The New York Herald Newspaper, January 3, 1871, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET, JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR. ; All business or news letter and telegraphic despatches must be addressed New York Hera. and packages should be properly sealed. Rejected communications will not be re- turned. Volame XXXVI AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broa War Wivur WIinxre. WOOD'S MUBEUM Broad B0ch at. — Ps - ay. —THE PANTOMIME OF GLOBE THEATRE, 728 Broaiway.—Vasinzty ENTER: TAINMENT, £0. FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE, Twenty-fourth street. BaRATOGA. BOOTH'S THEATRE, 33d st., be:woen th and tn avs.— Rir Van Wivxie. NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadw: TaE BLACK CRooK. Pct THEATRE, Broadway ena 1th sircet.— Tue SProTACLE oF LINA EDWIN'S THEATRE, 120 Broadway.—LitTLE JAOK SHEPPARD— ALADDIN. GRAND OPERA HOUSE, corner of 8th av. and 93d st.— Lee Buroanve. TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, 201 Bowery.—Va- RIBLY ENTEBTAINMENT. THEATRE COMIQUE, 514 Broadway.—Com1o Vooat- 16M, NEGRO ACTS, &0.—JOLLY SANTA O1.aus. NEW YORK STADT THEATRE.—GeRMan OPEBa— Luopetta Borgia. GAN FRANCISCO MINSTREL HALL, 685 Broadway.— NEQuo MINGTEELSY, Fanors, BUBLROQUES, &0. BRYANT'S NEW OPERA and 7th avs.—NkoRo MiN6T: E, 93d at., betwoon 6th Koorstiortes, &0. APOLLO HALL. corner street and Broadway.— Ds. Coxry's Diozama or TaxLaNv. BROOKLYN OPERA HOUSE——Waton, Huauts & Warts'’s MinsTRe.s.-HOLIDAY PANTOMIME, 40. DR. KATIN’S AN. i 1. —— maa VAMATONDOAD 'USEUM, 145 Broadway. NEW YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 618 Broadway.— SOIRNOR AND Ant. Se — a New York, Tuesday, January 3, 1871. CONTENTS OF TO-DAY’S BERALD. Pacs. paernery pe recuenmanrey 1—Advertisements. ‘Q—Indlan Civilization: Proceedings of the Grand Council at Ockmulgee—Two Cinciunat{ Girls Betrayed—Negro Murder in Alabama—Adver- Usements, S—Mall News from Europe—New Year's Day: The Seoular Festival and its Celebration—The Courts—Marriages and Deaths. 4—Editorials: Leading Article, ‘The United States and the New Dominion—The Fisheries and the St. Lawrence Didiculties—HEeRalD Com- missioners’ Reports’’—Amusement Announces ments. S—The War in France: Herald Special Reports from Versailles; the Proposed Bombardment Not Yet Begun—The European Congress--The British Cabinet—General European Cable Tele- =r State Capital—Cowardly Wife urder by a Negro—New Year Among tne Theatres—A Tragedy in Maine—Obitaary— Views of the Past—Business Notices. @—The sishery Conundram: Our Speck of War with the Dominion; Special HERavLp Commissioners on the Situation; They Interview Canadian Statesmen, Gloucester Fishermen and Jack Tars; the British Provincial Authorities Im- ra President Grant; The Yankee Men of it and Hook for War; Indignation and Threats of the Gloucester Boys. Tho Fishery Conundrum (continued from Sixth Page)—Minnie Davis: Accused of Argon; A Strange, Sad Story of a Young Girl's Life as Given by Herse' fhe Next Presidency: In- trigues for the N: Republican Nomination— Chief Justice Chase—The Coroners’ OMce— The Grand Bail of 187i—Financial Report— Havana Weekly Market—accident to a Hunt- ing Party—Negroes Frozen to Death, S—News from Waskington: New Year's Day at the Capitai—Boots and Shoes: Fuilures Among Philadelphia Shoe Manulacturers—Philadel- iia =Matters—Fires—The Papacy—Shipping Pateuigence—Advertisements. Tux Sreamer Hornet.—She arrived at Port au Prince on the 18th nit for coal, wiuton was refused her at Nassau; she received it and satled on the 22d; destina- tion unknown. Will we hear from her next on the Cuban or Spesiet coast? Tae Prosprcts oF THE Next PRESIDENCY are rapidly becoming matters of moment, and it is interesting to hear the views of any individual even remotely connected with the probabilities of a nomination. A HzraLp reporter has just interviewed Chief Justice Chase on that subject, but that gentleman was extremely reticent as to hisown chances, He thinks the campaign will be very lively, however. Taz War.—There is no news of importance this morning from the theatre of war in France. Mézitres, one of the last French strongholds on the Belgian border, has been occupied by the Germans, and, if we may judge from the Luxembourg precedent, a letter to the neutral Powers may soon be expected from Bismarck announcing that he will have to seize on Belgium as a military necessity. Itis avery suggestive fact that the Prussian troops seized upon the towns and fortresses along the Luxembourg border, ready, if necessary, to swoop into that duchy before the Luxembourg note was mailed. Tar Szooxp Day or tHE New YeAR—A day of jollity and conviviality, of visiting and receiving, of social intercourse and of a gen- eral interchange of good fellowship. The weather was pleasanier than New York has known for many New Years previously, and the usual number and variety of callers were out in more than usual force. In Washington, where the day is usually one of great bril- liancy, the mourning over Mra. Belknap’s death and the consequent postponement by the President and nearly all the other officers of the government of their usual receptions cast a general damper upon the festivities. Tax Croup is tHe East.