The New York Herald Newspaper, April 30, 1854, Page 4

NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR AND EDITOR. OFFICE N. W. CORNER OF NASSAU AND FULTON STS. 2eents y—$7 per annum, EE pRaLD egery Saturday, an ihe conte se ir di per annum ; the Buropean Editon, $4 per an- mer copy, o” $7 e of Great Britain, and $5 to any part of the Tontinent, both to include postage. BROADWAY THEATRE, ovme—Iy axp Our OF PLace—Banney, THE BARON, BURTON'S THEATRE, Chambers street—Tuz Temrxst —Tux AvTOMATON Man. BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery—Souvien’s Davcuran Broadway—Suanpy Ma —Inxxanp As Ir Is. NATIONAL THEATRE, Chatham street—Unciz Tom’s Canin, WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway—Prison anv Pa- uace—Heart at Fauut—Forrure’s FRouic. AMERICAN MUSEUM—Afternoon—Hor Corn. ing Matuimomy—Pantition Suir CHRISTY’S AMERICAN OPERA HOUSE, 472 Broad- way—Erirorian MuLopixe ny Cunisty’s MinsTRELS. WOOD'S MINSTREL HALL, 44 Brondw eTRELSY—Burletts of UNckx Tou’s Canin. Evon- BUCKLEY'S OPERA HOUSE, 539 Broadway—Buex- | asv’s EBrnsorian Orena TRovre. BROOKLYN ATHENAEUM—B a's GRAN» Concert BANVARD’S GEORAMA, 596 Broadway—Panonaua or tnx Hoy Lanp. WHOLE WORLD, 377 and 379 Brosdway—Afternoon and Brening. JONES'S PANTISCOPE—Arorto Rooms. == New York, Sunday, April 30, 1954. The News: The “ windows of Heaven” are open, “ the foun- tains of the great deep ” are slightly broken up, and we are in the midst of what the Peruvians on the geacoast would undoubtedly consider a second De- loge. It has rained—no, that is not the word—it has poured down upon us in one uninterrupted stream from about twelve o'clock on Friday night, and at the time we go to press—2 A. M.—not the slightest indication of a ‘hold up” is discernible. The Rugs pavement shines in the gaslight like the marble floors of the St. Nicholas, and the home- ly cobble stones, “long lost to sight (in the mud) but to memory dear,” lift their modest heads in [gratitude for the copious ablution. The urbans have suffered some in the way of overflowed cellars; the suburbans have had their trees blown down, and their fancy flower gardens are in a woful plight. In Brooklyn a melancholy accident happened. The flood of water carried a mass of earth and rock against a frame building situated on and partly overhanging the brink of the Heights, demolishing the lower story, and, strange to say, leaving the upper part of the house almost unharmed. Two persons lost their lives, and five others were more or less injured by this casualty, of which the full particulars are given elsewhere. The investigation into the causes of the Broadway calamity was continued yesterday, in the course of which some extraordinary revelations were brought to light, that will doubtless lead to conclusions any- thing but flattering to a portion of the Fire Depart- ment. We have expressed our views at length on this subject in another column. We also give the programme of the funeral of the victims, which takes place to-day. It will be observed that this sad event has enlisted the sympathies of the benevolent, and that arrangements are in progress to mitigate in some degree the loss the relatives of the deceased have sustained. The steamship Arctic, for Liverpool, left her dock yesterday at the usual hour, but owing to the thick weather came to anchor at Quarantine, Many mer- cbants availed themselves of her detention to de- spatch additional letters to Hurope, for which pur- pose Mr. Gilpin’s letter office was kept open until four o'clock in the afternoon. She will probably depart early this morning on her voyage. Her pas- senger list numbers two hundred and five, and she carries out $531,056 in specie on freight. The Charleston steamer anchored below, and it is sup- wosed that the Savannah and Norfolk steamers did were likewisé: 3 There were 477 deaths in this city during the week ending the 29th instant, according to the City 1 spector’s report, being an increase of 76 on the mor- tality of the previous week. Of the whole number 288 were under ten years of age. Of the total, 9 died of apoplexy, 6 of bronchitis, 66 of consamp- tion, 45 of inflammation of the lungs, 27 of other in- flammatory diseases, 14 of smallpox, 49 of conval- sions (infantile), 12 of croup, 20 of marasmus (in- fantile). There were 15 cases of premature birth and 22 stillborn, 2 suicides and 13 fatal éasualties, including those killed at the Broadway fire. 339 were natives of the Unites States, 78 of Ireland, 24 of Germany, 9 of England, 5 of Scotland, 4 of France, 1 of Wales, 1 of Denmark, 4 of Prussia, 3 of British Possessions in North America, 2 of Poland, 1of Italy, 2 born at sea, 4 unknown. The pouring rain throughout the day yester seriously interfered with all outdoor business. *Change was very thinly attended, and transactions in all kinds of produce were very limited. There was no variation to notice in the quotations for bread- stuffs. Sales of cotton were comparatively light, with a heavy market, closing at lower prices for the inferior grades. By the steamship Curlew we have files of Ber- muda journals dated to the 19th instant. The papers do not contain any news of political local interest. We learn that the potato crop was entirely free from disease. A fine lot of prime new potatoes had just been sold for shipment at fifteen shillings a barrel. The onion crop, it is said, will bean unusually short one this year, as there was a very general failure of the young plants shortly after they first ap- peared above the soil. The British Consul at this city officially notifies the public, through the Collector of the port, that h’s government has taken no steps whatever for a forced Jevy of seamen; consequently British seamen need have no apprehension of impressment while serving on board American vessels bound to ports in Great Britain. We publish in another part of to-day’s paper in- teresting letters from our correspondents at London and Paris, including an account of the dinner given to Mr. Henry ‘anford, recently Charge d’ Affaires at Paris, by his fellow-countrymen, on the occasion