The Express.
London, England, 1864-04-27 00:00:00

THE STRATFORD SELkEZSPEARLAH
FESTIVAL

(ROY OUR SPSCIAL COlueseusumwr.
STRATFORD-ON-AVON, TOINDAY.
Perhaps the most remarkable feature in the
concert of last night was the perfect sympathy
existing between audience and performers. Mr.
Sims Reeves complied with all demands for an
encore with cheerful willingness ' • Madame Pareps
and Madame Laura Baxter, Mr. Bentley and Mr.
George Perren, were equally obliging ; and as on
each time of their appearance, these ladies and
gentlemen were ushered iato the room either by
the Mayor of Stratford himself or some other
member of the committee, the effect was rather that
of a large party of personal friends brought toge-
ther by congenial tastes, than of a room filled
through the ordinary process of disbursements and
receipts tolisteu to a select number of operatic stars.
The splendid capabilities of the Pavilion were once
more proved ; and it was • freely expressed opinion
that neither in the metropolis nor the provinces has
Madame Arabella Goddard's delicacy of execution,
or Mendelssohn's magnificent music to the Mid-
summer Nights Dream, been heard with greater
effect. The only omission from the published pro-
gramme was the duet, " I know • bank," which
was announced to be sung by Madame Parepa
and Madame Sainum-Dolby. Madame Baxter
undertook all the other part-songs and solos which
were originally given to Madame Dolby. Mr.
Sims Reeves, who was never more genial nor in
better spirits, gave a playful expression to the " Hey
Donny nonny," of " Sigh no more ladies," which
was almost dramatic, while the delicacy and ten-
derness of his "Blow, blow, thou wintry wind,"
held his audience breathless to its close, and the
smiling alacrity with which he allowed himself to
be brought back by Mr. Mayor was • pleasant
thing to see. Madame Parepa's wonderfully dis-
tinct articulation was repeatedly made the subject
of admiring comment ; and her " Bid me dis-
course," transposed from the last to the first place
in the second part, was as warmly appreciated as
it was rapturously encored. Madame Baxter's
rendering of " Who is Silvia," and of Haydn's
cauxonet from the Twelfth Night, " She never told
her love,"_ demand similar praise while Mr. George
Perren, Mr. Santley, and Mr. Alfred Mellon each
received their separate ovation from the well filled
room. The difference in the price of admission to
this concert and that to the oratorio of the morning
was not without its effect. The area chairs at half
a guinea had fewer vacancies in their ranks
than when they were at double that price ; the
gallery (also half a guinea) had the first
three of its ten rows of seats all occupied ;
while the five shilling salary and the
unreserved places at half-a-crown were nearly
full. It was estimated that nearly three thousand
people were present. The orchestra numbered one
hundred and twenty instrumentalists ; its leader
was Mr. Blagrova, and its conductor throughout
Mr. Alfred Mellon. The concert commenced at
eight, and was over about eleven. Lord Wrottes-
ley, Sir William Fraser, Mr. Robert Chambers,
and Mr. Creswick were amongst the audience.
Considerable interest was displayed in the an-
nouncement, whispered from mouth to mouth during
the interval between the two parts, that the Earl
of Carlisle and suite intend to be present this even-
ing to witness the representation of Twelfth Night.
Lord Leigh unfortunately had chosen the night of
the concert for giving a private entertainment in
honour of his guest, the Earl of Carlisle, and some To-day, at noon, • meeting of the proprietors of
of the good people of Stratford consider that as the above bask was bald at the tondos Tavern ; Kr.
lord-lieutenant of the county he should have scareelK , PeTemetreeisuttlese "r
bask im, the six the ceded met
issued cards of invitation, the eseeptance of whic ) Deaseiher, 180V3, show • set profit, alter morn of all
would necessarily militate against attendance at •• charges sad Interest on deposit and entreat accounts, sod
their festival. This morning broke, as usual, some- I redeatios ef rebate es all bills discounted. bet not doe, d
what dull and cold, but before noon the sky 1 15,2141. 6.. 7d., whith, with dot. 101. ld. heoughs forward
cleared, and the sun shone brightly on the , Irma the 1"wwlio• •••••100. sad 1,7901. premium
shares Weed. makes a total et 17,0441. 160. tad.gay succession carriage. whirl .xelfeyed `"' The &edam recommended that from the above MO
all to Charleoote-hall, the residence of that 1,7901. be added to reserve fund. 1,0001. be written off
family which is so inseparably connected with one amslesestioe newmat, 9001. be written off prefinDoary
the beet known incidents in Shakespeare's penes, that 1,5001.111:21.= to mummies account (to bis.
youth. On our return we find Strati
Per- the d* as
weadi aed to direct,
the ita maltaz for
ceptibly fuller. The coming performance of proprietors) that 12,47 4.. 24 ,be applie bike payment
to-night has caused an influx of the dramatic a• diniesd te the proprietors at the TO,t4 of
elemeot, and the familiar faces of popular 101. per cost. per maws on the imposts paid upon
London favourites greet us at every turn. The their eatootilw share+. sod that the balance of 761. 12s• 61
excursion to Charleoote has been one of the bi, carried forward to Pt.'" sad lose new &mem"
3P6114"11 so eeeetastntialePialyOdfeeSha°fltibeepeae week.
perTiodhe, place
sylvanitself isserable'nesi474.letnegenessteesic44 acedeattrietaLsbalTlcesio "ilatimeerit"liklissfaM"°l:oLeitVeYby tar
beauty of its park, the air of venerable quiet and directors propose • further issue of shares, to be Stet
dignified espies which is its most prominent charac offend to the existing shareholders in the
_reporting' dens
teristic, so marks it as the spot for • thoughtful lest° two old eh's, at 51' radU:t per
te be earned to reserve , a the
mind to discover "tongues in tress " " books sh—s7es mods future divideeds. We-
in the running brooks," that apart from its sped- ponies be the time sad &wee., psis up,
ality of association, it has seemed both pleasant Tbe report was Myra ; mid at the special meeting which
and appropriate that' we should wile away a spring followed, Ferrer was seven to ilerlitba the capital of ail
afternoon waning over its art treasures, and be- win", rm." 2•0°4("g• t° by the tem
math the shadow of its trees. 1 10.000 sow shams at 101 W. mto ob. *soh be Maid st •
premise of 61. pre share, the dirigible. comedies to the
Twelfth Night is to commence punctually at 7, wish of the shareholder. by redoes( the premium from Me
and will be followed by the Comedy of Berm. which ersethesir erigiaal proposition.

