The New York Herald Newspaper, November 12, 1873, Page 6

* , ‘AN THEATRE, 58 Broadway.—Vanierr oo acta ‘Matinee at Be . “BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—Tux Giasr's Cave 'at—Dawie, Boone, 2s . _GRAND OPERA HO ot—A Fuase GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR MES, F. B CONWAY'S BROOKLYN THEATRE.— B osite City Hall.— HARLEM THEATRE, 3d av., between 129th and 150th at—Woong Hann. THEATRE COMIQUE, No. 514 Broadway.—Vasierr ‘Ewrestaisxunt. Matinee ab. OLYMPTO THEATRE, Broadway, between Houston ‘and Bleecker sts.—Kir Van WiNKux. Matinee at 2, GERMANIA THEATRE, Mth street and 34 avenue.— ‘Eur Scunrrz Vom Ween. BROADWAY THEAT! 78 and 730 Broadway.— ‘Tax New Magparen, isha bs ‘ ah Eighth ay. and Twenty-third or Lica» NIBLO’S GARDEN, Broadway, between Prince and ‘Houston ste.—Tax Biack Unoox. ‘ACADEMY OF MUSIC, lth street and Irving place.— Tratian Urra—Les Huevenors, WALLACK'S THEATRE, Broadway aud Thirteenth, —Ours, UNION SQUARE THEATR Broadway.—Tux Guxsva Cross. WOOD'S MUSEUM, Broadway, corner Thirtieth st— Jack Harxawar, Aiternoon aud evening. is BOOTHS THEATRE, Sixth av, and Twenty- this st— Union square, near TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, No. 201 Bowery.— Vanierr Extertainxent. 4 BRYANT'S OPERA HOUSE, Twenty-third st., corner Sixth av.—Nxgro Minstaxusy, &¢. as P. T. BARNUM’S WORLD'S-FAIR, 27th atreet and dth avenue, Afternoon and evening. AMERICAN and, gath INSTITUTE FAIR, 34 av., between 63d Afternoon and evening. — COOPER INSTITUTE.—Lavauma Gas axp Magican ENTERTAINMENT. NEW _YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, No. 618 Broad ‘wWay.—Scimnce aup Art. TRIPLE SHEET. New York, Wednesday, Nov. 123, 1873. THE NEWS OF YESTERDAY. To-Day’s Contents of the Herald. “A MORE CHEERFUL FINANCIAL PROSPECT! THE CITY AND THE POUR! ‘1 HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THEM YET’ "—LEADING ARTIOLE—Srxta Pacer. A STEAMSHIP SENT TO ASSIST THE DISABLED CITY OF RICHMOND! SPECIAL SHIPPING NEWS—SEVENTH Pace. ANOTHER BOILER DISASTER! SEVEN PERSONS KILLED AND NINE WOUNDED! FATAL HAVOO FROM CARELESS STUPIDITY! NAMES OF THE VICTIMS! THE ARRESTS— SevgEntH PAGE. CUBAN PATRIOT CO-OPERATION! GENERAL SENTIMENT ON THE VIRGINIUS AFFAIR! A PROMINENT GENTLEMAN’S VIEWS! THE CUBAN AGENCY—TsrntH Pace. FRENCH MONARCHICAL PLOTTINGS! PROMI- NENT POLITICIANS IMPLICATED! THE PRESIDENTIAL TENURE—SEVENTH PAGE. EXTENSIVE BUSINESS FaILURES IN LONDON, ENGLAND! FURTHER SPECIE SHIPMENTS TO AMERICA! SEVERE STORM—SEvVENTH PaGE. THE AMERIVAN AND ENGLISH FINANCIAL CRISES! OUR BAN GAIN ANOTHER MILLION! OPERATIONS IN vRY GOODS, STOCKS AND OTHER SECURITIES—E1cuTH PaGE. THE BANKS AND MONETARY AFFAIRS GENER- ALLY! AND YET ANOTHER DEFALCA, TION! ee HOUSE COMMITTEE ON BANK REFORM—Tuirp PaGE, THE TRADE CRISIS IN NEW YORK, PENNSYL- VANIA, CONNECTICUT AND MICHIGAN! A GLOOMY STATE OF AFFAIRS! BOTH CAPITAL AND LABOR IDLE—Fovurra Pace. WILLING HANDS WITHOUT WORK! FAILURE OF THE WAGES REDUCTION IN THE BUILD- ING TRADE! THE DISTINISS CAUSED BY THE PARSIMONY OF THE COMPTROLLER! THE CRISIS IN KINGS aND WESTCHESTER COUNTIES—FirtH Pace. THE PROPOSED SHIP CANAL THROUGH THE ISTHMUS OF DARIEN—IMPORTANT GEN- ERAL NEWS—SixtH Pace, JUDGE FCLLERTON AND JOE CLARK THE WIN- NERS AT THE FLEETWOOD PARK FINALESEVENTH Pace. EVIDENCE OF DETECTIVES IRVING AND FAR- LEY ON THE TRIAL FOR MALFEASANCE ! MR. HALL’S AND COLONEL HASTINGS’ AD- DRESSES—OUTRAGE UPON A CITIZEN~— THE EAST RIVER BRIDGE—Tuirp Pace, A FORMER WAR SECRETARY SUED BY A SOUTHERN PLANTER! STATUS OF THE SPECIAL SESSIONS! OTHER LITIGA- TIONS—THE KILLING OF MICHAEL COLBY—Firta Page. Tae County Canvass.—The Board of Super- visors met yesterday as Board of Canvas- sers and commenced the duty of canvassing the votes cast in the récent election in this county. Several protests were received, and ® delegation from Tammany Hall was ad- mitted to watch the count and prevent cheat- ing. There isan old proverb which advises us to seta thief to catch a thief. The First Assembly district only was canvassed yester- day. As thers are some close districts it is not improbable that a few changes may take . place in the list of successful candidates, Catomme Ir i Loxpox.—While our own troubles appear to be gradually clearing away the Londoners seem to be on the eve of the enjoyment of @ panic. A large mercantile failure is reported, and the high rate of money must speedily bring things toa focus, Busi. ness in England is not, however, conducted on bucha principles so much as in the United Btates, and hence we do not apprehend very great troubles across the water. A New Mane’s Nest mw Panis.