754 
THE FIELD 
THE METROPOLIS. 
PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT. 
(FROM A SUPPLEMENT TO THE “LONDON GAZETTE” OP 
TUESDAY NIGHT.) 
Palace of Westminster, Lord Great Chamberlain’s 
« Office, August 8, 1854. 
All peeresses, on announcing their intention of being pre- 
sent on the occasion of the prorogation of parliament, on 
Saturday, the 12th instant, will have places reserved for them 
iu the llouse of Lords, if the announcement bo made at this 
office before fivo o'clock on Friday, the 11th inst. 
Peers’ eldest sons will have tickets for the Peers’ eldest 
sons’ box forwarded to them, upon a written or personal ap- 
plication at the office. 
No strangers can be admitted except by a ticket from the 
Lord Great Chamberlain. 
The doors will bo opened at 12 o’clock. 
WILLOUGHBY DE ERESBY, G.C, 
Adulteration of Beer.— Witness, himself a London 
publican, states that most publicans have a system of doing 
something to their beer : — “ It is not possible to make a living 
by selling beer at 3d. a-pot, for which the brewer gets Is. a- 
gallon ; but if a pail of ‘liquor’ be put into it there is that 
amount of profit.” The beer is dashed; there is what he 
calls 5 per cent, of water put in the beer. As to spirits, the 
same witness states that paying 12s. a-gallon for gin lie is 
obliged to mix water with it to sell it at 4d. a-quartern, which 
is but 10 s. 8d. a-gallon ; and that there is added, besides the 
water, sugar to sweeten it. Mr. Ridley, who has been long 
connected with the wine and spirit trade, and who has under 
his management certain offices for the analysation of alcoholic 
liquors, states that the standard price of all the large porter 
brewers — and as to which there are agreements among them 
is 33s. a-barrel, with five per cent, off— that is 31s. Od. net. 
The barrel is 30 gallons; it is increased to 48 gallons by the 
addition of water and sugar, and then sold at 3d. per pot, 
which yields a profit of 15s. a-barrel, while in the genuine 
state the profit would bo about 4s. The witness bad sampled 
the beer of a house on the Surrey side of tho water where they 
sell at 3d. a-pot, and draw 48 butts a-month, and found that, 
from their fraudulent process of reducing, they had a profit 
of 45 per cent. The witness further states that there are 
teveral recipes for the adulteration — such as, “to a barrel of 
porter 12 gallons of liquor, four pounds of foots, one pound 
of salt ; and then there is sometimes, to bring a head up, a 
little vitriol, cocculus indicus, also a variety of things so very 
minute that, unless they are admitted by recipes in their hands, 
we cannot easily detect the small proportions.” — Report of the 
Select Committee on Public-house t. 
The New Act for tiie Abatement op Smoke. — On 
Tuesday the new act to abate the nuisance arising from the 
6moke of furnaces in the metropolis, and from steam-vessels 
above London Bridge, cunie into operation. There are eight 
clauses in the Act. Furnaces in the metropolis are to consurao 
their own smoke, as also steam-vessels on the Thames above 
London Bridge. The penalty on a summary conviction is to 
be not more than £,[> nor less than 40e. for the first offence, 
and £10 for the second. A penalty is not to attach where a 
furnace has been constructed or altered, and the person be- 
longing to it “has carefully attended to tho same, and con- 
sumed or burned as far a, possible the smoke arising from 
such furnace. ” Constables may be empowered to enter and 
inspect furnaces and steam-vessels. There are admitted diffi- 
culties in carrying out the statute, and therefore the provision 
that no information is to be laid under it except by the au- 
thority of the Secretary of State, or the Commissioners of 
Police of the Metropolis or the City of London. 
Lloyd’s. — With regaid to the proposition for closing 
Lloyd’s every Saturday at two o’clock, in harmony with the 
general desire for an early termination of business on that 
day, it is satisfactory to 6tate that the allegation to the effect 
that a great difference of opinion upon the subject exists 
among the underwriters is positively denied. The memorial 
to the committee for a meeting on the proposal was signed, it 
said, by nearly 200 of the leading members, while subse- 
quently, on a show of hands, the motion in favour of early 
closing was carried by 04 lo 4. 
Downing-stEeet and the Lawson Observatory. 
— The withdrawal of the Government grant of £2,000, 
which had been calculated uponbv the committee in 
Nottingham for the establishment of the above observatory, 
will, it is thought, render abortive all attempts to carry out the 
scheme. The money already subscribed, which is considerable, 
will, unless the subscriptions can be increased, be returned to 
the subscribers. 
