The Press. — London, England, 1854-10-07 00:00:00

OCTOBER 7, 1854. at its disposal. We see in the present war that the army was mobilised, reserves called out, recruits raised, and Cossacks brought up from distant pro vinces, till the effective force was swelled to nearly 600,000 men But, with all this immense force, scarcely 100,000 men were brought into action, and at length, when, beaten at all points, they were com pelled to evacuate the invaded provinces and retire across their frontier, not a score thousand of the half million reserves could be sent to the assistance of the beaten army. Of the Russian recruiting sys tem we have some curious facts : " If we could see a batch of Russian recruits starting from their villages we should be surprised at the precau- tions which it is necessAry to take to ensure their arrival at head•quarters. They are usually guarded en route by Cossacks, and sometimes marched off in chains; but, in spite of precautions, desertions constantly occur. All who a.•e acqua►nted with the character and habits of the various races that make up the Russian nation agree in stating that t) the bulk of them the military service is an object of profonnd aversion. On this point there can be ne man ner of doubt, and the most superficial traveller who visits the Czar's dominions is struck by the quiet and peaceable turn of all around him." _ _ --- With regard to the troops in the Crimea, the writer is of opinion that their number does not much ex ceed 40,000 men, and that fresh corps cannot arrive from the interior. If Menschikoff's army has been brought up to 60,000 men, it has been so only by drain ing the Crimes of troops, and leaving Odessa, Nicolaief, Cherson, and the northern coasts of the Black Sea unprotected. The article is full of valuable detail. But we have already exceeded our space, and can only recommend the present number as being one of the best we have had for months. The most striking paper in Tait is that on "Our Social Morality." " The great sin of great cities" seems generally to have been abandoned as a pro blem of hopeless solution. But so many unpleasant revelations have been made of late, that humane people ate beginning to stir themselves up once more to try and check this evil, or, at least, to put a stop to the gross traffic which appears to be daily carried on between the Continent and this country, and vice versa. Tlrrt , subject is energetically handled by Tait, but the remedies proposed are wholly in adequate to the evil. The other articles do not call for particular notice. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. IlooKs. Scot's litpert on Cholera in Madras. Blackwood and Sons. Zana. Mrs. Anne Stephens. Ward and Lock. History of Ferdinand and Isabella. IV, H. Prescott Rontledge. Bentley. Idaline. Mrs. J. B. Webb. Captain Canal. The Parish. P. Smith. Ditto. Sweet. Egypt's Place in Universal History. C. C. J. Bunsen. Vol. IL Longman and Co. Turkey : its History and Progress. Sir George Larpent. Hurst and Blackett. tlt prams. ST. JAMES'S. THIS theatre opened on Monday evening, under the management of Mrs. Seymour. The performances commenced with a new and original five-act drama, by Messrs. Tom Ta)lor and Charles Reade, called The King's Rival. The period chosen is that of King Charles 11., and the plot of the play hangs upon the rivalry which exists between the King and the Duke of Richmond for the love of Miss Stewart, who, as described by De Grammont, "was possessed of a "beauty hardly possible to be exceeded." The duke, who, previous to the opening scene, is supposed to have outgeneralled the king, and to have secured Miss Stewart's affections, arrives at the court with despatches from the fleet, and, as the principal piece of court scandal, hears that Miss Stewart is the king's new favourite, a rumour which Richmond's jealous mind confirms when, in his interview with Miss Stewart, he finds that she has appointed that very hour for a private visit from the king. Dis• traded with jealousy, he declares to her that he will leave her for ever, return to his ship, and seek his death in honourable strife. Miss Stewart, who is faithful to her lover, and has always, without being able to prevent, repelled the king's addresses, determines to hinder this, and influences the king to deprive Richmond of his command, thus blinding the king, who begins to be suspicious of the duke, as a rival, and at the same time retaining her lover at court. A second interview occurs between the duke and Miss Stewart, in which his violent re proach and bitter sarcasm part them in anger. This, with a little episode in the abduction of Nell Gwynne by Lot d Buckhurst, who is too poor to pay the men for the business, and Nell has not only to suffer carry ing off but to pay for it too, concludes the second act. The third is occupied with a masque at Spring gardens, to which the queen comes, attended by Miss Stewart; the king of course is there, recognises " la belle Stewart," who on her part recognises Rich mond, and the usual amount of espionage, mystifies- THE