The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-11-07 00:00:00

on the works in connexion with the Rivington Pike

induce

Lord RAGLAN to direct his endeavours towards over-

whelming the fortifications, ti

town, and its st

harbour, by the operations of his artillery, instead of pro-
voking the carnage inseparable from an
ing the place by storm. The continuous and well-directed
fire has, it is reported on reliable evidence, proved so
effectual and deadly, that everything which could be per-
ceived coating in either harbour had disappeared under
water, and the amount of Russians killed had been so
great that the stench of the carcases had become instil).

attempt

I carry-

portable, while pestilence had begun to lend its powerful
and destructive aid in filling up the cup of misery pre-
sented to the unhappy population. In this condition of
affairs, a painful alternative presents itself to the option of
the allied Commander.—That is, whether he should push
the operations to a conclusion by regular assault, so
soon as a practical breach or breaches have been
made in the walls ; or whether a continuance of the
distant work of destruction should be persisted in.
Many considerations lead to preference of one, many
to a selection of the other, of those courses of
action. At first sight, the protracted cannonade and bora-
baramei. ,ae preferable moae. Filled, as it no
doubt is, with resolute defenders, Sebastopol is in the
best position to resist an assault, and is least fitted to
endure the sufferings incident to a siege and bombard-
ment, as every shot and shell discharged against it must
tell upon its walls and crowded inmates. In war, as in
other matters, however, all the advantages are not ranged

on one side. The attacking army is exposed to vicissi-
tudes and hardships scarcely less destructive than those
to which the assailed are subjected. Inclement weather
and the disease induced by exposure to it, accompanied by
fatigue and privation, may prove little if at all less fatal
than the more exciting as well as the more immediately
destructive casualties attending an assault. Added to
this, the evident necessity forced on the allies of maintain-
ing their position in Sebastopol after they have once se-
cured it, and it will be readily apparent that they have an
object in effecting no more destruction on the fortifications
than is barely necessary for securing them an entrance.
To reduce the fortress to a heap of ruins, and entirely to
devastate the town, would be alike cruel and impolitic ;
but, as I said last week, our armaments are under com-
mand of leaders who will do their best to avoid unneces-
sary bloodshed, and to secure the greatest advantage from
the expenditure of that which is inevitable.
The literary announcements still continue mere buds
of promise in a great degree, the chief exceptions being
the " Almanacks," of every form and hue, " from grave to
gay, from lively to severe." Every man of literary taste
will rejoice to learn that the world is to be favoured with
an edition of the collected works of the late Professor

WlLSON—dear old "CHRISTOPHER NORTH"—including
his poems and tales, his critical essays and imaginative
sallies; and "though last not least," his immortal Nodes
Ambrosiance, those racy comminglings of mirth and
humour, wit and fancy, beauteous sentiment and sharp
rebuke, which did so much to elevate and establish the
fame of Maga. The work will be superintended by
WILSON'S son-in-law, Professor FERRIER. Some wag as
droll as he is wicked, and at least as caustic as he is
clever, has put into circulation a rumour that HER
MAJESTY, pleased with his glowing and frequent allusions
to the stars, has conferred on Mr. ALEX. SMITH, poet,
&c., &c., the appointment of Assistant Astronomer-Royal
in Edinburgh ! This is too hard a hit for even the
"moonish" madness of the bard of the "Life Drama."
Mr. SMITH'S ambition is to shine "a bright particular
star," not vulgarly to stare these luminaries out of coun-
tenance, by the application of a telescope. Allusion to
the "Modern Athens" reminds me that the magnificent
Grecian Temple, designed by PIA:I7AI% for the accom-
modation of the Royal Scottish Academy and National
Galleries, at Edinburgh, is so far advanced towards com-
pletion, that the portion devoted to the purposes of the
Academy will be ready for the reception of their annual
exhibition, which opens in February.
The London theatres have been doing but little in the
way of novelty. At the St. James's, "The King's Rival"
has been supplanted by a weak successor of exotic growth,
styled " Honour before titles." It is a translation, and
a poor one, from the French; its sentiment is puerile, and
its effect mechanical and trifling. If Mr. DOUGLAS
JERROLD'S " Heart of Gold" has been denied fairplay on

the stage, his brethren of the broad-sheet seem resolved
it shall have "ample room and verge enough" in the
various sheets of intelligenee which they have under
control, and accordingly we have criticisms and extracts,
and extracts and criticisms in connexion with it ad nau-
seam ; how lucky for JERROLD !