Departure op Metropolitan Police to the Seat 
op War. — A number of police officers belonging to the metro- 
politan districts, specially appointed for active duty tlie 
seat of war, took their departure on Monday evening last from 
London en loutefor Southampton, and then for Constantinople 
and Varna, or any other place where their services might be 
required. The corps consisted ofabout twenty of thefinest menin 
the force, who, it is understood, volunteered to go upon foreign 
fervice. It is understood that another and far larger body of 
men are to follow those already sent off in the course of a 
few weeks. These policeman were provided with “ Knight’s 
English and Turkish Vocabulary.” 
RACKETS. 
Belvidere ^Tavern, 1’entonvili.e. — A grand display 
will take place on Monday, August 14th, for the benefit of 
C. Bull, when Messrs. M. l’itman, G. Erwood, J. Caplin, 
E Kenny, T. Morris, E. Greatwood, J. Sowden, C. Great- 
wood, and the London Amateur, with the principal profes- 
sional players in London, together with many gentlemen 
Amateurs, will rally upon this occasion. The play will 
commence at three o’clock. 
Belvidere Tavern, Pf.ntonville.— On Monday the 
Belvidere grounds were crowded to witness some splendid 
play between the veteran Matthew Pitman, and his “old 
ally ” M. T. Morris, against the London Amateur and an- 
other. The first match of 4 games out of 7 was for 
two magnificent silver cups. On coming to the scratch 
all parties were confident of success, and so great was the 
feeling jn favour of the “old uns,” that 6 to 4 went beg- 
ging ; 7 to 4 and 2 to 1 being asked, and in some instances 
obtained. The first game was decided in favour of 
the Amateurs by 11 to 7. The second was soon knocked 
off by the Amateurs scoring II to 2, and the layers of odds 
looking anything but “happy,” and the odds up to 5 to 4 
on the “pete.” The third and fourth games fortune also 
awarded to the Amateurs, who won each by 11 to 7, amidst 
loud cheers. 
A second match followed by the same players for two 
new hats, 4 games out of 7. Betting in favour of the 
winners of last match at starting, but after the first game 
got to evens, Pittman and Morris winning it by 11 to 5. 
The second game was also won by them at 11 te 6. The 
third game, the Amateurs not wishing to be combed as 
they had their opponents went in and got 11 to 3. The 
fourth game Mabby and partner got by li to (3. The fifth 
was won also by them at 11 to 4: The play of all parties 
was excellent throughout. Other matches followed by C. 
Bull and other professionals, and the Evening was spent iii 
great harmony. 
IRELAND. 
RUSSIAN STEAMER OFF THE SHANNON. 
Dublin, August 8. — A Limerick correspondent of 
Saunder’t IVcivs Letter, writing last night, gives the fol- 
lowing account of the appearance of a mysterious looking 
steam-ship off the west coast of Ireland. The particulars lie 
assures us, are authentic ; whatever may be the circumstunces 
which has caused some local excitement, may hereafter bo ex- 
plained. 
“ Captain Gorman, master of the ship Jessie, which arrived 
in the river last evening from Quebec, reported to the Col- 
lector of Customs, ut twelvee (noon) this day, that, when about 
four miles off the mouth of the Shannon, lie observed recon- 
noitring towards land, in very suspicious movement, a large 
steamer, about 170 feet long, with black funnel, as high as 
the mainmast of the ship. She did not hoist the English 
ensign when fluted, but bore off'. The slow motion of 
the steamer, with heavy swells precluded Captain Gordon 
from ascertaining whether 6he was screw or paddle, but, 
from appearance, the steamer was either American or 
Russian.” 
In addition to the above, it is stated that Sweeney, the 
chief boatman at Kilcredane Lighthouse (the farthest point 
on the Shannon), descried the smoke of the steamer before 
the circumstance was reported to him by Captain Gorman. 
P.S. — Since writing the foregoing, intelligence has been 
received through a young gentleman who arrived from 
Galway, to tho offect that tlie same steamer was observed 
from thence also, lurking off land ; and that the coast- 
guard revenue cutter and a small steamer were sent in chase 
of her. 
Out ©pca-<§lass. 
DEPARTURE OF GRISI AND MARIO FROM 
LIVERPOOL. 
LIVERPOOL, Wednesday. 
Madame Grisi and Signor Mario this morning left Liver- 
pool in the Baltic, Captain Comstock, for New' York. They 
are accompanied by Mr. Hackett, the American comedian, 
under whose direction they go out to commence an engage- 
ment in the United States on the 4th September. They 
sojourned at the Adelphi Hotel since their arrival, where, 
this morning, previous to their departure, they were pre- 
sented, Grisi, with a splendid epergne, and Mario with a 
beautiful gold ring set with a very large bloodstone, both 
the gifts of an Indian lady, who witnessed the farewell 
appearance of these renowned vocalists at the Royal Italian 
Opera on Monday night. The presents came through Mr. 
Chappell, of Bond-street, and were addressed to the care of 
Mr. Radley, of the Adelphi Hotel. 
