The Express.
London, England, 1851-12-25 00:00:00

CHRIS iMAS AMUSEMENTS.

The public will soon have an opportunity of en-
joying the fruits of all those labours which are so graphi-
cally described in the Christmas number of " Household
Words." The tinted glories of the pictorial artist, the gro-
tesque handiwork of the property-men, :out the inspired
jokes of the authors, arc all rapidly approaching that state
in which Christina; audiences will have to pronounce on
their respective merits. Pudding will soon divide the
laurels with pantmulme, and the latter will essay the some-
what difficult task of soothing the pangs of the great annual
indigestion. The note of preparation already glares in
broad sheets on every dead wall, and each theatre claims
for itself the possession of the great " hit" of the season.
Time honoured pantomime still struggles manfully with
modern burlesque, and in the great majority of instances
forms the pine dc resistance at the theatres. A preliminary
outline oral the good things promised will perhaps stimulate
rather than satisfy the cravings of public curiosity, and at
all events will prevent the holiday folks being completely
overwhelmed by the accumulated splendour of boxing-day.
Place, by right of seniority and size, must be given to OLD
Dauer, the firrtgloricsof which have been followed by many
derogatory vicissitudes, but which now, under the auspices
of Mr. Bunn, is to be restored to pantomime anti tlm drama.
It is ,atiefactory to think that that great Thespian potentate
has recovered his dominion in a highly- constitutional way.
and without any revolutionary coup W. 40. Wonders are
promised under the restored regime, and the well-known
modesty of the manager's former announcement,
encourages the hope that the promise will at
least be equalled by the performance. The theatre
itself is to shine in all the gorgeousness of Louis
Seize decoration. Blue, and white, and gold, ore to replace
the oingy crimson hue, and panels and cornices are to be
laden with flower vases and figures ill all the showy colouring
of the last days of the French monarchy. A monster com-
pany has been engaged, comprising comedy, tragedy, sell
mum, to which the manager, who has great faith in
muslin, adds a ballet of filly coryphees and figurantes.
According to established umge, and for the same sufficient
reason, no doubt, that introduces a real leg of mutton in
" No Song no Supper," the fun is to begin with n dismal
tragedy, which the children must ',sallow, as the Yankees
do bitters before dinner, to give them an appetite for the
fun to follow. The pantomime is to illustrate one of Ho-
garth's subjects, and takes for its heroes two specimens of
that extinct race, the " London prentice." The young
ladies and gentlemen who in the present day assist" in '
the plate-glass innyazins of the City will have much phila-
sopliie pleasure is contemplating these interesting remains
of the pliocene period, and will complacently enjoy the
scenic accessories of the story. A great feature is to be
" lflo&.lriars-bridge (1711)," and it is important to note
the date, as, if it were taken a hundred years later, the
subject would he but n melancholy one for the scene
painter. —Next in order, but second to none in merit, the
lair manageress of the ].veers waves her magic wand,
and opening the well-thumbed volume of that inestimable
woman, the Countess D'Anois, puts the " Princess who was
changed into a Deer " upon the stage in all the glorious
hues of Beverly, and the gorgeous wardrobe of Queen
Mob's milliner, who is specially retained at this establish-
ment. Although the tale from which the spectacle is taken
is unhappily almost as scarce in these slays of "useful
knowledge' as a genuine Elzevir, we will resist the
temptation of showing our blackletter reading by un-
ravelling the plot, lest pleasant lair. Planche should lose
even one of the laughs to which his merry dialogue is sure
to entitle him. Thu "last scenes" of the Lyceum have ob-
tained a place in history, but they are all to be surpassed
by the "denouement " of this Christmes.—The Brothers
Brough have taken possession of the HAYMARKET, and,
having put Count Anthony Hamilton to the " fast " school
for a fortnight, arc about to introduce a version of one of
his rather " slow " fairy tales to a west-end audience.
Reading people will recollect how the count once under-
took to write pleasanter stories than the Arabian Nights,
and how signally he failed in his attempt; hut
in the hands of such experienced jokers as the
Brothers Brough there is every probability of his attaining
to a reasonable standard of sprightliness and hilarity.
The story of " Mayflower" is selected, and the Count
himself is introduced to explain the plot of the burlesque.
This done, the gustotivo bumps in the juvenile cranium
are first to be stimulated by a view of "The Palace of
Barley Sugar," and then gratified by a more intimate ac-
quaintance with Bardbake the Great, Lord Albert Rock,
and Lord Bullseye, names to them full of pleasant remi-
niscence and requiring no explanation. The killing glances
of the Princess !Wield, the evolutions of the Amazonian
guard, and a splendid :ruse en scene will complete the at-
tractions, and no doubt render the Haymarket one of the
moat popular of the holiday theatres.—The management of
the Putgezas's turns to that collection of lyrics at once
nautical and national, by means of which Britannia has so
long been enabled to " rule the waves," and introduces
the faithless " Billy Taylor" as the hero of its pantomime.
The dramatic capabilities of this romantic story are too
well known to require any lengthened outline, and it only
requires Mr. Keeley in the part of the " gay young
feller" to bring out all the sterling pathos of
the character. However, as that versatile actor
does not reckon jumping head foremost through fiats
among his "cards" we must be satisfied with the gymnastic
portraiture of the ordinary pantomime actor. The ADEI,
PHI will be worth a visit, if it were only to see Paul Bed-
ford " do " the Wolf in " Little Red Riding Hood " The
holiday visitors must not expect to see merely a version of
our own nursery tale, but an elaborate burlesque of Ludwig
Tieck'a !tragedy, which Mr. Tom Taylor has judiciously
selected as the groundwork of his fun. It is just the kind
of thing fur the Adelohi stage, and the Adelphi company,
and in such able hands as those which constructed "
genes and his Lantern," will no doubt prove eminently
successful. The plot is a most intricate piece of diablerie,
and will require an immense amount of blue fire, and 0
Smith's moat sepulchral tones, to do it full justice. The
OLYMPIC has secured what may be truly called the " pro-
lific pea" of Mr. Nelson Lee. The achievements of that
gentleman have always been the object of our wondering
admiration. Not contented with managing a wandering
theatre on his own account, and performing all the
principal characters himself, three or four times! a
dav, he writes with a fecundity which Lope de \ ego
and Alexander Dumas, rolled into one, would in vain
hope to imitate. We hear of his " prolific pen" at one-half
the London theatres, we hear of it in the provinces, we
hear of it in Ireland and Scotland, and by the last mail
A news
greatera s arrivedde
wonder
hisa it
that
htis it a
ist workeveryhwshr dc
ea n fea sint inne
nAtml
sr
ui
ca
c-
cessfuL" and fully justifies his " well-earned reputation."
Truly a peep into his repertoire of fun would be dangerous
to the cachinnatory muscles; it must be a perfect California
of jokes. In the present instance he carries us back to the
Norman times, with a pleasing tautology christening his
pantomime, " Red Hutu.; ; or, Harlequin Fact, Fiction,
and Fancy," and it will be a smart exercise teethe youthful
mind to discover the " concatenation accordingly "between
the first title and its equivalent. There are to be the Magic
Balls of Fiction and the Enchanted Abode of Fact,
followed by the Grove of Daffydowndillies, with the second
Norman King appropriately seated in the centre. Sir
Walter Tyrrel, the ancestor of our own Sir John, but not

