The Press. — London, England, 1858-03-20 00:00:00

ST. JAMES'S HALL. THE object of every new undertaking, if we may trust the prospectus, is "to supply a want that has long been felt." Of course, in most cases, this merely means that a want of money has long been felt by the projector, and that a public subscription appears the readiest mode of supply. But every rule has its exceptions ; and whoever might assert that a well-situated, handsome, and commodious music-hall has long been wanted in London, few would care to look for an undermeaning in the phrase. The large room at Exeter-hall is too large for many purposes, has no accommodation for royal visitors, is badly provided with means of entrance and exit, has no pretensions to beauty of any sort, and is hampered with certain oppressive regulations. The lower room is simply detestable, and almost fallen into disuse. St. Martin's-hall has many good points, and as a music-room for the people will always be useful ; but, from the disadvantage of its position, it cau never be suitable for concerts of the higher class. The same may be said of the concert room in the Surrey-gardens, while that in Hanover square is an ill-proportioned, unsightly, 'inconvenient apartment, with nothing to recommend it but its fashionable situation. The erection of St. James's ball promises, therefore, to be a great advantage to the metropolis, and on this account alone would attract attention ; but certain novelties in the design give a more than ordinary interest to the public opening, which is fixed for next week. The directors have not attempted to make their hall the largest in London—a piece of common sense which in the present rage for monstrosities is much to their credit; but they have tried to make it better and handsomer than any other, and so far as beauty of proportion and richness of ornament go they have certainly not failed. The building is placed between the Quadrant and Piccadilly, and so near the inter section that it reaches across from one to the other, having an entrance in each. It is entirely buried among the houses, and the only noticeable feature about the exterior is the lofty roof surmounted by a double row of strange looking ventilators, which may be seen from some distance. The ground floor is occupied by two small balls, intended the one for concerts, the other for public dinners, each capable of accommodating about six hundred persons. These are expected to be finished in the course of next month. There is also a suite of smaller apart ments, which are to be fitted up as a restaurant, where dinners and refreshments for private parties may be obtained. The entrance will be from Regent-street, and in such r. thoroughfare this de partment of the undertaking, if well conducted, can hardly fail to be remunerative. Nearly the whole of the upper storey is occupied by the large hall, which is now rapidly approaching completion, and is to be opened to the public on Thursday next. It is of an oblong form, 140 feet in length, 60 feet in breadth, and 60 feet in height ; longer than Exeter-ball, but narrower ; smaller in every way than the Surrey Music-hall, and larger in every way than St. Martin's-hall. It is lighted by sixteen windows, and surrounded on three sides by a narrow gallery or balcony. The roof is semicircular, and entirely covered with arabesque ornament in red, blue, and gold. The railing in front of the gallery is richly gilt, as well as the capitals of the slender columns which range along the sides of the ball. The gaslights consist of small clusters of seven j e ts,arran ged in the form of a star; they are placed unusually high, not more than twenty feet from the roof, and are eighty-four in number. When lighted, the appear ance of the ball, with its rich gilding and gorgeous , :olouring, will be extremely brilliant. Above the windows are coloured figures from designs by Monti, representing certain boys and girls in a state of entire undress, and bearing scrolls inscribed with the names of celebrated composers. The designs are meaningless and unpleasing, and the execution rude. In a building decorated otherwise with such ex cellent taste, we are convinced these figures will strike most people as absolutely offensive. The orchestra is built in a large arched recess at the western end of the hall ; a similar recess at the eastern end gives considerable depth to the gallery at this part, and contains also a second gallery raised some height above the first. A moveable floor is being constructed so as to give an inclined plane for concerts, and a level for dinners. This avoids one of the great errors in the construction of St. Martin's hall, but, at the same time, the galleries being only twelve feet from the level floor, it renders the seats below them at the east end a very undesirable posi tion for any one to find himself in. No doubt the prices of these seats will be fixed accordingly, but it is difficult to imagine any tariff which would not be ex orbi taut. The number of persons who can be seated is estimated at 2,500; there are four entrances, besides a private door for the Royal Family. The passages and staircases are spacious and well THE PRESS, MARCH 20, 1858. arranged. The architect is Mr. Owen Jones, so well known by his courts at the Crystal Palace and his numerous works on ornamental art. There can be no question that the music-hall he has produced far exceeds in beauty any that at present exist ; whether it excels as much in its acoustic properties and adaptation to musical purposes, we must wait till Thursday next to ascertain. A concert of sacred music, under the direction of Mr. Benedict, is an nounced for the inauguration; many of the best artists at present in London are engaged. The per formance is stated to be under the highest patron age ; and from the interest everywhere expressed, we may safely predict that the strength of the building, at any rate, will be pretty severely tested. WE understand that his Royal Highness the Prince Consort has been graciously pleased to signify his intention of honouring with his presence the concert for the benefit of the Middlesex Hospital, which will take place at the new St. James's-hall on Thursday next, 25th March, 18503. THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE AND THE ARMY. AT the dinner on Monday of the Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, the Duke of Cambridge pre sided, and, in proposing " The Army and Navy," made a few remarks upon the friendly rela tions which exist between himself and Sir Colin Campbell. The Duke then referred to a subject which has recently attracted much attention—the sanitary condition of the army. His Royal Highness remarked that he had been told that a want of atten tion on the part of the Horse Guards was the cause of all the discomfort and inconvenience to which the troops of England bad been exposed. It was a very simple thing to make a statement, but he hoped it was needless for him to say that anything more incorrect, he would not use a harsher term, could not be made by mortal man. If there was anything which attracted his attention from hour to hour, from day to day, and from month to month, it was the deep interest he took in all that related to the per manent advantage and well-being