The Express.
London, England, 1863-02-02 00:00:00

POLAND.

Bullier's Correspondee.•e, not by any means a
revolutionary organ, contains the following comments on
the Polish News :

" Notwithstanding all that is said to the contrary in the
Russian newspapers, the movement in Poised tends to be-
come general, and is assuming • real importance. A delegate
from the central committee of Warsaw came to Paris lately,
and has had several interviews with his countrymen herr
A great many notable Polish refugees have left Paris for the
theatre of events. Generals Wysoki and If iera-
laerski, who for the last year bed bee,a oa
bad terms in consequence of • quarrel relating
. . _

to the dissolution of the Polish school at Genoa, are
now remedied, and propose to go at once to Poland in corn-
pan, with the pliant General Dembinski. If the insur-
rection can only hold out for three weeks longer, the Poles
in Paris think that it has a chance of success, aided, as it is
likely to be, by the demoralisation and defection of a great
pert of the Russian army, and by the rising which is immi-
nent in Lithuania and in the provinces of the military sub-
division of Kiev. It im in the manufacturing districts of
Poland that the greater part of the recruits for the insur-
rection have been found. The sugar refineries in the
neighbourhood of Plod, where more than 20,000 men are
commonly at work, and the large iron furnaces of Melte
and Radow are entirely deserted, and most of the men
lately employed in them have joined the bands which hold
the open country."
The Warsaw Police Gazette of the 26th of January con-
tain' the following ordinance ci the Prefect of Police,
Lientenent-Colonel Machette, which shows that the autho-
rities considered it nemerary to take very severe precast-
tiooary measures to preserve tranquillity in the city :
" Ist. Assemblages of more than three persons are prohi-
bited. 2nd. Assemblages in case of fire are prohibited. It
is squally prohibited for any one to stop while the
soldiers are Famine. 3rd. The doors of every Mow
meet be *aid et nine o'clock in the evening. 4th. Frost
this day forward no one will be allowed to go out after
nine o'clock in the evening without a lantern ; from one
o'clock in the morning until daybreak nobody must appear
in the streets. sth. All taverns, cafes, dining rooms, tic.,
must be cloud at sir o'clock in the evening. 6th. Every-
one who oomes into, or quits the city, must be furnished
with a passport The inhabitenta must in addition conform
to the mulattoes published in the proclamation of the
state of siege in the PolieeGlezette of the 14th October, 1861."

DRAMA.

ST. JAMES'S.

The little piece entitled the Merry W idow, which was
produced at the St. James's Theatre cat Saturday evening
with the most gratifying swam, ought to teach a lesson to
managers, actors, and audiences. Without any compli•
rated plot, any startling effects, any strong farcical element
in any of the characters, it has succeeded mainly by the
simple force of one untrained and affecting incident.
Though it is divided into two acts, the runt act is merely •
prologue to the piece, and the piece is merely a
churning family picture. Of course, in such • play, • vast
deal depends upon the actors, who must be something more
than mere puppets overcrowded by dresses, scenery, and
action.

Hue' Herbert played the part of Mrs. Charles hlildmay
with even more .than her usual ladylike delicacy, giving
force and meaning to every attitude, and reflecting in
her face all the varied emotions arising from her painful pod-
tioe. In thelastscene,whereshegradually awoke to &conscious-
nem that the letter being read to her blind mother was not
this time am innocent deception brought forward in her sup-
posed dead husband's name, her acting rose to a high degree
of tragic intensity, free from rant or exaggeration.
Mrs. Frank Matthews (who was suffering from the effects
of a severe fall) played the pert of the blind mother with
perfect naturalness and great feeling. We are glad to state
this, because this lady is generally associated with broad
farcical parts, and because it mar help to dispel that
Hindoo superstition of stagnroanagers which would always
keep an artistic actor to one monotonous line of character,
Miss Patti Joeephe, as Florence Mildmay, acted with great
taste and premise. She is very young, and has, of course,
much to learn, but she is beginning well, her youthful dif-
fidence being greatly in her favour. No young actors are
hopeless as thou who swagger in their teens with precocious
impudence and believe they have compassed the whole of
their art. The delicacy with which Miss Patti Josephs con-
trived to throw a melancholy tone into the sprightly
tensed, was forced to play upon the piano to help in de-
ceiving her mother, was not lost, we believe, upon the
audiemee.