—The sun of the Orient is again clouded. New Year finds the relations between the Sultan of Turkey and the Viceroy of Egypt still embittered. We are told, indeed, by cable telegram that the diplo macy from Constantinople and Alexandria and vice versa is of a very angry character. There is the assertion of imperial authority on the one band and the attempt to vindicate a vice- regal independence on the other. The other Powers look on with anxiety, no doubt, but the question must be settled, and at an early day, by absolute definition. The Czar of Russia is convinced of this fact and watches the evolution of the problem. He is moving iroops here and there within the limits ef the empire. To-day we hear that his soldiers are concentrating in Southwestern Russia ; to-morrow we may be told of an army movement in some other direction. The Em- peror is evidently keeping bis men in good marching trim and in force and discipline—a wholesome practice for a great military nation. The United States and the New Dominion— ‘The Fisheries and the St. Lawrence Dim- cultiesHerald Commissioners’ Reports. The pointed and very suggestive remarks of the President in his late annual Message to Congress, touching ‘ibe unfriendly manifesta- tions” of her Britannic Majesty's provincials of the New Dominion towards our peeple in the Northeastern fisheries and in the naviga- tion ef the St, Lawrence, have brought these matters preminently into the foreground of our little unsettled balances against England. It is a little curious, too, that while at London the complaints of General Grant in the pre- mises have been received respectfully and with promises of a careful consideration, her Majesty's provingials at Ottawa have nothing to express but the astonishment of thelr in- jared innocents at these charges of General Grant. To get at the facts in this business we recently detailed from this office a special commissioner to Ottawa, the capital of the New Dominion, and another to Gloucester, Mass., the head- quarters of our Yankee fishermen, and in the reports from these special ambassadors, which we publish in this paper, we have the case on both sides, at least in regard to the fisheries, The statesmen at Ottawa, in answer to the complaints of General Grant, putin not only a general denial, but a considerable mass of evidence and much special pleading, to show that our Canadian friends in every way, officially and unofficially, have done all that could be asked of them as neighbors and much more than is required by the letter of their treaty obligations, both in regard to privileges allowed in thelr fisheries and in the navigation of the St. Lawrence. Those innocent Cana- dians protest that ‘‘we are overwhelmed with astonishmeat at the language used by the President of the United States concerning us and the charges made against us." They say they have been assailed ‘‘without cause, fact or reason;” that they are “‘free from all offence in every partioular.” They show how they have stretched the fishery treaty stipulations, not against, but in favor of the Americans; how the Americans, in putting an end to the late Reciprocity Treaty, killed a good goose which laid them many golden eggs; how, in giving no notice any longer to American fish- ermen of the penalties attached to trespasses within the three interdicted miles from the shore, the Dominion authorities are still faith- ful to the law, and that, in short, the fishery complaints of General Grant are the com- plaints of the designing wolf against the inno- cent lamb. Nor have the Canadians the remotest con- ception of what General Grant is driving at when he says that ‘‘a like unfriendly disposi- tion has been manifested on the part of Canada in the maintenance ef a claim of right to ex- clade the citizens of the United States from the navigation of the St. Lawrence.” What if there are eight ef the United States, “‘with 17,600,000 people, upon the waters” whose common outlet is that great river? Give them the absolute right of way, and how are the Americans going to navigate the Falls of Niagara and the St. Lawrence rapids? It can’t be done. The Canadians have exeavated those lateral canals at a cost of $17,000,000, by which alone the traffic of the great lakes can get down the St. Lawrence to the sea ; and in those canals, we are assured, the Americans have had, still have and will continue to have, the same privileges as the Canadians. What more would they have? Finally, the Canadians are in no particular hurry for annexation. They aro getting ou very well as