half so great a man, is to play a conspicuous part. An im-
mense number of genuine pantomime tricks will follow the
introduction, and the whole will conclude with a brilliant
scpresentation of the Abode of Fancy.—SADLER'S WRLIJI
opens the ball with "The Yellow Dwarf, or the Enchanted
I Orange Trce and the King of the Golden Mines," which
the public may expect to be mounted with all the rare
which distinguishes this establishment. The premonitory
bill announces a real child's treat, in which en-
chanted groves and diamond palaces lead in daz-
zling succession to the comic business, which
from the time of Grimaldi downwards, has always been a
great card at Sadler's Wells. It is rather a long stride
from Saillcr's Wells to the States, but the latter will be
fossil equally worth a visit. Nothing is more remarkable
in theatrical annals than the improve m, ut which has gradu-
ally been going on in the class of performance offered at
this theatre. Ile ferocious cut and thrust melodramas,
with their escaped convicts and murderers for heroes, have
completely disappeared, to make room fur regular drama-
tic and operatic performances, of a very high order of ex-
cellence. The Christmas pieces have also felt the influence
of progress. Coarse jokes and wretched scenery have given
place to smart hits at passing events, pure and decent dia-
logue and incident, and a style of " mounting," which
could not be surpassed on the more favoured side of the
water. The Christmas entertainment is called " The King
of the Gulden Seas," and besides its aurivrous splendours
promises a rather novel review of the vegetable kingdom,
which must prove a real attraction to all true hearted vege-
tarians. The great Austrian 1,2 a of the Exhibition will
form no admirable vehicle for some novel pantomimic
changes, and those who recollect the closing scene of last
year, miy expect to find even its splendours eclipsed
by the finale of the present. ASTLEY'A mounts Mr.
Briggs on horseback, with all this comic casualties
which Leech has rendered familiar, and revives " Paxton's
Crystal Palace," in all its pristine magnificence. The
wondrous Nelson Lye is again the hero of the libretto, and
of course will prove that "none but himself can he his
parallel." A tolerably extensive harvest of Christmas
amusements has here been iudicated ; but if the holiday
curiosity should still remain unsated, and the Christmas
boxes still unexhausted, there are whole hosts of minor
theatres in all parts of the town, each having "the best
Cloaca and IM rlnptin living," and preparing the greatest
imaginable quantity of gold and silver palaces, diamond
seas, aud terrine demons for the delectation of their juvenile
visitors.

