The Portland daily press., 1863-12-09
From Our Regular Correspondent.

Gen. Standardization Ship Captured
Grand School Festival at Music Hall -
AmuscmeRts.
BosToS, Dec. Z, 1868.
To the Editor Of the Press;
The extensive preparations for the great
New England Sanitary Fair are being COM
pleted, the advertisement announcing the ar
Engagements and enumeratiDg the attractions
was sent TO the press of this city on Saturday
and first appeared in yesterdays papers, with
the request added that New England news.
papers please copy, which have no doubt
will be done either in full or in part, with aac.
ilty, it being an affair in which we are all in.
terested, and for which thousands throughout
these States have SO literally contributed
The first evening, Monday the 14th instant
will be devoted to grand organ concert by
the mastery hand of Morgan of New York
who has volunteered his services, and the ex-
hibition of the articles on the tables, as nothing
will be sold on that night. Thus an opportu'
nifty will be afforded to see the rare and beau
tiful contributions before any of them have
been removed. The Hall will be splendidly
decorated. A newspaper will be published in
the Hall daily to keep the visitors posted on
matters of interest concerning the Fair. The
tickets for the opening night are two dollars
each-a rather high figure, but It's the only
time an organ concert viii be given during
the Fair,--on Tuesday fifty cents. and after
Tuesday, twenty five cents. No idea can be
given in advance of the grandeur and elegance
of the exhibition, which, while affording abun-
dant pleasure to the public, will be means of
generous contribution In solid funds and in
round figures to the most worthy and patriotic
object for which it is held.
At the meeting held at the Board of Trade
rooms in this city Wednesday afternoon, to
consider the expediency Of establishing an
American Line Of steamships between Boston
of communication with the latter city are al
together inadequate to the requirements of
our commerce; that In consequence imports
are reaching us by way of other cities, and our
exports seriously falling of. While Boston
has precisely the same number Of steamships
in the Liverpool trade as twenty years ago
two month New York has on the average
a daily steamer to and from that great trans
Atlantic port, and even Portland in the winter
season has two and sometimes three arrivals
a week from Europe. Being one days sail
nearer to Liverpool than New York, and up
wards of hundred miles nearer to Upper
Canada and the West than Portland, this city
possesses peculiar advantages for sustaining a
line of arst-class freight steamships such as it
is proposed to place on the Liverpool route.
The railroad gentlemen present and they
were the most prominent of New England,
and represented the leading lines running
West-expressed their decided conviction that
the time for initiating this movement had fully
arrived, and promised such cooperation as
will enable Boston to compete successfully for
its full share of business between the West
and Great Britain. Another and larger meet
ing will be shortly convened for further con-
sideration Of this important subject.
The friends of Brig. Gen. Isaac F. Shepard,
formerly of this city, who, few days since, so
eloqusntly addressed your citizens, met that
distinguished officer at the American House
on Friday evening, and presented him with a
very handsome sword. costly sash and belt,
splendid saddle and complete trappings, to-
gether with a purse of $3.50, with which he
was requested to purchase a horse on return
ing to his post of duty at the Southwest. The
well known and respected Gen. John L. Tyler
presided. To the speech Of presentation Gen.
Shepard feelingly replied, and in reviewing his
career since leaving this city conclusively
showed that his ambition has been TO place
himself above suspicion, and live down all cal
umnies. After the conclusion of the presenta-
ton ceremonies the company partook of an
elegant supper, and sentiments and speeches
by prominent gentlemen followed. 1t was a
deserved testimonial, and afforded ample as
surance to the gallant recipient that he has in
Boston many warm and appreciative friends.
Again have the ship owners of Boston suf-
fered through rebel pirates, yet in this case as
in numerous others, it is question for the fu-
ture as to what extent, a bond having been
given for the vessels release. Intelligence
has just reached this city of the capture of ship
Living Age, Capt. Emery, by the pirate Tus-
caloosa, Sept. 18th, in lat. "a. As South, long.
2 East, while on the passage from Akyat for
Liverpool. She was bonded and released for
100000. She is a fine A 1 ship of 1893 tons,
built In Belfast, Me-, in 1861, and owned by
the we'll known firm OF Z. ID. Peters 4 Co., Of
this city.
The grand musical festival by a choir of
twelve hundred children, selected from the
10000 in our public schools, in connection with
the Music Hall Organ, is at length announced.
Two concerts are to be given - the first
Wednesday afternoon OF this week, and the
last next Saturday afternoon. This is the first
time the public have been allowed admission
to these grand festivals by the purchase of
ticket, and happy will be he who Is the lucky
possessor Of one. Formerly on an occasion Of
this kind, only those favored few, friends of
the school committee, could obtain admission,
outsiders could not obtain the coveted paste
board either for love or money. once had
the pleasure OF attending one, and even then,
when we had no grand organ, the feast of sight
and hearing was such as no pen can describe,
nor tongue tell. What then can be said Of the
two occasions under notice? Owing to the
great space required by the children choris-
tiers, but limited number of tickets can be
sold. will lend my eyes and ears to those of
your readers who do not attend.
Miss Avonia Jones, q native of this city,
commences an engagement tonight at the
Howard, after long absence abroad. She
produces the highly praised play Of "Medea."
Mrs. Barrow takes benefit tonight, which it
is rumored is for the present farewell. 1t is
possible the season may be prolonged. War
rem, the staff and life Of the Museum, is play
ing his final season at that establishment, as