of his approaching departure for the United States: We have received our files from Caracas, Vene znela, tothe 8th instant. Congress was still in ses sion, and the House of Representatives was busy discussing a new law defining the liberties of the press. The Diario de Avisos was opposed to it. No thing new of any importance had transpired since the date of our last advices. Our dates from Havana are to the 22d instant. Tn addition to the news we published yesterday, the letters of our correspondents will be found in another part of this paper. Advices from St. Thomas @ the 19th inst. state that the island was free from epidemic, and that business was becoming more active. A destructive fire broke out yesterday eve at No. 180 Pearl street, which communicated to the building adjoining, and both in a short time were entirely consumed. Loss estimated at about twenty thousand dollars. From Boston we learn that the Massachusetts Legislature adjourned sine die yesterday. ‘The schooners Trader, from New York for Doboy, Ga., and the Mary Patterson, from Savannah for Boston, put into Charleston on the 27th inst., hav- ing been in collision off Cape Roman the night pre- vious. On the inside pages may be found articles from foreign journals: Statistics of the British army in the Turkish war; the Christians in Turkey; troubles of British ship-owners in New York ; also Affairs in Canada ; proceedings of the Board of Edu cation; movements of ex-President Fillmore ; con- firmations by the Senate ; abduction of a young lady and attempted violence ; shooting affair at Austin Texas ; de., ke. , Ermiorian | ‘Tue War in Europe—What will be the Next | News? Nicholas, quietly requesting England to join him in the partition of Turkey, scheming to secure Constantinople as economically as he could, and sending Menschikoff to bully the Porte while he argued the case “ like a gentle- man” with Sir Hamilton Seymour, was but pursuing the ordinary course of political in- trigue among European nations. England, on the other hand, giving a silent consent to his proposals in 1844 when France was governed by Louis Philippe, but rejecting them nine on the imperial throne and was eager for a | pretext for war; sending out fleets and armies | to protect Turkey, and at the same time prac- tically converting the Mussulman empire into a protectorate of the British crown: and pre- pense of men and money, and with very un- | defined prospects, to the peaceful possession of | Candia and Egypt, was, in like manner acting on the old principles which have governed the policy of her sister nations and: herself since | the days of Charlemagne. There is nothing new, either in the cause of the war or evenin the | events which have preceded its actual outbreak. Like Charlemagne, Charles the Fifth, and Na- poleon, Nicholas fancies the day of universal empire has arrived; England, which has more than any other nation to lose in the event of his hopes “being realized, goes to war to prevent him, and _ succeeds in deluding France into fighting her battles. Prussia and Austria remain neutral at first. Great strife ensues among their states- men. One is for the West, another for the East. Much breath wasted in talking, after which events cut the knot, and they take up their position on one side or the other. It is the self-same old story our children learn at school every day; with the only difference that itis Russia, not Spain or France, which aspires after universal dominion. A difference deserving to be carefully noted, however. France, under Charlemagne, was a sort of armed confederacy, with no past history, an undefined future, and no particular element of cohesion. Charles the Fifth’s empire was built up by accident: his dream was idle; based upon the absurd fallacy that a royal will could blend into one two or more races antagonistic in every trait of national character. Napoleon’s failure is perhaps less easily accounted for. He had done nothing, however, to fuse his various kingdoms into one whole; and whatever of in- tellect and spirit survived the declaration of the empire in France was privately against him. It only required a Moscow to reveal the rotten- ness of the monument on whose pinnacle he stood. Now, in many respects, Nicholas’s posi- tion is better than any of these. He ‘has, in the first place, more men under his command than they. Sixty millions of souls besides stray Tartars and Cossacks unenumerated could furnish a pretty substantial army. In the second place, the Russian government, unlike those of Charlemagne and Charles the Fifth is highly enlightened, and quite up to the spirit of the age. Again, the Russian people are homogeneous, of one race, and one faith; an advantage that cannot be too highly prized. They will fight, not only for glory | years afterwards when a Bonaparte was seated | ferring a war with Russia at an enormous ex- | sia and Austria at once; and no earthly obstacle could prevent Nicholas sending half a million of men to the Rhine, with instructions to proclaim Henry V. King of France. In this case, Lonis Napoleon might be glad of a quiet lodging in Jermyn street again. Defeat would be less disastrous in its effects on the govern- ment of England ; but more so on the people. British honor once involved in the war, British obstinacy would prevent its termination ; and British pockets would be bled as freely as they were during the last war, before Englishmen | would make up their minds they were beaten. | The national debt might be increased from eight hundred to fifteen hundred millions of pounds sterling in a twenty years war; ani, to our thinking no disaster that the mind can con- | ceive or the pen deseribe would b: so over- | Whelming to an honest nation as the existence of such a debt. These reflections are not confined to this side of the water. There is good substantial reason | for the lack of enthusiasm which prevails in France; and though the martial spirit has been successfully roused for a time in England, signs are not wanting to presage its decline. The funds may rise and fall, as speculators knock them