Mir Adeline Cottrell went very creditably through the
part of Mrs. Dslamere—a chancier which would take
much of Mrs. Stirling's force and tact to do it full justice;
and Miss Ada Dyes acted very pleasingly as Mrs. Mildmay's
servant.

Mr. Frank Matthews made a very agreeable genial at-
torney, looking just the sort of man to reader everybody
happy ; sod Mr. S. Johnson contrived to stead out in a
very small part of an old lawyer's clerk by his very artistic
make-up, and his strongly marked meting. He is deserving
of special praise for playing so onsll a put, and for doing
his best to make it distinct without being obtrusive.
The young man, Arthur Aylwyn, was played by Mr.
Arthur Stirling with commendable care and meaning, ;-it
with a little too much heavinees in the lighter passages.
Mr. SU:lints elocution is rather monotonous. His cadences
are not .6sntly varied, and he relies too much on the
lower notes of his voice. He seems to us to want tender-
isers, and we like him far better in villaim than in lovers—
eves lovers with a purpose.
The bones was full ; the piece and all the actors were
most rapturously received, and Mr. Buckingham was ho-
noured with a cell before the curtain.

THE DISASTER AT THE PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
On Saturday afternoon the coroner's investiga-
tion isto the circumstances through which Sarah Smith
met bee death was opened by Dr. lankester and a jury at
Middlesex Hospital.
Mr. Edward Morgan, house surgeon of Middlesex Hos-
pital. said he saw deceased when admitted to the hospital
ea Friday week. She was extemaivedy burned on the face,
Deck, sec forehead, hack and frost and cheat, both arms,
and one-third of the whole audios of the body. She never
rallied, and she sank last Weeneeday at a tram ter bef.re 6
o'clock at sight. The cause of death was exhaustion caused
by bums. Meet of the interns! viscera was congested, but
those was so inflanimatios. Elbe said nothing of the mum
of the oxidant.

William Harris said he was super-master of the Princess'.
Theatre. He superintended the extra ballet. He saw the
accident. It happened on the prompt or the left side from
the audience. He was standing on the right or 0. P. side.
He saw Mrs. Hunt, one of the extra balleta, in flames. She
ran to the first entrance on the prompt aide, but she did
not page out. She pored Miss White, end in lasing_Mits
flenith, set fire to her. Mr. Ruby followed Mrs. Hunt,
threw her down, and with his Inverness cape put out the
fin). He then returned to Miss Smith, and, with the as.
eistanee a[ the soldiers on the stage, put the fire out. The
deceased wore more skirts than were usual. The outride
skirt was supplied to the ballet by the manager. He
believed the outside skirt had been dipped in a solu-
tion to prevent fire, but he was not positive. It was
the night before the dresses had to be altered, and be ac.
counted for the fire by supposing that the unintlammable
outlines had worn out. He was not aware that mi the
evening of the accident there were any other than the ordi-
nary appliances to put out fire. There were firemen in
the
Mr. Robert Rozby said, he was stage-manager of the
theatre. He did not see the clothes of the girls on Bre.
When he heard the first scream of the girls he was standing
on the prompt side. Mrs. Hunt ran off the stage to the
first wing. He seized her and tried to tear off the clothes,
and (lading he could not extinguish the dames he threw his
Inverness cloak around her. The fire hose was always ready
for fire, but there were no special arrangements. He
thought damp blankets on each side of the stage would be
desirable. In the present case he did not think that if
there had been rugs at hand the fire could have been extin-
guished. It was very difficult to catch a person who was
on fire.