—A new has been discovered in Paris—this time to place the Count de Paris on the throne. No doubt, the best portion of the ‘monarchical party would rather have the Count _ @e Paris, a sensible man belonging to the present century, as king than the Count de Chambord, and, no doubt, the hope of many, in agreeing to the Count de Chambord, was that he would speedily abdicate in favor ‘of the Orleans branch of the family. But the ‘Orleans princes have never lent themselves to That is their best recommendation to confidence of France, and they will prob- be the first to recognize the fact that for present the Republic is not dead, or pre- to dia. Many indications are coming to the surface which assure us that matters, financially, are taking » brighter turn. It may be that the measures taken everywhere to contract forces of the commercial class and that an improved feeling of confidence is the result. The fact that the country is not a cent poorer for all thespanio is dawning slowly upon those who first ran to hide their greenbacks in old stockings) The market in Wall street was stronger yesterday than for a long time past, and, as it was there the trouble began, we should be getting stronger everywhere else. Tho inflow of specie, too, must have its share in convincing our merchants and manufacturers that the coun- try which, in the midst of its financial dis- tress, can compel England to send over eleven million dollars in specie for its oorn and cot- ton, is not the trembling bankrupt which some people would have us believe. Tho panio has had one effect which must be bene- ficial. It has prevented trading in Europe on the proceeds of our produce sold there, and hetice given usa solid margin for use at hothe. So determined has been the outflow” of spécie from England to the Unit that the efforts. of the 5 ngland to _gtop it by raising its rate to nine per cent have been jneffectual. Yesterday, we learn by, Cable despatch, fifty thousand dol- Jars were shipped from Southampton for New York. The fact is that, owing to millions is by sending out the hard cash. The raising of the bank rate may mean dearer bread to the English workman, but if they are $0 be fed money must be found to purchase food for them, and on the question of stom- ach John Bull is imperative. A great prob- lem which troubles the heads of the quacks of finance is how this gold is to relieve the stringency among a people using government paper or paper guaranteed by the government as their currency. If it cannot find its way into circulation it will give those hoarding greenbacks they have no present use for a chance to hoard some- thing more solid, which may appre- ciate in value, But its most magical effect will be in encouraging the hoarders to resume their buying and selling, and. in re- lieving the anxieties of the manufacturers as to the ultimate end of the present troubles. Already we learn that this feeling of relief has, dp several instances, induced manufacturers to run their works at full time. Let us, there- fore, while freely acknowledging the presence of the cloud, not neglect to point to its silver lining. We are not so sangnine as to think that the effect of breaking upa business system carried on largely under false conditions can be met by the community without some ruin to a few of the rich and some suffering to the poor. We are opposed to the government doing any- thing to help the former; the rich can and must help each other. For the help of the poor we hope to see no extraordinary meas- ures on the part of the general government necessary. But in face of the Want that exists and will exist we demand that every work which can fitly be put in operation by local governments shall be pushed at once to relieve want by furnishing labor to the hungry unemployed. The blatant inter- nationalists who howl, and sly jobbers who egg them on, urging the President, Congress and the departments to adopt all manner of wild panaceas, are simply noise and nothing more. Each community, except under very ex- traordinary circumstances, is capable of caring for its own poor, and towards this object the authorities in each should hasten their efforts. What, we will ask, has New York done towards providing for those out of work on account of the panic andin danger of starv- ing? Philanthropy is slowly organizing, but the city government is doing worse than noth- ing. Our Department of Public Works has discharged seven hundred men, and intimates that more are likely to follow on account of the want of funds. The Commissioner states that three thonsand men could be employed im- mediately upon necessary works if the Comp- troller would pass upon the sureties of awards of contracts already made. These sureties, we are informed, were sent to the Comptroller a fortnight since, and, although the latter has twice asked for five days’ postponement, he has reached no action yet. The full measure of this official's insolent disregard of the public good, except ashe chooses to interpret it, may be taken in his reply to a Hznaup reporter, when, asked if he had passed upon the sureties :— “I baven't looked at them yet.’ If we were not aware how much time of his that the city pays for, and money that the people supply, he can expend upon his pet counsel for carrying the just creditors of the city into the courts, and promoting the ends of his lobby at Albany, we might want an explanation why he has no timo to look at what is of vital interest to the poor of the city. It is shameful that there should be any delay in attending to matters of this kind, and it does not lighten the dis- grace of the neglect that Mr. Green has no other explanation to offer than “I haven't looked at them.” Itis a public desire that this offensive indifference should cease, so far as he is concerned. Let him render the only apology for his conduct which is pos- sible, by setting to work at taking the clogs from the employment of labor ty the city. Let him protect the interests of the city by carefully scrutiniz- ing tho contractors’ sureties, but let him confirm all the sound awards without delay. Lo the other branches of our city gov- ernment we also look for a whole-souled energy in meeting the necessity of the hour. The Dock Commission discharged twenty men a few days ago, but ‘‘as the lower piers of the East River are in @ very dangerous condition" they hope to retain those Temaining. Surely this is @ very lame statement of their capacity to employ labor. We have bad streets in many places; our public buildings are far from being worthy of the Empire City, but our docks and piers axe o disgrace ag well as an eyesore. ‘The statement that the old wooden piers along the lower part of the East River are in a “very dangerous condition’ is not surprising. The same would apply to nearly all the piers on both water fronts of the lower end of the island, Yet the Dock Commission have their ' enable them to help the the ity of money here, only Tope Keclant fas Posed corn me ae 8 credit will be unequal to carrying anything which will prove a material. benefit to the city itself. The building of a line or lines of @ chance for cheap rents, and will compen- sate the rich in many ways which we need not mention, for wealth soon finds out how it gan be increased. The fact that the general outlook isa litfle brighter should stimulate all, that tho effect of the panic may be limited in sufferihg to the poor. Private charity, always magnificent in this great city of ours, should, from the light on the edge of the finan- cial cloud, take heart of grace to scatter its benignanoy abroad in golden showers, and all we ask of those whose “publio trusts in a way safe to the'city and honorable ‘to the eapions is to “Qo their duty in thé premises. Neither private charity nor’ public duty should, where the poor are conodrned, make the cold éxcuse, “I haven't looked at them yet," ¥*"” Se “Ig tne ace, _Zerrible Catastrophe ad a Har lem—Who Is To Blame? |» The terrible catastrophe at Harlem—the particulars of which are published in to-day's Heratp—is of a character to horrify and alarm the community, In the middle of the afternoon, while the streets are filled with people, 8 large boiler, to a hoist- ing machine, standing in the mid- die of a publio thoroughfare, suddenly explodes, killing seven persons outright and mangling and scalding nine others. There was nothing to warn the poor victims of danger. The men working on the machine were just engaged in moving it higher up tho road when the explosion came. A young lady eighteen years of age, the daughter of |. wealthy pardnts, we walking past at the moment, and afét te death’ instantly. A poor little Italian girl carrying her harp, on her way to earn a few more pennies, was killed in her tracks, A schoolboy on his way home from school, pausing a moment to view the machine, shared the same fate. Four men were also killed, of ages varying from twenty-three to fifty-two. The noise of the explosion and the shrieks of the wounded attracted the attention of a policeman passing near, and, hastening to the spot, a sickening spectacle presented itself. The wounded wero cared for as speedily as possible ; the remains of the dead were gathered up and carried to their homes, and all evidence of the calamity had soon disappeared. But what was the cause of the tragedy? The water in the boiler, we are told, had been allowed to run too low, and the men in charge, discovering this fact, turned on cold water, and the explosion instantly followed. There were about forty pounds of steam in the boiler when it burst, The fact is established that the management of the machine was left in incom- petent hands, and while there are differences of opinion as to what was the immediate cause of the accident, no one will question that the man who had control of the boiler knew nothing of the business, There ought to be some law—there may be some law—to punish the criminal act of suffering a boiler to be managed by an incompetent person. If such a law is in existence we -hope that it will be rigidly enforced. There must at least be some responsibility on the part of those who were the authors of this cruel and heartrending slaughter, and the crime should not be suffered to go unpunished. The : Tae Brooxtxn Briwcz Pxosrecrs.