they are. They gan do withont ns, if we can do without tem. They are not crippled with ‘Erie rings and un- chaste courts of justice.” While o-- s+ cutmess attracts them. ++~ yractical working of our in- stitutions repels them ; and they are ‘‘not to be dragooned into separation, or independence or annexation.” Such is the summing up of the case for the Dominion as submitted to the HERALD commis- sioner at Ottawa. The case as made out by the American fishermen and given to the HERALD commissioner at Gloucester is a diffe- rent story. Those fishermen are satisfied that the Canadians are making all this fuss in order to get back their advantages in trade under the late Reciprocity Treaty, But, whatever their object, their outrages upon American fishermen are intolerable, and General Grant and General Schenck ‘‘are all right.” Here we have the remonstrance of the Gloucester Board of Trade, too, endorsing General Grant and General Butler; and the details of the seigure of the American fishing vessel White Fawn; of the ‘‘outrage at Pirate Cove,” and of another against certain vessels driven ashore from Halifax in a gale; and the affair {a which a Gloucester fleet was driven from Prince Edward Island ; and the case of another fleet hustled out of Port Mulgrave, and various other specifications given, go far to support the fishermen of Gloucester, General Butler and the complaints of the President's Message. We have also in this Gloucester statement a satisfactory explanation of the origin, and the why and the wherefore of General But- ler’s proposed non-intercourse act, and we see that on the Yankee fishermen’s sido of the question there is to be no more trifling. Those men believe that longer forbearance on their part under these petty persecutions of her Majesty’s provincials will be sheer folly and cowardice, and thus General Butler is strongly intrenched in his position. The case of the Ottawa confederate pro- vincial government appears very smooth, very innocent, very fair and very friendly. but your cunning lawyer or professional diplo- mat knows how to make a very plausible case from very poor materials. We are satisfied thata man so careful in all his statements, official and unofficial, as General Grant is, has substantial reasons for the complaints of his Message touching the “‘unfriendly disposition” of our provincial neighbors toward us, both in reference to those Eastera fisheries and the navigation of the St, Lawrence. Between te letter of the law and the spirit of the law there is often the difference that is found between the violation of the law and the fulfil- ment of the law. Soured by the abrogation of the late Reciprocity Treaty, we have no doubt that all her Majesty's provincials con- cerned have adopted a course of spiteful retaliations against American fishermen near their coasts and American traders in the St. Lawrence which is very offensive. We have no doubt that General Grant is thus fully jas- {fled by facts in the complaints of his Message, NEW to say nothing of this very strong report from the Henap commissioner at Gloucester. Concerning the navigation of the St. Law- rence, those seventeen million six hundred thousand of our Weatera people, looking to this outlet for their heavy products, must ulti- mately have it in common with their neigh- bors over the border under the oemmon rights of annexation, This must be the final settle- ment, The strongest of all the forces employed against our late Southern rebellion was the Mississippi river. The idea of arresting the trade down that great highway fram the Ohio and the Upper Misalssippi by a foreign con- federacy at any point was as absurd ag would have been tho attempt to turn bask the river itself. So with the St, Lawrence, It is the natural highway to the sea to all the commu- nities of its basin, on all sides of its tributary great lakes, and thoae indispensable St. Law- rence lateral canals are, after all, but a mere bagatelle of dollars and cents, The complaints of General Grant touching the navigation of this river, and the unfriendly dealings of our neighbors concerning the Eastern fisheries, may be adjusted, with the Alabama claims, short of annexation ; yet from the very mature of things there cau bs, short of annexation, no satisfactory adjustment. The twe peoples directly concerned must be made one before there can be any real harmony between them on these fishing or navigation rights. As it is apparent, however, on both sides, that the time has not yet come for this ulti- matum of annexation, we presume that Gene- ral Schenck, our newly appointed Minister to England, will be charged with negotiations looking to a temporary settlement of these border difliculties as a sort of appendix to the Alabama claims. But, considering the troubled state of Europe and the fermentation going onin American politics and the univer- sal revolutionary spirit of the