-447; Edson, 1, William.alrest, Keriningtoe.park, said she
was • ballet girl at the theatre. She saw Mrs. Hunt on
fire. She was standing next her, sad cried out " Annie,
you are on fire." She screamed red ran away. She did not
see Elbe Smith catch fire. She did not think the tire was
caused by the gas. It was, she thought, from the tin plates
alight pans. She (witoese) ran to the back of the stage.
The managemeet provided the outside skirts. She had
never thought of trying whether the skins were intim-
nimble or Dot. Ens Huggins supplied the skirts. It wee
blue drapery, but not the outside taria4an skirt, that took
fire. The drapery over her shoulders first caught.
By a Juryman—She thought sufficient care was taken to
prevent fire by the gas.
The Coroner said be also thought sufficient precautirns
were taken to prevent fire from the gas.
William Randle said he was • firework artist to the
theatre. He made the lights burned to produce the alit-
initiating effects in the theatre. Eight of the illuminating
lights were burning at the time of the accident, four on each
side. He lighted the lights with a wax taper. The lights
were green sad red. He did not we gunpowder, and the
lights threw oat no spark.. Here the witness exhibited one
of the tio pans, and said they were placed two fret from
the girls. Sometimes the match of the fuss would
spatter, but he did not see any sputtering when the
saddest occurred. The match was made with cotton,
saturated with gunpowder. He saw Mrs. Hunt pass him
In flames. He had lighted the lights for thirty years, and bad
never nee the fuse sparkle. He had no idea of how the fire oc-
curred. It had not happened from the gas. The most probable
theory was that the fire had occurred by sparks from the
match, but he could not say whether it had been so or not.
He bad now introduced another system of lighting the
lights.
William Aitken said he was • property man at the
theatre. He held • light at the third wing, and Era. Hunt
was between him and Mr. Boodle. He did not see her
take fire. Did not think any sparks from his for had
caused the fire. H's light could sot drop out, as it was tied
in. He lighted the light with • taper. He was scan he did
not use • Inciter. He held the third light, and Mr. Randle
the second. The dress could not bare caught fire Nei the
other lights. It was therefore most probable that the dress
bad caught fire either from his light or from Mr. Randle's.
After some conversation it was arranged that the coroner
and Dr. Morgan should proceed to when En. Hunt was
lying, to get any evidence she could give.
Upon the return of the Coroner, he seal be had seen Mrs.
Hunt, and that she bad said the first ides she bad of being
on fire was from an intense heat she felt behind her. She
turned round, but could not see the firs. She thought it
wet probable that her dress must have caught from • spark
from the young man's fire-pan. She could not say if any one
was to blame. She had performed at many theatres before,
and she never knew of one being unprovided with remedies
for fires taking place amongst the members of the ballet.
There were always wet blankets kept at the wings. (Jo
°us occasion, when she was dancing at the Surrey Theatre,
sav ahe mush% fire, and by these wet blankets her life was
ed.

Mr. Henry William Linda', lessee of the theatre,
mid he had not seen the accident. If anybody
was in a theatre for three months he would see
how difficult it was to make the people take proper
care of themselves. Sinop the accident bad occurred
appliances for putting out fires had been provided in the
theists*, such as damp blankets, rugs, mops, kc. During
Mr. Hasa's management arrangements for putting out fire
had berm put in force in the theatre; but Mr. Harris bad
abolished the whole thing, and this might account for no
I each arrangements being in operation when the accident
occurred. He did not ksow whether the dresses worn by
the=were uninflammable or not.
some farther evidence of minor importance, the
Coroaer marnmed up, and the jury, without requiring the
court to be cleared, returned a verdict of " Accidental
death." They also paired the following resolution :
" The jury wish also to express then opiaioa that sufficient
pronounces were not takes at the Princese's Theatre to
• extinguish say accideatel fired the clothes of the corps de
They also atroagly urge the necessity of reedering
articles ef linen and cotton clothes fireproof by the manu-
facturer and the laundress."

lab) intrlligtnct.

Importing ten without colour on the lest pre-
vents Um, Masse peeing off Inferior brown leaves as In us.
semi Us& ilorninsan's Teo Is uncoloured, thsrefore always
wed &ULU told V ludiuta b/ t.ses smsta.—(AdvertissessaL

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 2, 1863.

3EZTEOPOLITAN 001TNTY 03IIITA.
Maas days appointed for the prom* week.
Warn= Wu, daklarlibeelans.—Wooday, Feb. 3: Tuesday,
3 Wednesday. 4 Thursday, 5.
Buromumar, Portland•road.—Wednesday, Feb. 4 , Thursday,
Friday, 6.
BIBITFORD.—Tuesday. Feb. 3.
Cunumwicus Duncan-terrace.—Toesday, Feb. 3 , Wednesday,
4 ; Friday, 6.
GaolalgrCH,Oldetreed.read.—Toesday, Feb. 3 Thursday, 6.
Bow. Bow-road.—Monday, Feb. 2: Friday. 6.
WHITICHAPIL, Great Prearotatreet.—Turalay, Feb. 3: Wed•
&today, 4 ; Thursday, 5 ; Friday. 6.
GOOTHIWIL lialatatreet.—Tuenday. Feb. 3: Thursday, :
Friday, 6.
Bunirrow, Whitehead's.spere.—Wednesday, Feb. , Thurs.
Ga b.
timrs
, Camberwell New-road. —Tuesday, Feb. 3.
011.10011FICH.—Wednesday, Feb. 4.
Woominat.—Thursday, Feb. 6.