THE EMIGRATION DRAIN has not yet quite ceased.
A local paper describes the steamer Mars, on her last
voyage from Waterford to Liverpool, as taking out 150
comfortable-looking persons as emigrants, en route for
America or Australia. " Oar peasantry," says the paper
in question, " are in some districts nearly gone, whilst in
others they have entirely disappeared."
ENROLMENT OF THE IRISH MILITIA. -If implicit
faith is to be placed in the scattered accounts which come
from the provinces, the prospects of the enrolment of the
30,000 men required for service in the Irish Militia are
far from encouraging. At the time that the embodiment
of the English force was first submitted to parliament, all
Ireland, from the Causeway to Cape Clear," was in a
blaze of indignation at the omission by the Home Secre-
tary of any allusion to the calling out of the Irish regi-
ments, as being neither more nor less than a stigma on
the loyalty of the people of this country. As soon, how-
ever, as the alleged imputation becomes worthless by the
order of the Privy Council in Dublin Castle, nothing is to
be heard but doleful complaints and prophecies of the
utter hopelessness of carrying out the requirements of the
government, and of the countless difficulties that must
be surmounted before half the complement demanded by
a great exigency can ba induced to submit to a temporary
inconvenience. Whether those gloomy anticipations may
turn out correct or otherwise, a brief period will suffice to
tell ; but it is to be hoped, for consistency's sake—if from
no better motive—that Irishmen will show that their
friends had fairly represented them as feeling aggrieved
at being debarred the opportunity of bearing arms in
conjunction with their English fellow•gubjects,--amines.

water-works," and after the us,

toasts, appropriate and

speeches, &c

" the company separated at a late

th the conviviality of the evening,"

It so happens that I live in Ashton, and know pretty well

what is going on, and I know that no such " sumptuous re-
past" took place, as reported in the Mercury. I know also
that " the gentlemen and landowners" of Ashton are too
much dissatisfied with Mr. Docwra's "judicious manage-
ips in ment" to meet him, or his staff of managers, in so friendly a

I can assure you that the works are a great nuisance

to this neighbourhood ; they seriously obstruct the traffic on
the high road by their " judicious management," and their
navvies cause great disturbances in our village by their
drunkenness and disorderly conduct ; so much so, that on

one or two occasions the police were overpowered, and would
have been seriously injured by them, had not some of the
civinans come to their rescue; and to convince you that the
Meroury, and through it the public, have been imposed upon,
I give you an extract (which I have been allowed to peep at)
of the proceedings of our Board of Highways, which consists
principally of " the gentlemen and landowners" of the town-
ship. It is, as near as I can recollect, as follows, viz., "That

in consequence of the numerous complaints of the impedi-
ments and obstructions caused to the traffic in Lily-lane, by
laying the pipes for the water-works, it is resolved, that
Henry Wood, the assistant surveyor, be, and is hereby, in-
structed to insist upon the road in Lily-lane being thoroughly
and efficiently repaired by the parties engaged in the Liver-
pool water-works, and that the said party or parties be com-
pelled, in their future progress through this township, not to
impede or obstruct the high road in the manner they hereto-
fore have done." So much for the accuracy of the report in
the 3 A RESIDENT.

Asbton-in.slakerfield, Nov. 4, 1854

MUSI

AND THE DRAMA.

SHILLING ORATORIOB.—One of these popular enter-
tainments takes place this evening, in the Philharmonic-
hall, on which occasion the " Creation" will he performed.

kn. E. W. THOMAS'S SHILLING CONCERTS, we per-
ceive, are to be resumed for the season, commencing on
the first night of the ensuing year. Miss Rainsford, we
understand, has been engaged for the series, which is, we
understand, to include several musical novelties of repute,
among others, Bochsa's favourite composition entitled "A
Musical Voyage round the World," a piece which, on its
production at Her Majesty's Theatre, excited a great
sensation.