—The Brooklyn Bridge has, thus far, hada road to travel very much like that which leads to Jor- dan. Its main trouble has, doubtless, been that it has had two corporations to feed with construction plunder—New York and Brook- lyn. There have been holes in both sides of its treasury box. At the directors’ meeting, yesterday, it was shown that over four millions one hundred and ninety thou- sand dollars have been received, and all but about one hundred and fifty thousand dollars expended. There does not appear fo. be four millions to show for the work, and noW we ard told that the total cost is to be twelve millions, or seven millions more than the original estimate. No wonder some one suggested at ,the meeting that it was possible the twelve millions would soon be found to require eight more on the top of it. At this rate, between New York and Brooklyn rings, the bridge, although a very desirable work, will, be a very costly one. | Our Washington despatches tell us what Mr. Fish said to Spain about the pretended right to search and seize American vessels in 1869 and 1870. But what does he say to them in 1873, when they have dragged four or five yictims from the protection of the American flag and assassinated them without trial? He spoke brave words to them then. He should speak to them now with an iron throat before the rest of the victims of the Virginius are slaughtered, and in language that they would understand. Nor Ays, Gonz. —A despatch from Washing. ton, in disproval of the statement that the government of the District of Columbia has been robbed to the point of bankruptcy, announces that the laborers aro to be paid off to-day, the amount required for this purpose being two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, It is clear, therefore, that the plunderers have not taken everything; quite a hopeful sign in the present days. Waar has become of the Commissioners of Accounts? They found the affairs of the Finance Department in a moat deplorable condition, according to their partial report, but we have heard nothing of them since, They were to let us know the real amount of our floating debt, but the information has not yet been furnished. Has Comptroller Green locked them up in the tin box where he keeps the sinking fund securities, or has Mayor Havompyer ut them in_ bls nooket? Roberta, the Spanish Minister, in April and July, 1869, he will probably find that in the opinion of our government, as then expressed, there could have been no authority, under in- ternational law or under our treaty obliga- tions with Spain, for the seizure of the Vir- ginius on the high seas unless Spain was ad- mittedly ina state of war with Cuba. The position ,of Mr. Fish on this question be admit of doubt. Writing to Minister Roberts on July 16, 1869, on the subject’ of the proclamation by Captain General de Rodas, under which the capture of the Virginius is claimed to have been made, our Secretary of State de- clares that the vessels of the United States can only be subjected to the provisions of that proclamation ‘‘when Spain avows herself to be in a state of war, or shall be manitestly exercising the rights conceded only to belligerents in time of war.’’ He very cor- rectly argues that the transportation on the high seas in time of peace of articles com- F monly known as contraband of war is a ‘legitimate trade and commerce, which cannot be interfered with or denounced unless by a Power at war with a third party in the ad- mitted exercise of the rights of a belligerent, and that the freedom of the ocean can nowhere and under no circumstances be yielded dythe United States, The treaty of 1795 between Spatp grt Seyeremegnt Josinly defines and a the reciprocal relations and obligations of the contracting parties, without refereitee to sither being ‘engaged in war. ‘Tho eighteenth article of the treaty refers to the right of visit or of ap- proach in time of war for thg inspection of fhe passport and the identification of the na tionality of a vessel; but this article confers no right of visit and search in time of peace, and only prescribes and limits the manner of exercising a belligerent right in time of war. “The whole scope and aim of the eighteenth article of the treaty,’’ writes Mr. Fish, ‘‘estab- lishes beyond possibility of question that it Post at the -sfers only to the rights which one of the parties may have by reason of being.in a state of war."’ The Secretary even went so far as to say that ‘an atteript to éhforce the de Rodas proclamation against " véé- sels of the United States would be taken as a recognition by Spain that she is in a state of war and claims the rights ofa bel- ligerent The Spanish government and its representatives denied at that time, and have continued to deny, the existence of a war be- tween Spain ‘and Cuba, and hence could not, by Mr. Fish’s showing, have legally made seizure of the Virginius, if she had been loaded down with articles contraband of war, provided she were an American vessel, with American owners. The only point, therefore, seems to be, was the Virginius in fact an American vessel. Her character and mission, according to Mr. Fish, have nothing to do with the question, for the Secretary claims for all American vessels the freedom of the seas and the right in time of peace to carry articles com- monly known as contraband of war without challenge. The issues raised as to where the Virginius was sighted, in what direction she was headed and where she was captured, are all foreign to the subject and are only caicu- lated to mystify