up or down; but the real effects of this war must be injurious to the commercial and monetary interests of Europe. They stand at present between the horns of adilemna. If the allies are successful, the absorption of ca- pital by the war will only cause a temporary embarassment and injury to trade; if they are not, ruin is inevitable. The Late Fire in Broadway—Strange Disclo- sures, Some strange circumstances are coming to light in connection with the late fire at No. 231 Broadway. It seems that one or more of the unfortunate men who were in the building at the time the walls gave way, and were injured or killed by its fall, had on, at the time they were conveyed to the hospital, new clothes of rich quality, which bore on them the mark of Wm. T. Jennings & Co. These clothes were much more expensive than those which firemen or others would naturally put on to go toa fire ; and from the tailor’s mark being still at- tached to them, it seems likely that they had never been worn before. The singularity of firemen or volunteer firemen being dressed in such clothes induced the person in whose charge the bodies were placed at the hospital to retain them, as exhibits, to be produced at the in- quest. Another rather suspicious circumstance con- nected with this fire is that it caught in the upper stories, which were entirely unoccupied, and that neither Mr. Jennings nor any one else can suggest any plausible cause for the acci- dent. In connection with this, it may be well to mention that another clothing store, kept by Mr. Wyman, near Jennings’, was robbed a short while since. The thieves entered by a skylight in the roof, and being doubtful of the height of the loft, let fall lighted matches through the sky- light before they ventured to leap down. The reconnoissance by means of the matches being satisfactory, they descended, helped themselves to all the light and valuable articles they could carry off, and retreated as they came, through the roof. Of course if the matches they let fall had happened to come in contact with straw, and pay—the only incentives that inspire their antagonists—but also for a Cause more highly cherished still, the cause of religious bigotry. Every Russian not only believes that it is his destiny to repossess himself of the old homes of his Ancestors, whose names still bear witness to their former occupation by the founders of the Greek Church; but steadfastly holds to the con- viction that to him has been assigned by Heaven the weighty duty of extirpating Moslemism from Europe. These are differences which go a long way towards destroying the parallel be- tween Nicholas and his precessors in the game of universal empire. Narrowing our views down to the events transpiring around us, what accounts may we reasonably expect to receive from Europe with- in the next few weeks? Sir Charles Napier will shortly sail from Kioge. Let us takg it for granted that he reaches the mouth of the Gulf of Finland without obstacle. Can we reasonably expect him to destroy the Russian fleet, protected on the one side by the powerful batteries of Helsingfors, on the other by the impregnable Cronstadt? Of course we all know that Gibraltar was once taken, and it is hard to say of a fort that it cannot be captured. But has Sir Charles force enough to expend the amount of life which he would require to lose at the capture of either Helsingfors ov Cronstadt, defended as they are by the best soldiers in Europe, officered by men of courage, and skill? If he should destroy the fleet and take those forts, what will he do next? He cannot sail within twenty miles of St. Pe- tersburg, and has not men to land for any ope- rations ashore. We do not wish to damp hopes that are based on generous feelings; but the finest army that Europe ever saw once marched against Russia, defeated the Russians in every encounter, penetrated the kingdom as far as Moscow, was there cheeked, and began a re- treat—unparalleled in the history of military disasters—which not only destroyed the army, but hurled from his throne the most powerful monarch in the world, and reduced France to a third rate power. Should fate ordain that the guns of Helsingfors are to defeat Sir Charles Napier’s advance, and weaken his fleet —should the Russians pursue their advantage ailhim as he attempts to retrace his should the Danes, still smarting under the unrevenged massacre at Copenhagen—join the pursuers and wreak a retribution only pro- portionate to the injury inflicted on them by Nelson—the retreat of Moscow would cease to be without parallel, and the hopes of England would be crushed at a blow. Success no doubt awaits the allies at the other points of attack. The Black Sea will be swept of Russian vessels; and Sebastopol and Odessa will probably be blockaded. The Russians will meet with reverses on the Danu'e, and may even be driven across the Pruth. But these acts achieved, what practical gain have the allies secured? Russia will still be as power- ful as ever: as well able to hold her own, and aseail them. A prudent man, embarking in a mercantile adventure, will endeavor so to order matters that the gain he may make will be larger than the loss he may suffer. The allies have pursued the very opposite principle. The gain France can make cannot be ascertained or stated in words or figures; England may secure her road to the East, with a sort of pied-a-terre at Con- stantinople, But this is the most. Should for- tune favor Russia on the other hand, the pre- sent ruler of Framce may lose everything. The first advantage gained by Russia—say for instance, a drawn battle in the Baltic or Sir Charles Napier’s defeat—would decide Prus dry paper, or any other combustible substance, 8 conflagration would have ensued. At the time the alarm was given, the thieves might still have been in the house engaged at their wort their only safety would then have been to as- sume the character of firemen. Had the walls been more solid than those of 231 Broadway, their escape, with their booty, might then have heen easily effected. Another circumstance on which it is well that we