age, the histori- cal events of 1871 {n the Old World and the New may be as astounding to all the nations as those of 1870 in Spain, France, Germany and Italy. Paris Not Yet Bombarded — Trochu’s Tactics. Our special despatches from Versailles, one of which we publish this morning, enable the reader to form a clear idea of the military situation before the French capital. Our correspondent, writing on the 29th ult., reports that the expected bombardment had not begun at that date. Asa consequence of this dila- toriness the German troops were becoming dissatisfied. It appears, however, that the failure te bombard was due to causes which will probably protect Paris from a storm of shot and shell for some time yet. The Ger- mans have not a sufficient number of large guns at hand, and they have been compelled to concentrate such as they have at one par- ticular point, with the object of capturing or silencing one or more of the forts. But before they can accomplish this they must over- come obstacles which, at the present moment, appear insurmountable. Altogether our correspondent is of opimion that the French forts will give the German batteries full em- ployment to keep them from doing much injury to the investing line. It is true that the effec- tiveness and calibre of the French guns haye probably been overrated; but granting this, the fact remains that while the Germans may finally succeed in reducing one or more of the forts, it will only be after a severe struggle. This exposition puts a somewhat different feature to the situation before Paris than the previous zeports had given ii. In addition, it appears as if all the German armies in the open field have been thre-= vu the defensive. Prince F--2-«1ck Charles must now passively oppose Chauzy’s army, contenting himself with preventing the French from approaching too near the besieged capital. All operations in the provinces are thus suspended until Paris falls. General Von Moltke has evi- dently decided that the most important thing for the Germans to do is to compel Trochu to surrender. Paris is regarded as~the heart of France. Strike Paris and the whole country will yield. Such is the conclusion we draw from a perusal of our correspondent’s de- spateh. But may not Von Moltke what disappointed in the present operations before Paris? [3 it not possible. that he will get the city without the garrison? A despatch from Bordeaux published yesterday con- tains a denial that Trochu is preparing an intrencbed camp around Fort Mont Valcrien, his purpose being to evacuate Paris and oc- cupy this camp. To-day it is reported from London that since the abandonment of Fort Avron by the French all the forts have been silent. This silence may be very signi- ficant. It may mean that Trochu is quietly removing his artillery, ammunition and provi- sions to Mont Val¢rien, preparatory to aban- doning Paris. Such a movement would be good generalship. If, as is stated, Paris now contains provisions for the entire population and garrison for two months, the supply will enable the garrison alone to hold out for eight months longer. And, besides, with the French in possession of Mont Val¢rien, Paris will be actually at their mercy. Ina few days, how- ever, we shall doubtless learn what the tactics of Trochu are—whether he proposes to remain in the city and fight to the last or to abandon the place and retire to the great foriress, the shadows of whose guns fall almost across the bastions surrounding Paris. be some- result of his Tue Inptan Conreperation.—The Grand Council of the tribes of the Indian Territory, held at Ockmulgee, has perfected a plan of consolidation and submitted to the people for their ratification a bill of rights and con- stitution for the government of the Confedera- tion, The constitution, the main features of which are copied from the constitution of the United States, provides for three departments of government—executive, legislative and judicial—each well guarded against encroach- ment by other departments. The executive power is vested in a governor, whose term of office is two years. Provision is also made for a secretary, attorney general, district attor- neys and marshals. The legislative power consis's of a Senate and House of Representa- tives, and the judiciary is composed of a Su- | preme Court, three district courts and such inferior couris as may be provided by law. No doubt this constitutioa will be adopted with great unanimity, and that all the tribes outside organized States and Territories will event- ually become members of the Confederation, The Assassination of Goneral Prim. The assassins who shot General Prim in the streets of Madrid on the evening of the 27th of December have attained their object, though not on the instant they fired, for the General is dead. The bullets proved fatal. Our special and very full telegraphic despatches published yesterday and