Tne ROYAL BARON or BEEF,—This noble old
English joiut was brought into the royal kitchen at Wind
sor Castle on Tuesday. The process of roasting commenced
:a 11 o'clock on the morning of that day, and was not com-
pleted before 11 o'clock at night. he baron, which '1%.41,
Cut from a handsome Devon 10,•, Wl WIC 4301135. and will
be placed cold on a bide table at the royal banquet uu
Christmas-day.

FIRE AT THE ALDEUGATE-STREET DISTILLERY.—
Yesterday morning, at a few mimics atter tight o'clock,
a fire broke out on the premises of Mr. William liurbidge,
the distiller, No. 71, Aldersgate—treet. The Hones ori-
ginated in the still-house from the following cause :—A
man named William Elliott, employed as the still-man,
was engaged damping a still charged with 1,269 gallons,
when all of a sudden an adjoining still, containing between
301) and 400 gallons, oveithwed, and the spirit running
into the furnace became ignited and caus,althe contents of
the larger still also to take tire. The still-man did all he
possibly could to cstingui,h the flames, hut was unable,
and whilst so doing ho nearly lost his life, for the blazing
spirits tit length rolled over the floor, tiring in torpid succes-
sion sundry casks, Cie., and bu h., face. The men
to save his life was obliged to rush out of the building
and jump into a cask of water, which cx, inguished the fire
about the lower portion of his dress. When the engines
arrived the firemen found the flames rising through the
roof of the distillery high above the housetops in the
neighbourhood, threatening to lay in ruins every building
near. Fortunately a splendid head of water was procured
from the mains of the New liver Company, and the en-
gines were worked with great vigour, whilst the firemen
entered the premises with the branches frum their engines,
and by that expedient were enabled to prevent the adjoin-
ing buildings from becoming ignited. fly these exertions
the Haines were eventually extinguished. The precise
amount of loss is at present unknown. Fortunately Mr.
llurbidge was insured for the stock in trade in the Impe-
rial Fire-offire, and the premises nee reported to be insured
in the Law Fire-otfiee. The whole of the roof is burned off
the distillery, and the grain store is seriously damaged by
fire and water._