PRESS. tion, and flirtation ensue, until the evening's amuse ments are abruptly ended by the sound of the Dutch men's guns in the Medway, and the sudden appearance in the gardens of a plague-stricken man, who in his dying struggles drops papers which Miss Stewart picks up, reads, discovers to be a plot against the king's life, and ultimately gives into the king's own hands. The two next acts comprise the most inte resting points of the play. Nell Gwynne, who has taken a fancy to the duke, finds out that he really loves Miss Stewart : her woman's nature is touched, and she induces not only a reconciliation but an im mediate marriage as the only means to shield Miss Stewart against the king's advances. The king meanwhile discovers that Richmond is his rival, and more, that he is one of the chief conspirators in the plot laid bare by Miss Stewart. Then comes the point of the play—the confession of marriage, the fury of the king, and the entreaties of the wife for the life of her husband, to which the king at length yields, and returns the fatal paper as a marriage dowry. His Majesty then presents them to the court as man and wife, and the curtain falls. This drama is very well written, and the dialogue lively and spirited, though it would doubtless be im proved by compression. Some of the situations are very effective, particularly where Nell Gwynne in duces the king to light the fire, while she takes the opportunity of using the fatal conspiracy documents as waste paper, and helps his unconscious Majesty to destroy, as she thinks, the only evidence possessed of Richmond's treason. The introduction of the plague-stricken man is decidedly a mistake, and we strongly recommend its omission in future. Apart from the revolting nature of the thing, what can be more improbable than that a maid of honour in those days (orin these) should take papers, the con tents of which she is perfectly ignorant of, from the bands of a plague-struck corpse? The part of Frances Stewart was played by Miss Glyn with great depth of feeling : the patient endurance, the reliance upon her own truthfulness and love, the gentle woman's nature which found excuses for her lover iu every circumstance, were delineated with a tenderness and grace of manner that deserve the highest praise, while in the more passionate parts her vigour and energy of delivery reminded us more of Rachel than any actress we have seen. Mrs. Seymour as Nelly, witty and wicked, yet with a heart that could do a good action and reconcile two lovers, though "she liked the man herself," was bewitching: her arch manner, too, was very happy and natural, and her by play throughout exquisite, particularly in the second act, at the parting scene between the duke and Frances Stewart. Mr. Vandenhoffs King Charles was well and easily played, though both he and Mr. Mead, as the Duke, want refinement of manner and modulation of voice. Kings and courtiers do not always speak in harsh, loud tones: it is neither natural nor necessary. Mr. Toole's Pepys was a good performance of its kind, but it is absurd to represent Pepys as the butt and buffoon to every one about the court. The scenery and dresses were in remarkably good taste, correct and effective, and the play on the whole tolerably successful. gontg glathrt anb Citg Intti firm. FRIDAY EVENING. THE Stock Exchange has been agitated throughout the week by victories and the rumours of victory. Nevertheless, the fluctuations of price have been circumscribed within a narrow range, showing a singular difference from the last eras of war and Extraordinary Gazettes, when stocks danced up and down four or five per cent. upon the publication of every war bulletin announcing success or discom fiture. Now the utmost variations in the quotations are barely a half per cent., and even these are not sustained. It is also worthy of notice that the dis appointment of over-sanguine hopes caused by the formal contradiction of the reported capture of Sebastopol occasioned a greater decline of prices than the first news of the alleged exploit did a rise, so that, when time last despatch of Lord Eedcliffe transpired yesterday afternoon, the quotations sunk to a lower point than they reached even before the victory upon the Alma became known upon 'Change. For several weeks past the price of Consols has adhered with singular constancy to one mean, which may be placed at about 951. On each side of this average the quotations have vibrated according to the expansion or pressure arising from momentary causes, but were departing from it by more than or I at the utmost, and always reverting to their equili brium when the passing influence had ceased to operate. Amid the most exciting hopes or appre• hensionF. of the current week, this remarkable stabi• lity of the Consol Market has been maintained un shaken. Saturday's closing prices were dull at 95 to for transfer, and 951 1 for account on the 17th inst. On Monday, with a certain success on the 955 Alma, and a credited surrender of Sebastopol, the quotations rose in the first moments of enthusiasm only