to-day explain all the circum- stances. The assassination was not the work of one man, but of a conspiracy, and, it is said, of an extensive and formidnble one. It is a lamentable ocourrence, from whatever point of view we look at it. It is a crime that nothing can justify, aad in a political aspect it is, pro- bably, a great mistake. The liberties of a people are not to be secured or established by such crimed. The sober and moral sense of the public everywhere revolts at assassina- tion under whatever pretext or provocation it may be committed. Retribution generally follows, whether a tyrant, usurper or revo- lutionary reactionist be the victim, as in the caso of Prim, or the people be assassinated in masses, as in the case of the slaughter of the Parisians by Louis Napoleon at his famous coup d'état, A reaction takes place sooner or later, and punishment in some way usually overtakes the criminals. The cause of republicanism in Spain can hardly be pro- moted by such a deed. At the same time it ought to warn the tyrants, monarchs and self- ish intriguing statesmen that it is dangerous to attemptto sell the liberties of a nation and to dispose of the people to this or that master as cattle or chattels are sold in the market, In this enlightened age men think for themselves and aspire to self-government. In times past, in the Dark Ages, nations were transferred, as negro slaves used to be in this country, from one master to another, without a voice in the matter. But that period haspassed. Prim paid the penalty for violating the rights of a people with his life. And what is to follow? What is the prospect for the new King of Spain whose reign is ushered in by such bloody work? The apparent acclamations of applause with which he was received may prove only the funeral knell of his reign, There is a powerful republican sentiment in Spain, and that unhappy country is distracted by rival monarchical factions. Amadeus has a thorny path to tread. From all accounts he is a worthy and liberal-minded young man; but royalism is fast dying out and republican principles are spreading over Europe. What- ever sympathy may be extended to him per- sonally he cannot escape the perils by which the antagonistic sentiments of Spain and the age surround him. [If he cannot reconcile the Spanish people to monarchy it would be better that he retura to Italy, and not suffer himself to be atool of royalist factions or combinatigns, for in that case he may become another vic- tim of the revolution that is upheaving Europe. The King of Italy Leaves Rome. His Majesty King Victor Emmanuel made his solemn royal entry into Rome on Saturday last, December 31. By telegram from the Hely City published in the Hzratp this morn- ing weare informed that the King took his departure on Sunday, January 1, 1871, on his return to Florence. As a practica assertion of his right to rule over universal Italy the fact of the eatry is mo doubt quite sufficient, The visit was an uncommonly short one, however. scarcely extending to twenty-four hours, W are not teld whether the King had an interview with the Pope, how or where he was lodged, or whether he retired. to rest during bis stay. The Roman people reee!rot him enthusiasti- cally. ana were equally demonstrative in the same good-natured tone when they bade him the ‘‘ Vale,” “Vale.” The King made a large donation of money for charitable purposes, and also requested of the Municipal Council that the sums which it was intended should bo expended in getting up festivities in his honor would be applied jn the same direction. Char- ity, repentance and a speedy shrive by the clergy appear to have made the predominant idea of the royal mind. The conflict of mod- ern politics was hushed near the footprints of St. Peter. Burotars 1s ArMep GaNnos.—When bur glars enter a house in a gang of six stalwart rascals, all armed with revolvers, as they did in Brooklyn on Saturday night, they evidently mean to rob at the cost of life if necessary. It wouldbe wise, therefore, for people to be prepared for a lively defence in case their domicile is entered. No house should be with- out firearms, loaded and ready for action. There is mo necessity for getting flurried in handling a pistol or shooting your neighbor who might mistake your house for his own, or your petcat. Keep cool and do not miss the burglar. That's the way to punish him. The police made a sad fiasco of the Brooklyn affair. They allowed all the thieves to escape except one ; and had not one been shot by one of his comrades in the indiscriminate firing upon the officer there would have been ‘‘nobody hurt.” This circumstance, and others of a simi- lar character, prove the declaration of the City Judge some time ago—that w burglar who enters a house at night with intent to rob enters it prepared to kill, and should be dealt with accordingly. Toe Souprers’ AND SaiLors’ Orpuans Farr is about