THE LATE FIRE AT CAMDEN-TOWN.—The immense
loss sustained by the eminent firm of Collard and Collard,
in consequence of the total destruction by tire on the 19th
instant of their recently-erected extensive pianoforte manu-
factory, indwell all the numerous clerks and workmen in
their employment to bohl a very respectable mid crowded
meeting last evening, at the Stanhope-A rots hotel, Camden-
Town, to express their heart-felt sympathy with their em-
ployers in this most disastrous cal:tinily. The fact of such
a meeting being about to be held having become known,
several friends of the house, including the representatives
of wine influential firms contacted with them in business,
resolved to be presect en the occasion. The chair was
taken by Robert Addison, Esq., of Regent-street, who
opened the proceedings by some very appropriate re-
marks on the gratifying spectacle of so large a
holly of men assembled together for PO creditable an
object. After several remarks, highly complimentary
to Messrs. Collards, as employers, a deputation was formed
to se alt upon those gentlemen, to cominunicate the resolu-
tions that were adopted, and a subscription was entered
into for the purpose of affording some compensation to
those workmen who had lost all their tools, and were not
insured, when a suns exceeding 1201. was subscribed in the
room. Among the names announced as contributors were
Messrs. Collard, 21/.; Messrs. Broadwuods, 10/. 10s.; Mr.
It. Addison, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Stewart, Mr. Rowed, and
Mr. :twilit, 5/.ls. each; Mr. Thomas, 41.; Smith and
Sons and Mr. G. 1101-te, 3/. 3s. each. A resolution was
afterwards come to that the members for the borough, Lord
Dudley Stuart and Sir Benjamin Hall, be solicited to con-
tribute to the same. After a most cordial recognition of the
services of the chairman. the meeting, which could not have
numbered his than 400 persons, separated.
ltustl.tN Corms IN INDIA.—In the course of last
week Mr. 11. Flemilfg, the secretary of the Comm( rcial
Association, received front the East India Company a num-
ber of patterns of Russian prints sold in India, and which
enjoy in that country a considerable prestige over those ma-
nufactured in England. These patterns were accompanied
by a letter, expressing the satisfaction which it would give
the East India Company to receive any remarks which the
Commercial Association might have to make upon the sub-
ject. In consequence if this communication, Mr. Fleming
took the patterns to the warehouse of a Greek merchant,
who is a director to the Commercial Association, where he
found English manufactured goods exactly corresponding
in quality and pattern with many of those which were sup.
posed to be of Russian manufacture, but materially differ-
ing from them in price, the cost of the English goods being
only about one-third of that of the Russian ones. Tho mer-
chant in whose warehouses these goods were found has ex-
ported to Persia millions of pieces of such goods, and, as
the supposed Russian goods are sold chiefly in those parts
of India which are adjacent to that country, it is probable
that the goods with which the Russians have frequently
been said to be supplanting us in the Indian markets are,
after all, of British manufacture, though sold to the inha-
bitants of India at a price far exceeding that which would
be necessary to allow a fair profit upon their exportation
directly from this country.—.uanc/tester Guardian.
ALARMING FIRE IN MANCHEsTEß.—Yesterday
morning a large block of buildings in Market-street, Man-
chester, comprising four shops to the front of that street,
with a restaurant below and two storeys of warehousing
above, were discovered to be on fire. The fire had origi-
nated in the warehouse of Mr. George Hodgkinson, quilt-
ing and counterpane manufacturer, inintediately over the
shops, and when discovered, at half-past eight o'clock, had
gained considerable power. Two fire-engines, under the
direction of Mr. Rate, were on the spot by 20 minutes to nine
o'clock, and the flames were bursting through the windows
and darting several yards into Market-street. The flames had
also burst through several of the windows into Poole street,
which is very narrow, and threatened destruction to the
buildings opposite ; so that to all appearances the destruc-
tion of property to the amount of about a quarter of a mil-
lion sterling seemed almost inevitable. Fortunately, there
was a good supply of water, through the instrumentality of
street mains, as well as fire engines :immediately available.
Mr. Rose and his firemen also displayed great intrepidity in
mounting ladders and directing these mains through the
windows. For some minutes after they had established
themselves in window places, from whence the flames were
darting with a heat which was almost intolerable and
threatened the destruction of the firemen themselves,
no impression was made upon them, but ultimately their
praiseworthy perseverance prevailed, and in the course of an
hour it was evident that they had the mastery and that the
buildings were saved. So soon as the firemen were enabled
to get inside the warehouse they commenced throwing out
the whole of the stock (which, consisting of dry, flossy
cotton goods, was very inflammable and could not he ex-
tinguished inside), in order that water might be thrown
upon the goods in the street. The fire was extinguished
altogether in two hours, after destroying about 1,500/.
worth of goods in Mr. Iledgkinson's warehouse, which is
covered by insurance. In the warehouse above, belonging
to Mr. Geo. M'Cartney and Co., stuff and small wart manu-
facturers, there was a stock worth 5,0001., which, for-
tunately, has only suffered from heat and smoke, though
the fire had once got hold of the floor and burnt through it.
Messrs. Clarke and Whitelegg, hatters, had one of the
shops underneath, and have suffered through the drenching
of the water to the extent of 3001. Mrs. Stewares re-
, staurant suffers to the extent of 501, and several of the
other occupiers lose from 401. to 501. each. The whole loss
will not exceed 2,0001., probably.
MAN KILLED DT A POST Boy.—Celt evening,
Mr. W. Baker held an inquest at the London Hospital,
respecting the death of George Nash, aged 32, a coal porter.
On Friday last the deceased was in the act of crossing the
High-street, facing Shadwell Church, when a post boy,
named George Manning, in the service of Mr. Maenamara,
the General Post-office contractor, drove his horse against
him, knocked him down, said trampled upon him. lie was
taken to the Hospital, where he died on Monday. A wit-
' ness named Gleaning said the deceased had not sufficient
time to get out of the way, and the boy who did not call
the hone,
, only driving at seven miles an hour, which was allowed by
opwuh
gave contradictory
awda was going
so
1 act of parliament. Mr. Macneraarte gave the boy an excel-
n a a
tt:avi vdkee rles rapidi ,
suck
with
andit ph
ahim,
stated
lent character for careful driving. Mr. Johnson, the house
: surgeon, said the deceased died from fractured ribs and
other internal injuries. The coroner remarked on the cast:,
I and the jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death.:
r The boy, at the desire of the jury, was cautioned as to his
t future conduct.