to 951 f, and settled down afterwards at tfsl for money, and 95f for account. As might be expected, while stirring events were in the wind, the market displayed unwonted activity, and transa2tions were more extensive than for this long time past. On Tuesday the market became more quiet, and deal ings fewer. Prices also grew flatter, exhibiting their natural tendency towards the mean, while specula tion remained in suspense, waiting for official con firmation of the report that Sebastopol bad been taken. Before the close on that day the quotations had sunk to 95f During Wednesday the same doubts and reserve predominated. Some commer cial disasters of rather extensive character were also reported from Liverpool, and the prices of all secu rities underwent a marked depreciation. Consols touched 95f .at one moment, but ruled throughout the day at 95/ j, and closed flat at that quotation. For account the prices were I to I higher. Yesterday's market was unsettled and drooping. The Times' presumptuous announcement of definite intelligence respecting the fall of Sebastopol did not overcome the doubts expressed by other authorities, and was supported by far more feasible arguments. Late in the day the truth transpired upon the arrival of the Government Gazette Extraordinary, when the downward tendency of the market received an addi• tional impetus, and prices fell to a lower point than they had reached for many days past, closing at 941 95. For account the quotations were 05 to e ; the removal of uncertainty and some easiness in the Money Market having diminished the difference which had previously ruled between the prices for money and account in Consols. To-day the market has been steadier and firmer. I The dealers have begun to discover that, even if Se bastopol is not taken, the allied forces on the whole are doing well in the Crimea, and that the event which they believed to have occurred is only post poned. Prices have accordingly risen once more al. most to the " mean," and left off at 051 for money, and 95/ for account. Wednesday, being the 4th of the month, and end of the commercial quarter, was awaited with much anxiety in trading circles. An immense mass of bills fell due on that day, while the state of trade during the three previous months had been notably turbid. On the whole the day passed over favour ably. More bills than was customary or pleasant were " noted," but no failures occurred among Lon don firms. One house of very extensive business in Liverpool as merchants and shipowners, that of Oliver and Co., had their bills returned, and an inquiry into their position was subsequently instituted by the creditors. It was found that the liabilities exceeded 700,0001. On the other side, the assets, chiefly ships, were estimated at nearly a million, while some very lucrative Government contracts were still in course of completion. The result has been that aid was afforded and claims adjourned, so as to avert an actual stoppage. FOREIGN FUNDS. . The market for foreign stocks has been inactive. Turkish New Loan improved in consequence of the better aspect of affairs in the Crimea, marking 3e on Wednesday, but declining per cent. when the less favourable news of yesterday afternoon came to hand. To-day prices were 2f 3. Russian stock has fallen considerably. The Fives were US to 100 on Monday, and have been done to-day 9 97. In other stocks there are no variations of im portance. RAILWAY SHARES. The Railway Share Market has been firm on the whole, though reflecting from day to day the fluctua tions in Consols. This afternoon the quotations were heavy, and a decline of ss. to 10s. per share was marked in many description*. An Irish Land Tontine is proposed for certain estates in that country, valued at 1t40,000/., and yield ing a rental of 7,5001., which is expected to increase. It is to consist of 1,800 shares of 1001. each, and the interests of the holders are to depend upon any lives they may respectively nominate (either their own or others), the persons so nominated not being less than seventy years of age. When only twenty lives re main, the estates are to be sold and the proceeds divided among the shareholders represented by them, or the distribution may be made at. any earlier period if required by four-fifths of the persons interested. A sum not exceeding 1,2001. per annum is to be ri served for management, and the net rental is to be invested in Consols, or such other securities as may be agreed upon, and to be distributed in 1800 and 11465 and after that annually, until the final disposal of the property. Besides its value as a commercial enterprise, this project is of importance, as proving the interest taken by English capitalists in the acqui sition of property in Ireland. The returns of the En cumbered Estates Court, and the advance in the prices of land sold during the period of its opera tions, exhibit a marvellons increase in public con. Hence, and of the wealth realised by the purchasers whom timidity or prejudice did not hinder from making investments in Irish landed properties.