drawing to a close, but the attractions appear to increase with its last hours. The attendance continues good, and the realization of the hopes of the ladies who have dedicated their noble hearts, their beauty and their un- tiring exertions in behalf of the orphans is likely to be accomplished. The children of our dead heroes who perished by land and sea are the wards of the nation. The ladies, and indeed our citizens generally, have patronized the fair very liberally. If there be any one who has not contributed by his purse or his présence (the former preferred), let him re- gard it as his first duty to visit the Armory of the Seventy-first regiment this evening, or Wednesday or Thursday, and take chances in the raffles for all the magnificent things, which are to come off on these occasions, “Tax little church around the corner” bids fair to become famous and prosperous through the contemptuous reference of the unfortunate parson Sabine. It may become a big church yet. The Holiday Street theatre company, of Baltimore, on New Year's Eve subscribed a bundred dollars to purchase a Bible illus- trated by Doré for presentation to Rev. Mr. Houghton, the pastor of the ‘‘little church,” who was not so much above his Master as to refuse burial to even an humble play actor, YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 187L Our Legislatare ef 1871 in Fall Blast, The democratic and republican Legislative caucuses were held in Albany last night. The republican caucus had a pleasant little affair among the mombers thereof, Joha H, Selkreg, of Tompkins, declared that ‘‘owing to certain circumstances, touching his personal dignity and the interests of the republican party, he absolutely declined to allew his name to be used as the republican candidate for Speaker of the House. James W. Husted, of West- chester, not having any such compunctious visitings of conscience, allowed his name to be used in that connection, and he will be balloted for accordingly. Our Albany corres- pondent states that this result was due to the superior strategy of the friends of Senator Fenton, who, he says, managed to keep the Conklingese out of the yay when the vote was taken. This may have been a satisfactory result among the Fentonites; but how will it affect political movements in Washington, in the West and East, in our own Custom House and in the other federal offices in the State of New York? Will it not help to widen the split already opening in the republican ranks? What will Murphy say? Time will show. In the meantime the democrats held their caucus, It was simply a happy family gather- ing. The slate was presented—to wit, Hitch- man for Speaker, Armstrong for Clerk, Rhodes for Sergeant-at-Arms—and, without erasing a name, without dotting an ‘‘i” or crossing a “t," the programme as before prepared was adopted, and the music of our democratic Legislature of 1871 will be so attuned, and the orchestra play accordingly. Now, let us havea short, sharp and deci- sive Legislature. Make a short session. Keep down taxes, institute moral, religious and canal reforms, and the democratic leaders in the New York Legislature this year, rural and local, assisted by the inspiration of Tammany Hall, will leave a splendid record wherewith to enter the Presidential campaign of 1872. The Staf OMicers of the Navy=What They Want and What They May Get. : The course of the Hgrawp regarding the resolution of Mr. Logan, whereby it is pro- posed to abolish the grades of admiral and vice admiral in our navy, does not suit a majority of the staff officera in that branch of our public service. Those gentlemen consider that everything must yield to their wishes and everybody espouse their cause. The Presi- dent, Congress, the Navy Department, the entire press of the county, all must think as they think, all must afd them in carrying out their views—their one great object—and that is, to prevent Vice Admiral D. D. Porter's pro- motion. They would no anything to accom- plish this; they would shrink at nothing whereby their fond hope of defeating his con- firmation would be realized, and they gnash their teeth when they hear of any move that opposes their wishes, any voice that is raised to defend the man against whom they have an enmity almost deadly. Fend as they all are of rank, devoted as they are to gold lace and embroidery, they would, we verily believe, sacrifice it all for the time being if they could only succeed in de- feating the Admiral’s confirmation in the Senate and in passing the bill for the abolition of the grade. This difference of opinion between the staff and line officers has been, and will continue to be, most unfortunate for the naval service; it has made enemies of friends; it has broken up many an old association, and has brought about a feeling of bitterness that will effec- tually destroy that harmony which should always exist among the officers of a