of the British sol dier. He took every opportunity, whenever his more pressing duties allowed him to leave London for a few hours, to visit the various barracks and hospitals throughout the country. When he returned from those visits be found that many things were wanting which it became his duty to represent to the Govern ment, and he did represent them accordingly. But what was the result? He did not hold the parse strings of the nation. Though he might represent a certain stale of facts, and although those facts were admitted, he was met by the answer, " Very true ; it is very desirable to do what you say, but we have no money." He (the Duke of Cambridge) could not coin money, and if it was the feeling of the country that much should be done—and he assured them that much ought to be done—it was for the country to give the money, or otherwise the desire to improve the condition of the army could not be carried out. He felt very strongly on this point, and as be had not bad an earlier opportunity of giving utterance to his sentiments on the subject, he hoped that those who now heard him would excuse him if he inter posed remarks which were not strictly in keeping with meetings of this description. All he could now say was that the very barrack improvements which had been introduced into the army had curtailed the barrack accommodation. Libraries and reading rooms had been introduced, but it was a great mis take to think that they bad been added to, for, in truth, they had been taken out of, the barrack accommodation. This had been (lane because it was apparently cheaper to do it in that way than in any other. This h%d been done to meet the feeling of the age, and in some respects it had curtailed the accommodation of the men. He was quite sure that what he said would be believed at once ; but it was remarkable that it should be supposed that he of all men in the world should not take an interest in this subject. Following the example of his illustrious father, be could say that, altogether irrespective of his military office, be had from the earliest times endeavoured to the best of his ability to support all the institutions of the country which bore upon hos pitals and other establishments of the kind. He therefore felt regret that any one should think that, irrespective of the high office he had the honour to hold, he could be neglectful of so important a por tion of bis duties, and that he of all men should be the one to blame in this matter. He did not wish to throw blame in any particular quarter, bat all he would say was that be had done his utmost to repre sent these things, and that he should continue to do so. He was confident that the excellent feeling of the country elicited on this point would eventually lead to the remedy of those evils, and that all that was required for the welfare of the soldier would be done, thanks to the good feeling and liberality of the people of England. 279 SECOND EDITION• SATURDAY AFTERNOON. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. THE OVERLAND MAIL The following is the general summary of the Bombay Gazette : The fortnight just elapsed has been marked by a few important incidents. The commander-in- chief, who bad remained at Futtyghur up to the 31st of !January, suddenly broke up his camp on the Ist of February, and leaving Walpole's brigade to watch the Rohilcund rebels from the right bank of the Ramgungah, proceeded rapidly to Cawnpore, where be arrived in advance of the army on the 4th. On that day Walpole recrossed the Ganges into the Doab, removed the bridge of boats to Futtyghnr, and marched to join Sir Cohn. Troops as they arrived from the north and south were rapidly thrown across the Ganges at Cawnpore, two bridges having been constructed for that pur pose. The road to Alumbagh is described as encumbered with troops and waggons. Oa the Bth, Sir Colin ran down to Allababad to meet Lord Canning, who bad just come up from Benares. After a short interview Sir Cohn returned to Cawn pore. But up to the 13th he had not crossed into Oude, the siege train which left Agra on the 22nd of January not having up to that date made its ap pearance at Cawnpore. Sir James Outram had not had any new engagement with the rebels. They are known to have strengthened Lucknow very much not only with earth but with stone works. Sir Colin was enabled to leave Futtygh ur safe, with threo regiments holding it, and keeping open the communication with Agra, whilst Brigadier Cham berlain advanced from Lahore with several Punjaub regiments echelonned on the road down the Doab. Jung Bahadoor's force would before this time have attacked Fyzabad, in front of which his army is en camped, but that he was short of ammunition. He was to be supplied from Benares, and his resumption of active operations would be the signal for a cor responding movement by Brigadier Franks from the direction of Jaunpore. ,The other corps in India were also making pro gress in the great movement from west to east which must end in sweeping the rebels to the Jamas. Irtlanb. THE LORD LIEUTEN4NT has resolved on instituting an inquiry into the unfortunate transaction which occurred on Friday last on the occasion of his entry into Dublin. His Excellency has charged the law officers of the Crown with the special duty of con ducting the investigation in the most efficient and impartial manner. Upwards of thirty students are said to have been more or less injured by the police. Identifications of assailants on both sides have been made. THE Two Assassms of the ill-fated Mr. John Ellis, who was cruelly murdered near Templemore on his return from Dublin in the month of October last, have been caught and convicted. On Monday morning William Cormack, who was tried on Saturday by a jury—one of whom falling sick neces sitated the swearing of a new jury—and Daniel Cormack, his brother, were, after a lengthened trial, found guilty, but recommended to mercy, with- . _ .. .. out any cause wbatever being assigned for the recom mendation. Mr. Justice Keogh, in an impressive address, sentenced the prisoners to be executed oh the 11th of May. LORD EGLINTOUN, when presented with an address from the Corporation of Dublin on Monday at the Castle, referred in his reply to the question of the abolition of the Viceroyalty : _ _ With regard to the continuance of the office which I have now for the second time the honour to held, I have never varied my opinion, formed long before I had any personal interest in the matter, and I have never hesi tated to express it. I believe its abolition would be a great and permanent injury, not only to this city, but to the country in general, and I do not think that any satis factory executive government could be instituted in its place. I am happy to be able to announce to you that these views are also entertained by my colleagues in Eng land. You do me no more than justice (said his lordship, in conclusion) in believing that the important trust which is again committed to me will be honestly and con scientiously fulfilled, and I can assure you in all sincerity that I shall ever use the powers that my position confers on me, io so far as I can, in soothing religions rancour, in calming political strife, and in promoting the material interests of the country.