Royal Wellington Theatre, Baltic.— On the 28th 
ult., in the evening at seven o’clock, a private theatrical perfor- 
mance took place on board her Majesty’s ship Duke of Wel- 
lington, being under the immediate patronage of the Com- 
mander-in-Chief. A large covering was stretched over the 
poop and quarter-deck of the flagship, and there were seats 
raised for the whole of the crew, the Admiral and liis officers 
being on the poop. The seamen only performed, the pieces 
selected being Charles II., or the Merry Monarch, and the 
farce of Fortune's Frolic. The characters were exceedingly 
well sustained, and would have done credit to a minor provin- 
cial theatre ; but the bronzed arms and neck of Lady Clara 
contrasted strangely with her elegant, white dress and em- 
broidered handkerchief. The attendance of a fine band play- 
ing overtures, and the usual supplies of nuts, oranges, and 
ginger beer, added much to the illusion of tlie 6cene. Sir 
Charles Napier and suite attended in person, and it concluded 
with great eclat, much to the delight and enjoyment of the 
men. 
The Turkish Museum, Hyde- Park Corner.— Tlie 
Russian occupation of the Principalities and the consequent 
state of hostilities, the gallant and surprising defence of 
Silistria, and the retreat of the aggressors even to the 
rear of Bucharest, render the Turks and everything Turk- 
ish the prevailing topics of the time, and the favourites of 
lashion. Thousands of our fellow-countrymen are now 
shoulder to shoulder with the Osmanlis ready to shed their 
last drop in the Sultan’s righteous cause. For us “ who 
live at home at ease,” nothing remains but to pray for suc- 
cess to the allied forces, and to learn something more of the 
gallaut nation whom they are at present assisting, against 
the pretensions of the unprincipled Czar. Books upon 
Turkey are now sought for with the greatest avidity. 
White’s Constantinople and Miss Pardoe’s City of the 
Sultan have certainly done much, very much, to diffuse 
a knowledge of Stamboul and its countless wonders; but 
there are two gentlemen at Hyde Park Corner who are daily 
doing still more. After private views to the press anil a 
favoured few, they opened “ The Turkish Museum ” to the 
public on Thursday. This exhibition cannot but meet with 
immense and immediate success. If is not a mere wax- 
work display like Madame Tussnud’s ; it presents us with 
objects from which much may be learnt. Few who patronise 
“The Turkish Museum” will remain satisfied with a mere 
perusal of its catalogue, and a glance at the costumed 
figures set before them. They will be led to think about 
Turkey. In this museum we gaze upon the costumes of the 
Osmanlis, as they were worn down to 182(3, the year of the 
destruction of the Janissaries, the year before Navarino ; 
and these costumes are seen side by side with the dress of 
the present hour. Sultan Mahmoud aud Sultan Abb-ul- 
Medjid are both before us. It has been our fortune to see 
both those Padishahs, and the likenesses are admirable, 
in the figure of Mahmoud the more especially. The 
costumes of the sons of Hajji Bektash are indeed no longer 
discoverable in the streets of Stamboul, but they can be seeu 
at Hyde Park Corner. And we recommend all readers of 
“ The Field” to go and see them at once. It would be im- 
possible to describe in detail, in our limited space, the 
sights that await the visitor to the Turkish Museum. 
Each compavtment is lettered, and its contents. numbered, 
so that, simply remembering that the letters run aguinst the 
sun instead of with it, the catalogue is easily brought into 
play. V e have a bath-house before us, with a tiler mending 
the roof ; two bath-rooms, with figures the size of life under- 
going the manipulations of the attendants ; a barber’s shon 
and garden, with two persons at tric-trac ; an Armenian 
wedding, in which is seeu Cazes Artine, who, in 1828, pre- 
sented to Sultan Mahmoud the first steamer ever seen at 
Constantinople; groups of Janissaries come next, with their 
celebrated soup-kettles, which they regarded as Franks do 
their regimental colours, and ever reversed when they re- 
volted ns a well-known signal to Sultans ; next we have 
Hajji Bektach himself, and outside two rooms stands Abd 
ul-Medjid, while within is his daughter Fatima, a Turkish 
cradle, aud babe in swaddling clothes ; opposite, we! have 
a slipper-shop ; a baker nailed to a door-post for having 
false weights ; a group of Bashi Bazouks, including the 
female Koordish chief, Fatima Klmnoum ; while in the centre 
we see a real grass-plat, and a veritable araba, containing a 
Turkish beauty, listening to her fortune being told by a gip. 
sey. There are other groups, and, to crown the whole, Su]I 
tan Mahmoud is discovered in council with a good score of 
the highest dignitaries about him. We shall have more to 
say touching this highly interesting exhibition. 