the real point. Spain pro- fesses not to be engaged in war, and hence the Spanish authorities had no right, accord- ing to Mr. Fish, to interfere with the vessel at all, unless she was within their own jurisdic- tion and engaged in the violation of a munici- pallaw. In this view of the case the insult to the American flag becomes the greater and the murder of persons found on board the Virginius the more brutal and revolting. The Spaniards knew that they were contemptu- ously disregarding the protest of our govern- ment; that they were grossly violating their treaty obligations, and their hasty assassina- tion of their victims was on this account all the more outrageous and all the more insult- ing to the United States, The error we have committed has been in yielding to the importunities of Spgin and withholding from the Cubans the recognition of their belligerency. The Spanish govern- ment recognized the belligerency of the South sixty-six days after the bloodless assault on Fort Sumter, and we have refused at the de- mand of Spain to recognize Cuban bellig- erency although the Cubans have been for five years struggling for their freedom, and tens of thousands of lives have beon lost in the war. Our weakness has emboldened the murderous volunteers in their ruffianism and crime. Courteous as our governmenthas been towards Spain the Spaniards in Cuba nourish siealy Ramon toca? Leese fe not hesitate to ya} their hatred when opportunity offers, the present moment, while our State Department is engaged ina diplomatic correspondence with Madrid, the telegraph lines are cut between Havana and Santiago de Cuba, and the probability is that more outrages will be committed on the Vir- ginius’ prisoners, and more lives will demand an “apology” from the home government. Instead of these cable messages, a war steamer should have been ordered to Santiago de Cuba without an hour’s unnecessary delay, ag soon as the outrage became known, with instructions to demand that every person found on board the Virginius should be placed under its protection, subject to legal trial for any alleged offences agesinst the law. The attempt at this hour to excite sympathy for the government at Madrid, in the face of+ all the insults and injuries we have borne from Spain on account of Cuba for five years past, is simple poltroonery. We should defend our rights, as England enforces hers, at the mouth of the cannon, and our first act should be to extend belligerent rights to the Cubans for the safety and protection of our own citizens. aes ‘Tur ANNEXATION of @ portion of Westchester county to the metropolis will require the opening of new streets, new sewers and other necessary works in the enlargement of a great city. Why cannot our present municipal authorities gain for th ves the gratitude te chaPomrnal a alps ear! y for oO @ strong force tor such improvements —- Judge R, D. Rico, of Maine, te rogistered at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. General J. N. Knapp, of Governor Dix's stad, is at the Fifth Avenue Hotet. Judge Nathan Shipman, of Hartford, ts rogis- tered at the Clarendon Hotel. Judge George F, Comstock, of Syracuse, ts atay- tug at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Captain McMickan, of the steamship Calabria, 18 Staying at the Brevoort House. Judge Benjamin R. Curtis, of Boston, yesterday arrived at the Brevoort House. Ex-Governor W. D. Wasnburn, of Minnesota, bas arrived at the St. Nicholas Hotel. Congressman R. C. Parsons, of Ohio, arrived at the Fifth Avenue Hotel yesterday. United States Senator John H. Mitchell, of Ure- gon, has arrived at the Metropolitan Hotel. General Clinton B. Fisk, of St. Louis, is among the recent arrivals at the Union Square Hotel. Bishop Hendricken and Very Rev. J. Hughes, of Providence, have apartments at the Windsor Hotel. Ex-United Staves Senator Henderson, of Mis- sourt, is among the late arrivals at the St. Nicholas Hotel. : Mile. De Murska, her husband, Count Nugent, of the Austrian Army, and Monsieur Jamet, are at Barnum’s Hotel, George W. Childs, A. J. Drexel and Clayton McMichael are among the Philadelphians at the the fifth Avenue Hotel. Count Ludoff, the Austro-Rungarian Minister, and Count Ulysses Barbolani, Minister from Italy, made their bows to the Suitan on October 27. Lieutenant H. C, White, United States Navy, is at the Union Square Hotel, Lieutenant White was the executive oficer of the Tigress during her Polar voyage. Hufti-Bey, commandant of‘the Turkish srsena; at Top Kane, with a party’of commissioned officers, is coming to this country to superintend the mant: facture of 600,000, Martini rines at Providence, R. I’ The King’s advent was propared for in Paris. Several pubiial bed themserves Pontifical merchants, and & - 40 change, at a mo. disappoint them. | The Englishman known as Rajah Brook, of Sara- wak, in Borneo, ana his wife, the Rashee, on their way to England, where they are now arrived, lost their three children by illness within seven days before reaching Egypt. Ces Sir Henry Thompson, the surgeon, makes a larger income than any other member of his profession fi