than be had anticipated, and said he had no wish for the ease
to go for trial, but be hoped his lordship would deal with it.
The defendant was fined 405., or in default one month's
imprisonment. The money wee afterwards paid.

GUILDHALL

John Callan sod I e;ri Oonde, this ClarLe, were charged
with fraud.

--
Prisoners went to Mr. Chapman, potato salesman of F.
einem Market, anhadi=ed for a ton of potatoes, at
51. lbs. Clarke was, and when requested to pay.
said as soon as he got the Potatoes into his cart round
the corner he would do so. Callan acted as porter. Haring
waited a abort time after the last sack making the ton had
been carried away, as prisoners did not return, Mr. Chap-
man went round into Stonecutteretrest sad found they had
decarrped.

A witness, of whom they hired a van, proved that the
primer's compelled him to drive to several places to sell
the potatoes, and that they ultimately sold them to • Mr. '
Hummentone, in Somers•town, for 41. He err them divide
the money, sad Clarke then told him if he was asked where
he took the potatoes, to say he unloaded them into another
van. On Ma declining to be mixed up with what be then
inspected was some fraud, they said there was nothing
wroeg, it was only " a little bit of business on the quiet."
Remanded for inquiry.
ROW-STREET.
Charles Madden, George Dray, Charles 11,iti, and W.
Turner were charged with defrauding Pat Conyngbam of
two sovereigns. The prosecutor met the prisoner Madden
when he was going to the theatre. Madden asked him the
way, and got into converietion with him. He then induced
him to go into a public-bones, where they met the other
prisoners, and began pleayigtgamee, during which prosecutor
was induced to lend Madden two sovereigns, which he
refired to give him back. They then wanted to bet him
that his watch was made of tin, sad they took him to a
pawnbroker's to see how mach would be advanced upon it.
He was getting a ticket for the watch, when a constable
came in and saved him from further i”orMoo.
Mr. Lewis, for the priories, enteaded that the money
was only lent, sod the prisoner were willies to repay it.
Mr. Carrie rid be bad often sees foolish peeler in the
witars-box, but never such a fool as the proarrator. If •
man wee fool enough to lend the money in the way this
had bees lest, it wee not a criminal act, but he should
ceder the money to be returned.
The primmer were discharged.
MARLDOROUGH4TREET.
_ _

John Townsend was summoned by Captain Seymour,
Gronadkr Guards, for driving • horse and cart, to the
common danger of the passengers, in Oxford-street.
Captain Seymour said that about • quarter•put See
o'clock on the 21st December, he was crossing Tottenham-
wort-road, in command of the picket of the Bank of
England, when the defendant, who was driving • van, at-
tempted to break the ranks, but was prevented. Be then
tried to force his way through • second time, but was again
by a sergeant and a policeman. Witness gave the
VenPrant into custody, but the constable refused to take
the charge, on the ground that none of the soldiers had
been knocked down.

Mr. Boor said the constable was quite right in refusing
to take the charge, and asked if the defendant whipped the
hone or was driving fast?
Captain Seymour said be did not see him either whip his
hone or drive fast ; but a sergeant and a soldier swore he
did.

Of two policemen, one said that be did whip his horse,
the other that he did not.

The defendant mid be did not intend to drive against the
soldiers, but owing to the traffic behind him be could not
pull up quickly enough. The street was exceerively crowded
at the time.
Mr. Knox considered that soldiers were entitled to the
lame protection u other painengeni in the street. The
question here was whether the defendant drove "sou to
endanger the lives of persons," which were the words in the
act of parliament. The evidence wu very contradictory,
and he did not think this was a cue for • heavy fine. He
should therefore order the defendant to pay Is. and cute.