should reflect is the singular dispropor- tion between the fires in stores and fires in dwelling houses. For one private residence that is burnt, five stores are destroyed. For one fire in Tenth, Twelfth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Six- teenth, and the other streets where private families live, there are six in Broadway, Pearl, Fulton, and the business streets. This dispro- portion seems the more singular when we bear in mind that the consumption of coal and wood and the number of fires kept going is usually far greater in dwelling houses than in stores ; and thus that the opportunities for accidental conflagration are more frequent in the former than the latter. Again, fires are more frequent in stores where dry goods, clothing and other light portable goods easily disposed of are kept than in stores where bulky articles, such as wholesale groceries, are sold: and a fire that once breaks out, at night, in one of the former is hardly ever extinguished. These facts are suggestive of many reflec- tions, some of which will, probably find utter- ance when the whole evidence has been adduced at the inquest. On many points, there will doubtless be much difference of opinion. But there can be none with regard to our present volunteer fire system. Volunteer fire companies are well adapted for small eonamunities, where every man knows his meighbor, and each has some stake, however small, in the town or vil- lage. But for large cities where the circle of each man’s acquaintance is necessarily restrict- ed, and where a large floating population cem- prising hundreds of worthless and depraved characters always congregates, volunteer fire companies can hardly be as efficient as a regular paid force, and may afford large opportunities for mischief and crime. To come to the point: A burglar, pursuing his vocation here, could find no more eligible chance of making money than by setting fire to a store, rapidly commu- nicating the intelligence to the nearest fire company, accompanying the engine to the scene, and being the first to enter the house, on pretence of saving, in reality to plunder it of its contents. The bulk of our New York fire- men are of course men of respectability and standing; but there is even reason to fear that individuals whose character should exclude them from any such post, have thrust themselves into their ranks, and pretend to be runners or hang- ers on, m:rely in order to steal with impunity. Itis high time these abuses were corrected. Fravps vpox Emigrante.—Of all classes of miscreants those who make a subsistence by plundering and swindling emigrants we have least sympathy with ; and yet, bad and recreant as they are, they have been permitted until lately to continue their nefarious trade without the slightest interruption, Indeed, so success fal have they been in their operations on for- eigners that their attention has been directed to a deeper and more profitable game. They found out a better class of pigeons to pluck, namely : American born citizens, going and re- turning from California, who, on their arrival in New York from the country, intending to take passage for San Francisco, are pounced upon by swarms of runners, who by the most ingenious devices induce them to purchase tick- ets on the different routes for the land of pro- mise, In many cases the sale of these tickets is a fraud from beginning to end, but, generally speaking, their deluded victims are sent com- fortably enough as far as the Isthmus, where, to their utter astonishment and mortification, they learn that their tickets for the steamers on the Pacific side are worthless and fraudulent. Of course they are obliged, if they have money sufficient, to buy genuine tickets in order to arrive at their destination; but numbers are compelled through the lack of means to remain at the Isthmus, having had barely requisite funds on their starting from New York to convey them to San Francisco. There they remain, perhaps, for many months, desti- tute of even the common necessaries of life. There many of them fall victims to those dread- ful diseases fatal to all Jiving in temperate climes. The manner in which returned Californians (natives of the Western States) are treated on their arrival here is equally disgraceful. The moment a steamer lands these emigrant run- ners, like @ flock of ravenous vultures, beset every passenger that they think will bleed, and hand them over to the proprietors of the nume- rous forwarding agencies, whose offices are lo- cated on the most conspicuous corners of the principal business streets in the lower part of the city. Here they are induced to purchase through tickets for Chicago and for the West, paying for the same the usual charge for tick- ets on the first class cars. Their tickets are, in nearly all cases, of that description suid to foreign emigrants, too poor to be able to pay for a passage in the first class cars. The un- suspecting countrymen do not find out their mistake and the fraud committed on them un- tilthey have left New York many miles behind them. Their only alternative then is to pro- ceed on their journey in the emigrant cars, or to pay an additional sum for a seat in the firsi class cars. To think of returning to New York to prosecute these harpies is out of the ques- tion. Anxious to arrive home, and not relishing the idea of incurring further expense, having been swindled already to a large extent, they abandon all thoughts of retracing their stepsto Gotham. Within the last few months facts of a new dodge have come to light which outdoes all the former rascality and impudence of these mock railroad agents, and by which their revenue from the nefarious business has been increased fourfold. This consisted in the selling of through tickets for Cleveland and all the principal West- ern cities along the line-of the Miehigan South- ernrailrcad. When the emigrant arrived as far as Cleveland he found himself completely bamboozled. Along with the ticket to Cleve- land he received an order on somebody, repre- sented in the document as being possessed with