Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-10-28

mere il no analogy Whaeever exlsun8 between
the gradu atoms Of rank in the two navies. In
the British there are no less than twelve grades
Of Gag officers styled Admirals, Admirals of
the Red, Admiral Of the White, and Admirals
of the Blue; Vice-Admirals, Vice-Admirals Of
the Red, &C., and Rear -Admirals, Rear Admi.
rails of the Red, &c. These are graduated in
the manner in which we have placed them
the Admiral standing at the head of the list,
and the Rear-Admiral Of the Blue being the
lowest in rank. sA"s <.s i
In the American Navy there is but one rank
for all flag officers, and that is known in the
many regulations by no other title than that of
Captain" or Flag Officer" By courtesy,
however, American flag officers are called
"Commodores This rank of "Flag Officer
is the very highest known in the service, and
every flag officer is alike entitled to it. The
only precedence given to one flag officer over
another is that to which he becomes entitled
by seniority of commission. All this discus
sion has grown out of the recent passage of an
act by Congress, authorizing tho exchange of
the broad pennant of the flag officer for blue
flag; and directing that the flag of flag officer
whose commission dates back twenty years or
more shall be worn at the foremost, while those
whose commissions are of more recent date
shall wear it at the mizzenmast. There is no
difference whatever made in the rank of the
several officers.
1t is true that, in the English Navy, the
Admirals wear their flags at the foremost, and
the Vice Admirals theirs at the mizzen, but the
American "Flag officer" who wears his flag at
fho pni1 hoi Of tho oSk 10 or oAS
Ger in the Navy of his country, ranks just as
high as the English Admiral who wears his at
the foremost or the American officer who
wears his at the foremost, except, in the latter
case, so far as the date of his commission is
concerned.
Not long since an American flag officer al
lowed his name to be prefxed by the title of
admiral" and on the fact becoming known
to Secretary Toucey, the latter gentleman ad-
dressed the officer letter, informing him that
the title was not recognized by law or courtesy,
in connection with our Navy, and directing
that hereafter he shall neither use it nor per-
NIT its use.
The OPERA TO-NIGHr.-We presume that
every lover of The Divine Art will endeavor to
hear Parodi to night. in Troratore. Of all opera
singers, she is the greatest favorite in America
with those who are accomplished in music. As
an artist, her execution is proverbially fault
less; while, as vocalist, her power-volume-
of voice never was equalIed by any other who
has sung on this side of the Atlantic, save,
perhaps, Jenny Lind. Whatever other opera
singers who have come hither may have been
in their prime, none of them, except Jenny
Lind, have managed to achieve so high place
in American musical and popular favor, as Pa
rodi Hers is not the result of professional
labors of single short season, singing only few
operas selected to suit a peculiar professional
range; but of a career of years duration, in
which she has sung every thing sacred and
secular known to US as standard music from
the pens of all the composers-German,I tal-
ian, French and English-whose works pass
muster with the critics of the times.
Tonight, besides Madame Strakosch, she is
to be assisted by Amodio and Brignoli, so we'll
known to all here as being unsurpassed in
either hemisphere in their respective roles in
TrovatOre; and by Signor Barilla, who comes
among us with a high reputation indeed.
Troratore is Verdi's chef d'9uvre-the finest
opera set upon the stage Of late years. Its
every air is musical achievement almost suf-
fcient in itself to achieve popularity for an
opera it graces, and its every cadence a gem of
delicious harmony, such as the pen cannot
describe. While it is not as grand as some
other operas, the Stars Washington city read
ers know we'll that it touches the heart at IS
every turn, as no other musical composition of
its length does.
SUNLIGHr.-The Baltimore Sun of Wednes-
day contained the following special dispatch
from Washington:
at Is believed that there is to be a change in
the Cabinet. The Attorney General is to be
transferred, and the Commissioner Of Patents to
take his place. Mr.. Clay, of Pa, Minister to Pc
ru, has been recalled" etc.
Total Eeiipse.-The Baltimore Sun of this
morning contains letter from another of its
Washington correspondence .'Ion''-in which
it is said:
cabinet changes. &c, is utterly without founda.
ton. No change Is in contemplation. Neither
Is 1t true that Mr.. Clay has been recalled from
Peru"
"Mere3ry," too, in the same paper, says:
"Tbere appears to be no foundation for the ru
NOR OF change in the cabinet, as stated in some
OF the morning papers,
"Some of the morning papers" should read
one ''of the morning papers''-for, so far as we
can discover, the S~n's special correspondent
only
Had "optics sharp, we ween,
To see what was not to be seen.'
SENATOR DAvIs.-This distinguished gentle
man left Washington, this morning, for his
home in Mississippi, where he will, doubtless,
be enthusiastically greeted by his fellow -citi-
Iens. In the course of his recent northern tour
his health has greatly improved, while besides
no other public man ever made more legiti-
mate reputation in the same time than he has
achieved by mingling with his fellow Demo-
Gratis by the way.
No other, at this time, fills larger space in
the public eye; yet he has resorted to none of
the arts of the demagogue to become noted. He
is now universally looked up to at the North
as being not only conservative and State
rights Democratic statesman, but eminently
practical i'm all his views and reliable in all hi,