The Elephants Abroad. — It is from the Continent that 
we usually receive those wonders and monstrosities of talent 
which draw the “ gelt” from the pocket of “ John Bull.” i’ t 
is our turn now. Cooke’s performing Elephants are the pro- 
digies which we have forwarded as specimens of our gigantic 
skill, and we are told that all Berlin, where (hose stupendous 
animals are now, is in perfect extacies at their miraculous 
feats. 
Theatrb Royal, Liverpool — On Monday, Madame 
Celeste, Miss Keeley, Miss Woolgav, ifr. Webster, Mr. Paul 
Bedford, and Mr. Parselle, were most enthusiastically received 
at this house, where, during part of the time the Adelphi 
Theatre in London is undergoing redecoration, they will con- 
tinue to perform in several of those sterling pieces which 
have been recently played by them with such immense suc- 
cess in the Metropolis, and which are already proving evon 
more attractive in Liverpool. 
BOOKS RECEIVED. 
Minstrelsy of War. Blackwood. 
Songs of the Present. Clarke, Beeton, and Co. 
Morbida. Saunders and Otley. 
The Roving Englishman. Routledge and Co. 
The Scottish Heiress. Hodgson. 
Turkey Past and Present. Routledge and Co. 
We are all low people. Routledge and Co. 
Letters of an American. Chapman and Hall. 
A Waterloo Commemoration. Orr and Co, 
[Our Reviews unavoidably stand over till next week.— Ed.] 
Sporting Review for August. 
This number contains several good and amusin'* articles. 
Those on turf matters by Craven and Druid are suggestive of 
reflection ; and, (though we cannot endorse some of the opinions 
contained therein, must attract the attention of the raring 
world. The embellishments— “ Mincemeat,” by Harry Hall, 
and “ The Opening Day,” by A. Cooper, It.A., are admirable. 
The winner of the Oaks comes upon us life-like from the 
pencil of H. H. We make an extract from Hawthorne’s 
spirited article on the opening of the grouse season : — 
“THE APPROACHING GROUSE SEASON IN SCOTLAND. 
“ D’ye like, brother sportsmen, the hills wild and free, 
Where tlie crow o’ the muircock gars a' ring nitli glee; 
O'er tho wild rocky glen, where tlie eagles abide? 
Then on wi’ the tartan, and off wi' me ride. 
“D'ye like, brother sportsmen, tho wild moor afar, 
O'er the deep mountain's corry, or grey rocky scar; 
O'er the sweet mossy glen, where the red deer abide ? 
Then on wi' the tartan, and off wi' mo ride. 
“ D'ye like, brother sportsmen, the wild mountain and lake, 
Or the wild roaring rapids, where salmon do take 
The gaudy fly-hook; where the grilsie do abide ? 
Then on wi' the tartan, and off wi’ me ride. 
“ Scotland,” in the words of a popular writer on field sports, 
“^surpasses every other country of Europe in the abundance 
and variety of its animal life. Tlie country seems to have 
been made for the production of birds, beasts, and fishes; it 
lias every imaginable requisite for the maintenance of a piodi- 
dious nuriiber of wild animals, and every single requisite in the 
highest possible perfection. It has seas that teem with fish, 
and suit-water lochs that seem to be so disposed as to bring 
the ‘finny tribe,’ to the very door of the human population. It 
has rivers of unsurpassed beauty, alternating with pool and 
stream, swarming with the silvery salmon and beautifully and 
brightly speckled trout. It has lochs where there are lurge 
trout, burns where there are small ones; it has sea rocks, 
where the round-headed and half intelligent-looking seal ba^ks 
lazily in the sun, 8nd rocky shores where the otter may ho 
seen plunging in startled haste into the briny refuge; it lias 
cliffs, where the birds of prey hold habitation, like castled 
robbers watching the passage of peaceful travellers.’ 
“Yes! Scotland has mountain ranges where the rod deer 
stalks along in his athletic "pride, woods where the graceful 
and nimble-footed roe may be seen crossing the tender foliage. 
It has tlie mountuin lor the ptarmigan, the moor for tlie 
grouse, tlie fern brake for the blackcock, the dark pine wood 
lor the capercailzie, the bog for the snipe, the coppice for the 
pheasant and woodcock, tho fertile fields for the partridge, 
the bill for the hare and hole for tlie badger ; it has land fowl 
and water fowl, from the eagle to the teal ; it lias cormorants 
and gulls, kattiewnkes and divers, long-legged herons, short- 
legged puffins, gannets in thousands, ducks innumerable, the 
raven and the glede, tho curlew and the sandpiper, the plover 
and the oyster-catcher, and a hundred others that decorate 
the wild scenery of Scotland. As a game country, Scotlund 
has • certaiuly no equul in Europe, nor, perhaps, taking all, 
things into consideration, has she on equal in the world. 
India may have her tigers, her antelopes, her wild hogs, 