sufficient authority to “forward the bearer,” and upon searching for this important person- age, the unlucky dupe generally comes to the conclusion that he is no where; that the ticket intended to take him further West is worth just as much as a piece of blotting paper, and that an adroit swindle hasbeen perpetrated, which, to his amazement and vexation, he is not made aware of until midway between his destination and starting point. Nothing remained then for the unfortu- nate but to purchase a bona fide ticket, for, as wesaid before, returning to New York was out of the question. Some eight or nine hundred individuals pave been defrauded in this way during the last six months, to the certain know- ledge of parties connected with those railroad companies at Cleveland. To such an extent had this evil prevailed, that the various railroad companies in the West, fearful that the effects produced by such gross frauds would change the tide of emigration by the way of the Lakes, took the matter in their own hands and determined to prosecute those engaged in the sale of these fraudulent tickets. Accordingly, a correspondence took place be- tween these parties and the District Attorney of New York. An astute officer was in- structed to be on the look out for a few of the most intelligent green ones he could find. He had not long to wait, for almost every train going West poured forth some of the duped at Cleveland. Having easily procured and in- duced two or three of these unfortunate ones to accompany him back to New York, (all their expenses having been paid,) they cheerfully gave what testimony was necessary to convict one of the principal and most extensive dealers in these spurious railroad tickets, who was sentenced to three years imprisonment in the States Prison, as will be seen by our criminal records of this month, The good work of exterminating these misera- ble, blood-thirsty, yet legal plunderers, (for by the statute of this State the emigrant runner is licensed to carry on an atrocious trade,) has now began in earnest. Two or three of the largest establishments in the city have been broken up, and more than half a dozen of the occupants are now in the City Prison to an- swer indictments of obtaining money under false and fraudulent pretences, found against them by the Grand Jury. We hope the: rail- road companies will not desist in their praiseworthy efforts to suppress the illegal traffic. Let them send back every emigrant who may be defrauded in New York, and the District Attorney will see that but few of these mock railroad agencies will be permitted to exiet in our midst. Give him‘but the material to set in motion the grand piece of machinery that will forever annihilate these rapacious plunderers, and you will have the good wishes and prayers of all useful members of society in this city. Music and Musical Science in New York. Within the last fifteen or twenty years the science of music has made astonishing progress in this city, and, indeed, throughout the Union generally. It is only about @ dozen years since the first permanent experiment of an Italian Opera was ventured upon with fear and trem- bling in Palmo’s little theatre. In the course of an- other month or two. we shall have no less than three opera houses in full blast, namely, the Irving Place In- corporated Society’s Opera House, Niblo’s Theatre, and Max Maretzek at Castle Garden, This is more than either London or Paris has ever been able at any one time to support, and we fear that this excessive and ill- judged competition will have the effect of injuring all three, It is better to have one good Opera House well supported, than to have several badly kept up. By thus dividing public patronage and weakening the resources of each other, the interests of all parties—lesseon, artists and the public—must ultimately suffer. The Boston people seem to be following closely in our wake, and the direc tors of the new Opera House there—a building of colos- sal proportions—have just despatched Mr. Barry to Ea- rope to secure the best talent that can be procured for the opening of their magnificent establishment. Our theatrical ministers plenipotentiary are, in fact, scouring Europe in all directions to pick up whatever ix now and attractive in their respective lines, and the political em- broilments of the European continent being likely to render everything in the shape of theatrical speculation hazardous, itis probable that we shall be, this year, inundated with all the best opera singers, instrumental players, and actors, that the Old World can boast of. An a farther evidence of the developement which music has taken amongst us of late years, we may mention that about twenty years ago there were not a dozen musical teachers in New York, and, in fact, there were but few female schools in which this accomplishment was taught tall. There are now no less than several hundred per- sons, of both sexes, engaged in the musical profession here. The teachers of vocal music are, as might be ex- pected, in general Italians, whilst the instrumentalists are Germans, with a sprinkling of French. It is estimat- ed that their incomes range from $200 to $4,000 a year, or an aggregate of $100,000 paid for musical tuition ina year. The number of schools in which music is taught as a regular branch of education, can now only be counted by the gross aggregate of schools themselves, as there are but few, if any, on whose programme of education it does not figure. At some of the weekly and monthly scirées which it is the practice to give in the highest class of our female schools, musical talent is displayed by the pupils, of an order and excellence not to be excelled in any similar establiskments in London or Paris. There are various excellent female schools, where music forms a very important branch of education—sueh schools, for instance, as Mrs. Mears, Madame Chegary, Madame Hix, Mr. Gibbs, Misses Rogers, and many others. Among the schools which have most distinguished themselves by the attention which they have paid to the developement of musical genius with their