21,5661. 16s. Id. leas than for the ;ear 1662; the
duress, being in the important items of deals, wager,
prowling:sea, and stoma. Nearly the whole of this redwing
°enure d in the find half of the past year, Wag, m ex-
plained in the report of the directors of tut October, putty
attributable to the earrespooding period of the previous year
having iecloded the uproars of ships in the traaaport la-
ud the reosioder is du to a ottbsequeot saving under
the of wars. The result of the company's openness@
for the year 1803 has nut borne out the apprehension which
the directors expreresd in their report for the year 1862, that
the large amount of set !Burnie' ea the working soooust is
that year would prove exesptioaal, for although the somas
from which the augmented earaisge of the year 1862
were prim:tipsily derived did not exist is the neat year, yet
as iocreased flow of measure from California to England and
from England to &mil. together w ith di miniehed es pudica*,
resulted ia a net surplus for the year 1863 of 2,988/. 19i. 2d.
in ours of that for the preceding twelve moths. That the
should be the mu the directors believe the shareholders
will wonder eatisfactory, as it estimably leads to the
hope that a ma ciessy of traffic will be directed to this
ecienpmees line to compeoeste is part for the reduction
the Bundy, and for the lone which may be expected to
moor whoa the Preach company shall have entered was
the whole of their West India cootract servioa The sem
of 16,4361. 7e. 6d. has been charged in the profit sad lad
aceoest sad canted to the credit of the ground reserve (and
to most the loss as ships previously, sole, which amount is
the Seal appropriation required for that purpose, as the
whole ol the lose is thereby amities off. The directors have,
however, deemed It umiscronary to charge tie profit ad lon
accotnit, seas former 0031110011, with I per Dent. additional on
the original valued the fleet, seeing that the amoutst theme
dit of the general rearm fend is, in their juftweat, sallieieet
to meet Yr loss that may arias from the of those ships
which it is at peassat brigaded to dispose of, es well as that
on the Teviot sold het meoth ; but in order to keep the
✓am, at which the company's ships stand uan met in the
balaacesheet at such an amount Si nay fairly be con.
adored to be their value, the directors have, is addition to
providing the sisal yearly percentage for deteriorate,' of
the Out, thought it desirable, at this favourable time, to
adjust the vales at the Seine and the Mersey, by reclining
the former to the value at which the sister ship Shaenoa
stands, and the Mersey to about the amount whisk
721 ts her a Yalu ; and the sum d
31! 16e. sd. has scoordiagly hese appropriated
(from the volts of the year for that purpose.
IL charge of 5,7141. Ila lid. appears to the debit of profit
and loss semeat, being the amount of a beaus of ten per
east. es salaries paid to the otSciale of the company's shore
estobliehmeats, sad to the commanders, °Moen. and enr-
aged of the lest. The directors oundered the cocaine
of the reoewsl of the company's contram with her
Majesty's government a !Snug opportunity for mart-
in their oppugning of the serums of their officals,
and their neetatise on this point WSII the more
irenesable so it appeased to eorrespeed with the
feeling evinced by the propitiating at the lust mend
mastiog. The year 1863, which terminated the old con•
tract with her Majesty's government, has been, Ai the
shareholders will perceive, one of couiderable proaperiM•
and the directors feel justified in rerotumendieg that s
distribeithe be made of 71. 10r. per share, free of income
tax ; via., 6i. per share oat of the basso* of profit and lose
account, and a bases of 11. 10.. per .ban from the near•
awe head ; the warrants for the mate to be issued on the
evening of the 30th kart"
The report wee adopted, and a reeolntice wee agreed to
for the appropriation al 1.0001. out of the (nods, to the pm.
chase of a tertimonial to Captato Mangles.

THE STANDARD BANK OP BRITISH SOUTH
AFRICA (LIMITED),-THIS DAY.)