man-of- war. It is in a measure destructive of dis- cipline; it clogs the wheels of the routine of the service; it sets a bad example to the crew; in fact it creates a world of mischief and destroys the efficiency of a ship almost as much as the loss of half her battery, or the partial derangement of her machinery; and yet it still goes on, growing worse and worse every day, until there isno telling where the trouble will end or what the result of it will be. There is, however, another point we must touch upon, Among many of those staff offi- cers the feeling against the Vice Admiral is so strong that they in conversation fre- quently forget themselves and allow their tongues to run unbridled. They forget that he is the highest officer of the naval service— their superior officer—and that by being guilty of disrespect to him they render them- selves liable to be reported, to have charges preferred against them and to be tried by a court martial, the result of which might very materially affect their standing in the service, if it did not entirely deprive them of assimilated or any other rank. We give them this hint as a gentle warning to beware, and not to go too far. They should not compromise their offi- cial positions. If they hate, let them carry out their hatred by other means thao the mouth, If they wish to injure their superior in rank, use other measures than mere words; the latter will never do harm, except to them- selves, by exposing the true reason of their dislikes, which are personal motives, and not | any desire or belief on their part that the country or naval service will be benefited by the change they desire to have made. We still hope that their wishes will not be grati- fied—that the Senate will see through their designs and decline to further them. Let them discover that they are not, as they now suppose themselves to be, all powerful, and it will do more to heal the sore between the staff and line officera than any other remedy that oan be devised. They will have found their level, and, like good fellows as they are, will ba content to keep it, Carrurg oF Monrgvipgro.—News from Rio Janeiro via London informs us that Monte- video had been taken by the insurgents by surprise, So far, 80 good; but how long will it be before the insurgenis, becoming the power in the land, will be in turn besieged and themselves taken by surprise? Tne Story oF Mrxnte Davis, the girl who tried to hang herself in a Tombs cell on Christmas night, as reported from her own words in another column, is an old story of misery that the cold world too often laughs at and disbelieves, In this, the universal season of charity, it is not too much to ask that we believe the story as she tells it, The Theatres. It Is a recoguized fadt that the residents ang sojouraers in Now York forma thoatre-going population as numerous, as eager and in some respects as critical as that of any great Euro- pean eity. It must also be admitted that dur- ing the present season our New York theatres offer extraordinary attractions. Although such stars of first magnitude as Rachel, Ristorl, Seebach, Janauschek, Dawison ee | Fechter are not now illuminating our dramatic firmament, these have all successively shone here, and Marie Seebach will reappear on Jantary 10 at the Stadt theatre. Janauschek will also soon be here again. Booth will return and assume the ile of Richelieu as soon as Jefferson's “Rip Van Winkle” shall have completed its run of one hundred and fifly nights. Meanwhile the public has a precious opportunity of enjoying at Booth’s theatre the last week of this master- piece of acting. Whatever deviations from Washington Irving’s fascinating legend of “Sleepy Hollow” may have at first exposed Boucicault’s version of it to justifiable criti. cism, they have gradually been either elimi- nated by Mr. Jefferson himself or so modi- fled by him as to enhance the marvellous dramatio effects of the performance. It has grown, as it were, into an indestructible “thing of beauty and a joy forever.” A young lady, whose first effort in theatrical criticism does equal credit to her heart and head, re- cently said of Jefferson's Rip Van Winkle :~ “As long as memory exists it must reproduce it from beginning to end; a thing of light and color and music and grace; an epitome of the tenderest and loftiest sentiment; an ‘ab- stract and brief chronicle’ of our complex human nature; ‘the still, sad music of hu- manity.’” What she says of Jefferson in this réleis true. ‘The actor is not there; he has thrown off hisown mind and clothed himself in the very essence of his character, mind and body. Itis not an assumption, but a trans- formation.” To enable the spectators to see thought and study in a glance which seoms careless, intellect back of an apparently im- promptu esture, keen knowledge of character in a fleeting word or phrase, subtle power of comprehension in the tones of