pupils, is that of Mrs. Mears, of Sixteenth street, whose admirable system of education is attested by the large number of first class pupils who are placed under her care, averaging, generally, from sixty to eighty of the children of some of our most respectable citizens. The musical teachers in this establishment are Madame Stoepel Wallace and Mr. Tims in the instrumental, and Madame Bouchelle in the vocal department. Dnring the last winter the musi- cal evenings at Mrs. Mears’ house were the theme of gene- ral conversation in our best circles; and there is no doubt that it is to the effects of this, and other establishments of the same kind, that are to be attributed the growth and developement of the taste for music which, since the time of Malibran, has made such wonderful strides amongst us, keeping pace with our rapid progress in population, commerce, the industrial arts, and other ele- ments of civilization and refinement. Some two years ago Messrs. Spofford and Tileston occu- pied thejsplendid granite houses in Broadway nearly oppo- site to Astor place. The dwellings were erected ten years ago, and are remarkable for the substantial style in which the work waa done. The various rooms are all finished in the best manner, and some of our fast build- ers might take a lesson from the architect who designed, and the artizans who wrought upon, these buildings. ‘Well, as all New York moved up town, the splendid dwellings in that part of Broadway are called ‘above Bleecker,” and the home of bon ton began ‘gradually to disappear, and the granite palaces of Spofford and Tileston were not exceptions to the gene- ral rule. Messrs. Spofford and Tileston erected for themselves houses on the Fifth avenue and Fourteenth street, and the houses on Broadway were leased to Mr. Waterman, who, after suitable alterations and improve- ments, opened them to the public, under the name of tie “ Astor Place Hotel.”” Ona recent occasion we examined this hotel, and the quiet, easy style in which it seemed to be kept, togethor with the home-like and comfortable air which appeared to be its principal characteristic, formed a striking con- trast to the glare, the splendor, the bustle, the hurry, and the jostle which will always be noticed in very large hotels, although in some establishments the menage is 80 for refined that a decided improvement over former times is strikingly apparent. The Astor Place Hotel has now about eighty rooms, and one hundred perons can be accommodated with all the luxuries of a good hotel. During the coming season the house is to be altered, enlarged and improved, by taking in the adjoining, building north, and by the re- moval of the office from'the basement to the first floor. This quiet little village—for such it seems by those minia- ture cities, the St. Nicholas and Metropolitan Hotels— will then have a population of one hundred and fifty. Every hotel has its peculiarity, and the guests always manage to find that hotel keeper whose style suits them, The Astor Place Hotel is apparently a quiet, well regu- lnted, well governed house, in a pleasant part of Broad- way, at a point equi-distant from the world of commerce and the world of aristocracy, but so near to both that it could safely be called a “compromise” hotel. We have no doubt that a large number of strangers will be happy to patronize a hotel of this character; and we learn that since its opening it has been. very well supported. The Indies must be pleased with it. It is stil] in the handa of ite first landlord, Mr. Waterman. Marine Affairs. Captain CRIGHTON AND THE THREE BELLS.—It will doubt- Jess be gratifying to tne rescued crew and passengers of the ill-fated steamship San Francisco to know that the gallant Captain Crighton, so intimately connected with that unfortunate event, after a rapid and stormy run of sixteen days home in the Three Bells, was, at last ac- counts, advertised as taking in passengers and freight in the Clyde for a return voyage to Montreal, as the first spring ship. J Tus SrgaMsmP NasHviitE.—On the arrival of the steam- ship Nashville from this port at Cowes, on her late out- ward trip, the passengers, in a highly culogistic ecard, expressed their high appreciation of the sea-going quali- ties of the steamer, which had been severely tested by heavy gales and ice on the pasrage, and also tendered to Capt. Berry and his officers their thanks for the uniform kindness and attention shown them during their stormy passage across the Atlantic. AMERICAN CLIPPERS IN ENGLAND.—([Extract of a letter.) regret to state that the reputation of our clippers on this side of the water has been sadly impaired, in conse- quence of several of them discharging their cargoes in a damaged condition, and having been beaten by their English competitors. The Oriental and Surprise gave us great credit, but they are now forgotten. The reputed sailing qualities of the Red Jacket, and the fact that a Fival fing were anxious to procure a ship to compete with the Lightning, were the causes of her bringing sach a high price; but I question if another ship, equally as good, would gell as well. Tell our builders {o diagonally cross-brace with iron every ship over 1,000 tons, intended for eale in the English markets.” ——E— Mapame Sontag in Enoush Orxra.—Mr. Ullman, Madame Sontag’s agent, has departed for Europe, where he will engage an English tenor and other artists to as- sist Madame Sontag in the production of English operas, a series of which she intends giving in all the principal cities of the United States—commencing at Niblo’s, in this city. Since Madame Sontag’s arrival here she has received one hundred and ten thousand dollars, of which forty thousand have been expended, and seventy thousand invested. Mr. Ullman will remain in Europe two months. Previous to his departure his evidence was taken, de bene esse, in the great case of Fuller, editor of the Mirror, against Madame Sontag. This appears to be a sort of black mail suit, and the evidence, yhich is very curious, will excite some interest when it appears in full. ‘WaALLack’s THEATRE.