England. In bis youth sir Henry was a linen araper, but now, at the age of iifty-three, ue is at the head of his profession, A doctor lives in the faubourg St. Honoré, Paris, over a poulterer’s shop. Their signboards, por- haps, do not clash, The first, announces the sur- geon, is “Visible at all hours,” and the second, “Killing every day on the premises.” Mr. Stanley James, an English journaiist, who has devoted much time to tne question of labor reform and emigration, has been deputed by Mr. Arch to act as American representative of the National Agricaltural Laporers’ Union of England. PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS, TE eS Wilkie ColiinieHis First AppenFince in New York Last Evening at Association Hall, As a reader Wilkie Collins is not a success, He made his first appearance in New York last even- ing before an audience which filled 1our-fifths of Association Hall. The medium through which he introduced himself was a literary composition en- titled “The Dream Woman.’ Hia reception was hearty and a predisposition to be pleased was evi- dent. Like almost every other iiterary work by which Mr. Collins is known, the events in “The Dream Woman” are related by several different parties, whose narrations dovetail felicitously. The parties in the present case are a Mr. and Mrs, Percy Fairbanks, @ wealthy couple, who spend their time between France and England; Francis Raven, a hostler, and Rigobére. The central characters are Francis Raven and Alicia Warlock his wife. Aljcia is the Dream Woman, who first makes her appear- ance to the hostler in a sort of vision, upon one of the anniversaries of his birthday, and whom he subsequently encounters in real life under very mysterious and eccentric circumstances, and ulti- mately marries. He flads his death trom ber hands, and the death-vblow is given by means of a buck- horn handied knife. But what is intended as the thrilling portion of the narrative is the corre- dence of the mode of the hostler’s death to the pears unfolded to him in the dream in which he ug seea the face of the woman who becomes his wife. It was unnecessary for Mr. Collins to {nform his audience that “the Dream Woman” was an ex- panded version of a short story written by him years ago. it bears innate evidence of araw state, to which his mature revisionary touch has not succeeded in giving the semblance of mellow- ness. It presents none of those patient and earn- est attempts at characterization which, in Count Fosco, for instance, won respect for his strength ag an artist, and none of that delicate articulation of incident which render the best of his novels alto- otis? unique, The colors are a8 coarse and lotchy as they are ghastly; the humor is very in- frequent and commonplace, and the mixture of voluptuousness, cruelty and norror is all the more owerful because the treatment of the subject is intellectually weak, and because it is Fen dl pitia- ble to gee @ man of Mr. Collins’ age, standing and apuiey so sadly misconceiving himself and hia auditory. Mr. Coliins’ reading is better than his material, but it 13 not what one has a right to expect from a man who enters upon this branch of work #8 ona profession. {in common with. more than one reaner who has appeared before a New York audience during the last year, Mr. Collins commits the great mistake of assuming the position of a gentleman reading in a very large parior filled with his i:iends. A lecture room is not a parlor, Nor can it be reasonably expected that the public shall exercise the amiabilities of private friend- ship. Mr. Collins comes to this country on a busi- ness enterprise, meaning to make as much money as possible in as short a space of time as may be. The object is not an unworthy one. We have no word to say against it, All that we claim is that the enterprise 1s strictly a business one, and that all appea is to the personal iriendship of readers are humbug. Mr. Collins is a clever reader, dis- Playing that amount of ability which would be re- garded as talentin the amateur. He pronounces bis words distinctly, can be heard platnly in all parts of the house, and assumes, not altogether unsuccessfully, different pitches of voice according to the identity of the speaker represented. In be- ginning the evening’s entertainment he disclaimed all intention of acting, put in realit; acentine im- sel, and oe Prone of the reading jautodyced 4 9 resources borrowed rom the athe, 5 wreater dey ree. than “iis Openinig protustation would bavé given war- rant to expect. Some of the audience went to ome arose and left the hall, and expressions intmept were n 8. Our opinion is hat Mi Collins a8 made two mistakes, e con- ‘Orn ’Andle ; relevancy is concerned; and the other im having assumed that his vast and deserved success as a novelist was sufficient to waft him triumphantly through an enterprise demanding qualities of the very opposite to those he is universaily admitted to possess, Musical and Dramatic Notes. Mile, Marie Bonfanti, the premiére danseuse, ia a passenger on the steamship Hansa, for New York, which is expected to-day. Miss Jeffrays-Luis, who