the voice and mind and reflection in what seems entirely spontaneous and superficial action, is the highest art of the actor, and this is fully at- tained by Joseph Jefferson as Rip Van Winkle. At Wallack’s, after a most successful revival of legitimate comedy by the production of “The Heir at Law,” “The School for Scandal,” ‘‘The Road to Ruin,” ‘‘The Serious Family” and ‘The Rivals,” we are promised to-night the last new play of Robertson, “War,” which will doubtless assemble at this theatre the fashionable, appreciative and critical audience always to be found there on an opening night. The plot of this plece has already been made familiar to most London and New York playgoers. Its title would seem to promise much military show and pageantry. Such, however, is not the case. It is one of those sweet and life-like home stories for which Robertson is so well knowa and in the treatment of which he excels. There is just scope enough in the course of the story to give the stage manager and the scenic artist a fine opportunity for some of those picturesque and yet realistic effects peculiar to the Wallack stage. With such qualities, and with a cast including the names of Brougham, Gilbert, Fisher, Clarke and Madeline Henriques, it would be safe to pre- dict for ‘‘War” an encouraging success. The brilliant success of Mr. Howard's ‘‘Sar- atoga,” an auspicious introduction upon our stage of ‘‘foliee dramatiques” such as, in happier times, delighted the Parisians, nightly crowds Daly's theatre. Mlle. Aimée has added her own attractions to those of Mile. Silly and Mlle. Montaland in securing the suc- cess of ‘“‘Les Brigands” at the Grand Opera House. The spectacular magnificence of the “Black Crook” and the almost superhuman and yet strictly artistic feats of tho Majiltons draw immense crowds at Niblo’s. The Circus i thronged by enthusiastic juvenile witnesses of its holiday spectacles, Fox and ‘Wee Willie Winkie” have rashed on beyond their hundredth night at the Olympic. The English blondes are a permanent attraction at Wood's. “Aladdin” shines at Lina Edwin’s, and “It’s a Go” is promised there. Dan Bryant's gay little theatre has become a most popular resort. For the special attractions there and atthe Bowery, the Globe, the Comique, the San Francisco Minstrels aad Tony Pastor’s, as well as at Mrs. Conway’s, ia Brooklyn, the reader may consult our advertising columns in full confidence of finding something to’ suit every taste and mood. A brief season of Italian opera will begin this week at the Fourteenth Street theatre, Finally, the admirable Shakspearian readings of Miss Glyn, at Steinway Hall, would alone suffice to show how richly New York ia at present provided with entertainment for a population so fond as ours of all that pertaing to the drama. “a GUN ‘|S DANGEROUS.” The “Old Saw” Exemplified—A Molancholy Shooting Ac -idext. A shooting casualty, resulting in the death of a young man named Wiluam Mallows, occurred in the boarding house No. 41 Jay street about half-past ten o'clock yesterday morning. It appears that de ceased, John F. Wrigley and several other persons were amusing themselves with a breech-loading nfle, none of the chambers of which were thought to be loaded, Wrigley snapped the weapon several timed without result, but at last it exploded, the ball taxing effect in the right eye of Mallows, passing entirely through his nead and escaping from the blinds and glass of a front window into the street without doing further harm. Ma:lows after gasy ing a few times expired without attering a word. Wrigley was nearly frantic in consequence of the accident, as he and deceased were firm friends, and had arra! to make New Year's cals together. Coroner Keenan was calied and preceeded te make an investigation, which showed most cicarly that the shooting was accidental, and the jury rendered @ verdict - U Fa aniveer teeiied tae gees years ol % and, oceu; tion a machinist, sa sat OISASTER TO THE JERSEY mits WATER WORKS AT BELLE- The water which supplies the people of Jersey City and Hoboken is brought from the Passaic river, at Bellevile, & distance of eight miles, On Satur- day last, about six o’ciock P, M., the stand pipe through which the water Is forced from the river to a height of 163 fect tell with a terrible crash, and so extensive was the damage that it will be many weeks before it cau be repaired. On ine top of this pipe 1s O reservoir, about ten feet across, to catch what water was forced avove the pipe. In this reservour the water lad been freczing for several days, and as it gathered the weisht was more than the pipe could bear, and. the fall was in- evitable. aw oss is eatimeted to be fally $15,000. The supply of water till the pips is replaced will be very small, we the engine can only for be the old pipes now standing of 3 per minute to nine strckea per minute through the are pipe, The works are owned in Seog « City,