AT THE ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE, Buckstone has con-
cluded a successful engagement, the evenings of the week
having been devoted to a repetition of those characters for
the able representation of which he has acquired so wide-
spread a renown. In the different pieces he has been
ably supported by Miss Fanny Baker and Miss Swan-
borough, Mrs. Shalders, and Mrs. Power ; and likewise by
Mr. Baker and Mr. Villiers, and the other members of the
resident company.
CONCERT AT THE PHILHARMONIC•HALL FOR THE
PATRIOTIC PIIAD.—The practical members of the Phil-
harmonic Society, assisted by several amateurs—the whole
about 300 in number—will give a concert at the Philhar-
monic-hall, on Tuesday next, in aid of the Patriotic Fund.
The programme will include Mozart's 12th Mass, and
several other popular compositions. The price of admis-
sion will be one shilling, a rate which will enable the
working-classes to add their mite to the fund.
LIVERPOOL COLLEGIATE CHORAL UNION.—The first
concert of this union took place on Thursday evening, in
the hall of the Collegiate Institution. The programme
contained a judicious selection of choral music and solos,
which were executed in a style reflecting much credit on
the assiduity and skill of the members and the judgment
of the conductor. The society, Which is but of recent
origin, promises to be of great service in promoting a
knowledge of part singing, and is an excellent school for
study in that department of musical art. It numbers
among its patrons the Right Honourables the Earls of
Derby and Ellesmere, the Most Noble the Marquis of
Salisbury, Thomas Berry Horsfall, Esq., M.P., the Vener-
able Archdeacon Brooks, and the Rev. A. Campbell; the
Rev. J. S. Howson, president of the Collegiate Institution,
being president of the Union. Its objects, as stated in
the rules, are to promote the study and practice of sacred
and secular music; its members consist exclusively of for-
mer pupils and of masters of the institution, with such
ladies—relatives or friends—as may be introduced by
them ; and, judging by the performances of Thursday
evening, the objects of the society appear to be steadily
adhered to and discreetly followed out. Such institutions
are useful, and praiseworthy as they are useful.
THE GRAND OPERAS AT THE THEATRE ROYAL have,
during the past week, been somewhat of a mixed character.
Rossini's great and difficult opera " Semiramide" occupied
Monday evening. On Friday, the performances consisted
of selections from Mozart's "Zauberflotte ;" from Handel's
"Axis and Galatea ;" and from Beethoven's " Fidelio." On
this occasion the manager was again compelled to offer an
apology for one of the leading vocalists, Mad'lle Agnes
Bfiry being unable to perform. The services she had to
render were once more allotted to Madame Rudersdorff,
who is always ready—better still, always willing, and best
of all, always able to sing, and sing charmingly. The
selections from Mozart's celebrated " Zauberflotte " went
off with extreme ponderosity and dulness ; those from
the " Acis and Galatea" were rendered with much superior
spirit, and elicited several well-merited rounds of applause.
Still, every one present seemed impressed, if not oppressed,
with the inappropriate formality of a concert on the stage,
instead of the legitimate accompaniments of dramatic
representation and scenic effect. The second and third
acts of " Fidelio" concluded the evening's performances.
On the non-operatic evenings, Mr. Barry Sullivan, aided
by the musical talent of the operatic choruses, has been
delighting select and intelligent audiences by his repre-
sentations of William Tell and Macbeth ; and, this
evening, the veteran tragedian Vandenhoff, and his accom-
plished daughter, make their appearance in the grand
lyrical tragedy of " Antigone." The piece is to be brought
out with great scenic splendour, and, represented as the
leading characters will be by the lady and gentleman
named, supported also by the able chops, it must prove a
dramatic treat of the highest order. _ .

Tlx PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY gave a subscription
concert on Tuesday evening last, in their splendid hall.
The attractions were numerous and of a high order, and
the audience large and fashionable. The principal vocalists
were Madame Clara Novello and Mr. Sims Reeves ; to-
gether with Mrs. Endershon and Mrs. Lockey, and Mr.
Lockey, Mr. Hobbs, and Mr. Henry Phillips, members of
the English Glee and Madrigal Union, and J. L. Hatton..
The orchestra and chorus consisted of the members of the
Philharmonic Society, and the whole was well conducted
by Mr. J. Z. Herrmann. Haydn's delightful symphony
in E flat, was selected as the opening piece, and it was
executed with good taste, the members of the orchestra
displaying judgment as well as ability in its performance,
the audience marking their approbation of the piece and
of its execution, by well-merited applause. The first vocal
performance was Elliott's beautiful glee, " Come, see what
pleasures in our plains abound," which was charmingly
given by the members of the Glee and Madrigal Union.
It was sung with that tasteful combination of harmonious
effect which is produced by individual excellence and
united skill, and which forms the leading feature of this
style of composition. The performance was worthy of the
reputation achieved by the distinguished artiste's, and it
was enthusiastically encored. The glee was followed by a
duet from Verdi's " Rigoletto," sung by Madame Clara
Novello and Mr. Sims Reeves, which these distinguished
Tv:allots gave with their customary skill, swfttness, and