was the leading lady at the Lyceum Theatre, has been engaged for the sea- son 48 ® member of Wallack’s company. Alexander Dumas is coming to this country tn January vo deliver a course of fifty lectures, His Principal subject will be that of infidelity on the part of a wife. His “L’Homme Femme" rhapsody will be “boiled down” for the purpose. The rest of the Galaxy Course of entertainments will be given at Association Hall instead of mr. Hepworth’s church, which js found too far up town. Mr. John G. Saxe’s readings from his own poetic Works will be given this evening. The annual benefit in aid of the Orpnan Asylum, under the charge of the Sisters of Charity, will be given at the.Academy of Music to-morrow. It will consist of two grand dramatic entertainments, both afternoon ana evening, and every theatre in the city contributes talent such as will render the performances most attractive and amusing, The whole affair will be under tho direction of Mr, Augustin Daly and this, together with the worthy object of the beneft, ought to draw large audiences. No more worthy charity existe in the olty to-day, and with the prospects of a hard winter staring us in the face an opportunity ts here offered to ail persons to do something for the poor litte orpuans who ate cunt anon she eharttr Of td Worldy F i Navy, read a paper last evening can Geographical Society for tts solution. Quotations were made from the Report upon interoceanic railroads and canals, made to the Senate by Rear Admiral Charies H. Davis in 1867, to show that at that time the Isthmus of Darien was almost @ terra tncogni~a, and that mately, the most practicable canal route, The absolute necessity for s capacious and well shel- tered harbor as a starting point for the canal, upon the Atlantic side restricts the range of inquiry, so far as Darien ta concerned, to the vicinity of the bays of San Bilas, Caledonta and Darien. The most northerly of these, San Bias, was first taken up, Here la the narrowest part of the isthmus, It had been previously sur- veyed by Mr. T. M. Kelley, of New York, who had reported favorably apon it, 1t was found by Com, mander Selfridge, however, to be less favorable than Mr. Kelley had supposed, The height of the “divide” is here 1,143 feet, and although the en- tire line 1s but twenty-aix miles in length ten miies of this distance wonld require tunnel- ling. Ic was therefore pronounced impracticable, The character, Manners and oustoms of the San Bias Indians were then briedy -aliuded to. The eng, famous “Darien route’ from Caledonta Bay on Atlantic to the Gulf of San the Pacific, was then taken up. It had been prev- jously explored by several parties, ng of the feariul sufferii jc companions in 1854, the route had reported unfavorably uj Dr. Cullen, but their expiaratien, d pev auMicientl Cela to settle ne apa ts Dor letely. lone b; Comms By woes e tin! pvorable i! were \d the extravagans ante) ts ‘ < ditions, rendered rol - % Attention was thea turned to the ‘Atrato-' Route,” from the Gulf of Darien to that of Miguel, the Atrato River being utilized as lar as the mouth oF the wiypiesienys a mae had Fes rr some point on ery oranle of this line had been made by re pre era The lecturer exhibited a ma} 1p f the Ing to one A. de on: hich a dommptete b resented, through which a broad allo’ tended entirely across, with a) oxireme of only 190 feet. This was contraste rect map acoordii to Commander ie Corditiferas formed and the entire coun 400 500 8el where asce! la Ri bray only 147 feet high, An examination showea his to be completely ialse, no such pass @: jog in that locality. Having then exhausted the med Proper be vane (a4 the Atrato was con- sidered. The nistory of previous explorations was i in turned to briefy sketched, and attention ons io a ver im nations of 1873 shift bie #2 of Captain Selfridge’: Vidi of Sopica andthe 1871, and the mdre cetatheg 3 by which was indice: initial to Chiri-Chiri , ome miles south of Cupica. From that the tine crosses the divide, which hore art) from the Pacific, at an elevation of feet, e the Dognado River near its waters, follows that stream to the Nspipt thence that river to the Atrato. Tho popsanses, &@ chanpel nowhere less than 28 feet leep in the dryest season, as far as the mouth of th Nepipt. There is at present @ bar at its mouth which wilt have to be dredged out. The ot actual cutting for a canal by this line would be but 28% miles, 20 of which are throng, 50 almost level plain, where by the use of eight the cat- ting would be made to aver: only 45 feet (fora canal with 25 feet of water). For the next four orfiva mules the cutting would be somewhat heavier, and then a tunnel three miles long would be resorted to to carry the canal under the highest part of the ridge. beyond this a system of twelve locks would accomplish the descent to or the ascent from the Pacific. The water supply for these locks was ample and could be doubied by a feeder from the Cuia, three mules long. A profile of the line having a canal with twenty locks represented upon it waa exhibited, and the minor details of the work ox- plaine if this