—The successful new comedy, ‘(Hearts at Fault,’ is the production of Mr. Watson, a young author—nineteen years of age. The comedy was enthusiastically received on the first night, (Thursday,) and will probably have a run. ACCIDENT ON THE PHILADELPHIA AND BALTMORE‘Ratt- ROAD.—The 9 o’clock A. M., express train from New York to Washington encountered a serious accident on Satur- day evening last, near the hamlet of Aberdeen, six miles south of Havre de Grace. At this place the locomotive came in contact with a cow which had been straying on the track, and from the defective construction of the coweatcher, the animal got under the wheels, throwing the locomotive and tender off the track on one side, and the smoking car off on the other. The engine was most completely demolished; and so great was the shock that the tender was thrown some yards in advance of the locomotive. ‘The engineer and fireman miraculously eseaped, with some slight bruises, ‘There had*been some dozen passengers in the smoking car, which was curiously extruded from between the baggage car and the first passenger car; and though ft was thrown side upward and terribly shattered, none of its oceupants were seriously hurt. One of them was a colored man, who had been wrecked at sea, and carried to England. Travelling from London to Liverpool, he had a narrow escape of his life, in a railroad accident. The ship on which he came to the United States—tho Underwriter—was wrecked, and the passengers came near sharing the fate of those of the Powhatan; and, finally, he had another narrow escape in this instanee. ‘The employ(s and passengers set to work, and, after ® couple of hours, succeeded in clearing the track of the wreck. A messenger was despatched to Havre de Grace for another locomotive and passenger ear, and the train reached Baltimore at 10 o’clock the same night. ‘The accident is fairly to be attributed to the parsi- monious negligence of the railroad company, which bas left this portion of the road unfenced. Several similar aceidenta have occurred within a distance of some three or four miles of the s) which have cost the company cover ten thousand dollars—a sum which would suffice to fence the road for its entire length. In such cases, the railroad company should be compelled to defray the penses incurred some of whom oe unprovided ph Pood ‘to pay hotel bills to hich they are thus subjected. The Farmers’ Club, A regular monthly meeting of the Farmers’ Ch held on Tuesday at noon—Mr. Coleman, of Brook, the chair. The meeting being called to order, ‘The Sxcagrary informed the Chair that several were lying on the table, relative to the discovery hitherto unknown tree in Washington Territory; 0 way to treat diseased pear trees; and also a paper, extracts from some French papers, relative to the u beets for the purpose of making alcohol. ‘A paper was read from John Bullock, upon the and probable extinction of the potato. The disease bree the plant was afficted—which baffled all the of learned men—was in his opinion a certain sign o ultimate death. i Mr. Corman exhibited model racks for holding fod made in the same manner and by the same machin is used by him in the construction of neat fences. The subject of the day for discussion—\ Weeding the cultivation of spring and summer crops, and the ner and best tools to do it with”"—was then declared <a ee — ie present. gentleman e would like to other than weeding with the hands could be cheat Mr. Musics, the Secretary, made a few remarks, tending that where any one wanted a crop of tables, not more than one plant of — should b lowed to liveon the same plot of ground, for he| plants hated one another worse than men did each o and could never thrive where weeds or other obnos plants were come. A Meuugr stated that the best machine he knew o removing weeds was that manufactured by a Mr. of Elizabethtown, N. J. He spoke of various other of partially removing weeds, but eould not suggest plan for their total removal. After some other remarks the discussion conclud A very fine sample of Mr. Coleman, of dest ever produced. Probable Discontinuance of a Large Nui of Western Post Offices. In advertising for contracts for carrying the m the Western States during the succeeding two years| Post Office Department has issued the following ins! tions as to special post offices:— Postmasters and bidders will particularly notice the service to special offices differs entirely from th the regularly numbered routes, in this respect—tha} contractor’s pay must be derived exclusively from| net proceeds of the office supplied, within a certain to be named by him; that the excess of net proc any, beyond such sum, must be held by the postm subject to the draft of this Department; and that net proceeds fall short of the amount of the bid or. ment, the deficiency cannot in any case be suppli this Department. ‘If no bids be made under thi a4 tisement, or no one named as contractor by the master at a special office before the Ist July, 1854, office shall be reported for discontinuance. There are hundreds of Post Offices in the West do not now net sufficient to pay for the expense of rying the mails, nearly all of which, no doubt, ar cated in enterprising little villages and settlements ere long would pay a premium to-the Post Office D ment, if their facilities for receiving letters and rs intelligence were not to be so summarily eut off. are probably many offices in the more populous S| which do not receive sufficient to pay the contracto1 bringing the mails to them, and if the above princi carried out on all subsequent lettings, they, too, have to be discontinued, and all mail facilities will after be confined to the more densely populated citi villages. We shall probably hear more of this wher principle begins to work. ‘The Gadsden ‘Treaty—Benton will Oppose -yptian millet was exhibi! ng Island, and was pronoun A) riation. We have the following highl Saeal e importai reliable authority :— ¥4 7 sea April 29, 18 ‘WaAsnincron, Col. Benton will oppose the appropriation for the oan ‘Ror laveding the priv . For invading the privileges of the House of Re sentatives in originating burthens upon the people. 