geese, turkeys—
all alive • it was, in fact, a portable Leaden-
hall-market. Add to this that M. Phillippe
is also an excellent actor and a polished gentleman,
and the reader may form some faint idea of the treat
which is in store for him at the St. James's. It was
a just complaint against Dobler that he could not
speak a word of English. Now M. Phillippe speaks
English excellently well, but with the slightest pos-
sible foreign accent, which adds immensely to the pi-
quancy of his entertainment. The house was well
and fashionably attended. M. Phillippe will, if we
mistake not, become the most popular magician that
has appeared of late years.

THE COFFEE HOUSE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.-ANNIVERSARY DINNER.

The eighth anniversary of the above Association was
held last evening, at the London Coffee-house, Ludgate-
hill. The chair was taken by Mr. Alderman Sydney,
one of the sheriffs of the City, supported by General Sir
De Lacy Evans, D. W. Wire, Esq., J. Curtain, EEq.,
Treasurer of the Institution, and several other gentlemen.
Dinner was served at six o'clock, and put on the table
in a style reflecting the highest credit on Mr. Lovegrove.
The viands and wines were of the most excellent quality.
The cloth having been removed, and Non .Nobis
Domine sung,
The CHAIRMAN gave the health of her Majesty, which
was drank with great enthusiasm.
The remaining loyal toasts were then given and re-
sponded to with the utmost warmth.
The CHAIRMAN then proposed the toast of the " Army
and Navy," coupling with it the name of General Sir De
Lacy Evans. In doing this he alluded to the exploits of
the Gallant General in Spain, and congratulated the
members of the Association upon their having amongst
them so honourable and distinguiahed a guest.—(Hear.)
The toast was drank with all the honours, and amidst
loud cheers.

Sir DE LACY EVANS returned thanks, and said that
he had been absent at the last anniversary meeting of
the Association, but it had given him the greatest
pleasure upon having the invitation renewed this year,
and of accepting it.
The CHAIRMAN then rose to propose the toast of the
evening. This Institution was one of benevolence
simply. The recipients of the bounty of the members of
this Institution were those who had been prostrated by
misfortune. This was a society which he felt more than
ordinary interest in promoting.—(Cheers.) It was a
society, it was true, which had been established by
humble individuals, but those individuals by this act of
charity had ennobled their characters, and rendered them-
selves worthy of the
.admiration of mankind.—(Cheers.)
The society had been in existence for seven years. It
had commenced in a small stream, and had slowly pro-
ceeded unostentatiously on until it had become an orna-
ment to the City in which they were assembled. It had
been the means of relieving the sorrows and afflictions of
deserving, but heart-broken and unfortunate men.—
(Cheers.) He had been requested by the Committee to
state, that by the next half-year their funds would enable
them to advertise for ten pensioners upon their bounty.
The amount at present allowed was 131. annually, but
the Committee had authorised him to state that they, in
many instances, considered this too small a sum, but
they were willing to extend the amount if they should
be empowered with the means of doing so. They would
raise the amount as soon as they felt in a position to do
so.—(Cheers.) He concluded with proposing, " I'ros-
perity and perpetuity to the London Coffee-house and
Eating-house-keepers' Association."
The toast was drunk with three times three, and loud
applause.
Mr. HUMPHREYS then announced the following dona-
tions to the Society, which were received with loud
cheers, namely—
The proprietor of " The Sun,, "
The proprietor of the "Era , 2 2 0
The proprietors of " Punch '
The Chairman lO 10 0
The Lord Mayor 5 5 0
D. SalOmons, Esq. •
General Sir 1)e Lacy Evans

D. Wire, Esq. 2 2 0
J. Certain, Esq.