route Captain Selfridge estimates that a canal may be constructed according to this plan for $56,000,000. It would require the excave- tion of 6,000,000 Eagag Modes of earth and 16,000,000 cubic yards of rock, tracts from letters written by eminent engineersjto Commander Seliri: were then read to show that a tunnel of the size pro- posed was pernony practicable. The advantages of this route were then compared with those of its rivals, and special attention called to the fact that the geological formation of the country avout the Napipi and the results of long exper! show that it is & region little likely to be disturbed by the action of volcanic agencies, while the re- verse was @ great and freely admitted objection to both Tehuantepec and Nicar: The lecturer then entered upon a consideration of the condition and resources of the country in which the ey Dognado line is located. Kubber abounds in lower portion of the valley of the Atrato, while its upper portion is undoubtedly one of the richest gold regions in the world. The entire country ts now covered with a vast unbroken forest, filled with precious woods suitable ior the builder and the cabi maker, snd with valuable dvewoods of various species, The soil is rich beyond comparison, and abundant of all the bao productions may be raised wit little labor. The country is peopled otters noe A negroes, but there are some white descendants of the early Spanish settlers and a few Indiana, These are all friendly to the canal scheme and anx- fous to see inau, The geological and climatic character uf the various localities re- ferred to were then briefly discussed. There are pas Pet aay Be tne edd ogee ag and aud August ani ember, corresponding eriods of rain durieg the other months. A mil ype of malarial fever prevails at the commenocemens of the dry seasons; but the fact that Captain Self- ridge never lost a man {from climatic causes shows the climate to be less insalubrious than is generally supposed. The necessity for & canal setied atone Catena tates te rite arded as bel gener: Sreument. From the statistics of trade for 1870 it was calculated that the canal would yield at theend of the second year a net income of over $5,000,000, or nearly nine per cent upon its cost of $60,000,000, and there could be no doubt but that this would be ina few years doubled by the impetus given to trade by the canal itsel ‘he canal woutd, there- fore, without doubt, prove a financial success, The remarks throughout were illustrated with ae and charts, and with photographic views, ex- hibited by means of the stereopticon, Upon the motion of Mr. J. 0, Ward, seconded by Judge W. E. Curtis, the following resolution was adopted :—That, in the recent death of Mr. Cassius Darling, this society regreta the loas of a useful and accomplished member, and one who, by his long-continued, diligent and practical observa- tions, Was a desirable associate in the objects we have in view, het RvuGcLEs moved that a committee be ap- pointed to collect information in order to deter- mine the best ronte for an interoceanic canal, Sir Samuel White Baker and Lady Baker were unanimously elected honorary members of the We Hosmer ond others were elected cor- responding members of the society. 2 vote St thanks was unanimonsly passed to Lieutenant Collins for his able and elaborate paper, after which the meeting adjourned. OBITUARY. Aba-el-Kader. A telegram from Paris, dated in the French capt- tal yesterday, reports as follows :—‘‘Abd-el-Kader, the famous Arab chieftain, is dead.” The readers of the HeRaLD are well informed relative to the brilliant prestige of the great Arab warrior, Abd-el-Kader, and of the part which he Played against the French conquerors of his native soil, For more than fifteen years he waged incessant war against the generals sent to oppose him, and not unfrequently gained decisive over large bodies of disciplined troo The vniBtOry, of this extraoruivary mans as follows:—He was bornin the environs of Mas- carra in 1807, and was, consequently, only thirteen years of age When Obarles X., of France, undertook the Algerian expedition. After a great victory gained by Marshal Clausel some of the bolder trikes, determined to dispute their territory with the invader inc by inch, banaed themsel to gether. Abd-el-Rader was already distin ed jor his valour, his knowledge, and his pro- fistenoy in ail manly and athiettc exercises, Im 1992, having placed himecif with nis father at the head of 10,000 horse, he opened his first campi by an assault on Oran, jough repaised in ti his first battle, Abd-el-Kader performed prodigies of valor, 8 Various batties, his defeat and tracted captivity have been frequent or On tue 17th of August, 1 the late Emperor of the French, then Prince Napoleon, stopped at the castle of Amboise, where ‘he Emir was imprisoned, and, hat sen for the captive, communicated to him tn kind and cour- teous terms that ne was free. The Emir, in ac- Epon leceens of ae nerosity, Bwore on the oran never agat Africa, a vow which he observed rel ie atont tnce na paid a Arab the pares we Mohon, urb the French rule tn jomy