2. Because it is a case in which the House of Repre| tatives has a right to be consulted in the making treaty, and to old the appropriation. | 8. For the manner in which ieeab mado, | 4. For ita provisions and objects. i He will also move for a select committee, with pé| to send for persons and Papers, and take testimony, meported to the House of Representatives. i fe will resist the consideration of the appropria until the committee is raised and has reported. The researahes of the committee, if raised, will ex to the circumstances of the ratification of the treaty. City Intelligence. THE CIVIL AND MILITARY REPUBLICAN SOCIET4 OF IRELAND. 4 An adjourned meeting of the above society was h Monday evening, at the rooms of the Association, » | White strect. Dr. O'Hanlon acted as Secretary, aj roner O'Donnell, Messrs. Molloy, Ferguson, Holland, Coghlan and about thirty other gentlemen attends. roner O'Donnell was called to the chair, anda! Soin@ brief observations, in the course of which b | Premed his devotion to the cause of his country, altev e was not yet informed of the particalar objevtat organization. ; ‘The constitution and rules of the society wer tlt read by the Secretary, and approved of. | ‘the following is a copy of a letter from Mr.:ob! | Ward, of Baltimore, which was then read:— fi Bautrwore, Sunday, April 2084 mi the se in view. Ireland’s os sonsideration, and the restoration of her nationalyr th dearest object 1 hold ourselves uncommitid un | wehear from you. Anxiously waiting your re oy RD am yours, respect 5 i It was ofdered for insertion on the minutes.» | Enthusiastic sentiment prevailed, to the effecthat t issue of the present war may have the effect of lerati_| and up-raising Ireland. Several gentlemen camtorwa | then, and enrolled their names as members; aft: whi the meeting adjourned. ‘Tae Manink Socrery MEMORIALIZNG ConGRE:s.<he M | rine Society of the city of New York have prented memorial to Congress, setting forth the inefiicit: conc tion of our merchant marine, and asking tha body make it obligatory for all ships and vessels, com o hundred and fifty tons and upwards, clearing athe C peecrmres ipaoe am ae piney or morevoys, tl] number lust y Congress, \ propor} tion to the size of the ship, leaving it optionrto ado al the nrpeentice system, or go as volunteers, as fe parti may choose. The sts ask that these bys shou be from twelve to seventeen years of age, an they a. fully satisfied that thousands of the youth of ¢r coun’ would bail with joy such action on the part ofCon and at once embrace an occupation so man]; honor! ble and patriotic as that opened to them. asked to act immediately, and with ene important matter, as many thousands of liveare jeop dized, and millions of property imperiled orost, und: the present miserable, disorganized and ineflent cond tion of our sailors, in the merchant as wells the nav; service. Itis a wellknown fact, say the nmorialis that a t number of our finest and mostostly shij! have left our port of late with the entire crer compose of foreigners of the lowest and vilest nd most landsmen in that number. The petitioner promise, necessary, to furnish many facts and staternts to cor vince Congress of the great and grievous «ils to merce from the incapacity and inefficiency ; seamen, man our unsurpassed fleet of merchantmen, AN IreM From Yorkvi12.—The newly ozanized af much needed Fire Engine Company Aquedn, No. 47, ‘oot eee to the Hellgate ferry, it of Kightsixth stree) t river, on Tuesday it, for enge trial, anc considering the antiquity of the apparatuat present a their command, did work, Seo tok te eighto ten feet above the flagstaff, which ia eighty-e fect high, and had not the hose burst, they would save succeec ed still better. Good service may confidetly be expect ed from this company when they get theinew machine which they hope to have in time for the mnual parade psp Engine Company No. 47 was omnized on th 6th of March last, and already has two-thfls of its men: , and those from among the most resptable inhabi tants of Yorkville, embodying in themselw the suavitu ip modo—fortitur in re. | New York Socimry Limrary.—At the anual meeting © the New York Society Library, held on Tyaiay, the 25t) instant, the following gentlemen were eleted trustees q the Library for the ensuing year:—@ulia C. Verplanc’ William Inglis, Alexander it Rodgers, ayton Hoba Frederic DePeyster, James DePeyster )gden, Joshu Coit, Joseph Delafield, James H. Titus, Chries M. Leup) John H. Gourlie, James W. Beekman, J. Anderso Stephen C. Watiams, John Bigelow. TaeSo: ciety oo ina very flou: g condition, anc cnlargin, the sphere of its usefulness, | EXTENSION OF THE BOWERY.—A meetin was called y terday afternoon in relation to the jing of ‘th Bowery to Franklin aquare. The moelng. warto hav been held at the Eastern Pearl Street Buse, but in c sequence of the extreme inclemency o the weather i ‘was postponed to Wednesday evening nxt. The Greeks and the Tirks. We have received, says the Post, b the Arabia, th following appeal from a prominent ‘Gsek, now residin at Athens, but who was educated in te United State which is understood to express the sentment of his cour trymen in relation to the strife nowpending betwee Turkey and Russia:— AN APPEAL TO THE FREE AND BENVOLENT NATIO: { OF THR UNITED STATES OF AIERICA, BY TH] GREEKS OF MACEDONIA, THESALY, THRACK EPIRUS, IONIA AND THE GREEK SLANDS. Four\pundred years of intolerable bondage, infini and ine sufferings, brought ipon us by the yok lussulmans—e y' that madche cup of life overflow with bitterness—oblige us totake up armas, tl we = pad oe Be assert the trut that all men ar: born Christians ‘of America—free and hippy people of th United States—the present Panhellent movement is bu the continuation of the great work bgua in 1821, whicl jolced to see. nited States then heard of ou wrongs, pitied us, and assisted us. Br that same assist you now. The present war isa hol; Spptension, Yt i the prvat reraggh vevween Tick un mn. een tight anc ‘kness—the Gospel the Koran.