RAWMARSH COLLIERY EXPLOSION.
TILE INQUEST.

RAWMARSII, WEDNESDAY.
! Our yesterday's despatch WON closed with the evi-
dence of John Roebuck, the engineman.
Mr. John Charlcsworth Didgion Charlcsworth, of Stan-
Icy near Waketield-1 and Mr. Joseph Charlonvortb,
of Lifthouse, Mr. John Barri' Charlesworth, of Walton,
and Mr. Wm. Charlesworth are the proprietors of the
Warren Vale colliery. On Saturday night I scut by post
a letter directed to Sir George Grey giving notice of the
explosion at that colliery. I produce a copy of that letter.
With respect to the explosion I ant unable to give any
evidence.

Mr. W. Goodison, the superintendent of Messrs. Charles-
worth's colliers, prmlucel plans of the pit made by Mr.
Benjamin Sellars of the Haugh, which plans lie said he had
examined and found accurate. Thus. Sylvester was the
fireman. lie was appointed by Wm. Sellars. Sellars was
appointed by Messrs. Charlesworth. Ills duty was to
examine the workkgs before the men began to work.
Sylvester had not to report es to the ventilation to any one
but the men themselves. Witness was down in the pit
on the littli instant and went through rho of the
workings. They appeared perfectly safe. The min have
several times complained to witness of having too, mu-h air.
Atmospheric changes materially affect the ventilation of a
pit. Davy lamps have not been supplied to the men, naked
candles being deemed safe.
. .

Sy the jury.—It watt Sylvester's duty to use a Davy lamp.
Ile had one furnish. d to him; but I cannot say whether
he used it or not. I know there were more than two
Davy lamps.—(TheCoroner : That is a very poor number.)
—I use a candle when Igo into that pit. No one ever in-
timated to me an apprehension of danger in the pit irons
want of ventilation. I never go to examine as to the safety
of the exhitusted workings. There may be explosive au
in those p:accs.
The Coroner—Can you account for the explos4in ?
Witness—No. I cannot even f. arm an opinion, unless It
has Men caused by a trap door being left open.
The inquest svc.» at a quarter past six adjourned to Wed-
nesday.
The investigation was resumed at eleven o'clock en Wed-
nesday morning. 51r. Morton, the government inspector,
was in attendance.

Thomas Hague, of ltawinarsh, collier, who was in the
pit at the time of the accident, gave the following opinion
as to the cause of it: 1 think the explosion has been caused
by the breaking down of the roof in a hank (the exhausted
workings) where Joseph llugg, Charley Cousilis, and 'then.
Sylvester were found dead. This benk had hew en the
" weigh"' as we call it—that is threatening to come down—
for several days. 1 know that only frog others. It had
been complained of among the men. 1 think by John
Naylor, but there is none of the others to t, II the tale.
Sylvester was found at the back of the stuff that had fallen.
think he had gone to examine it.

By the juryWe did not use a Davy lamp at any time.
The air was good enough without. Vi hen ?;ylvester went
doe nin u morning other men would ga with him. If ho
had cautioned them, and kept them hack, they would Imam
hated to see him. They have damned and cursed the
banksman many a time when he has w.;:ited to delay
them. If there had been Davy lamps there might have
been no explosion, but you know the lamp might have
burst, and then it would haVU been the PAM. I considered
it safe to examine the pit with a naked candle.
Was it a general role for the ;awn to try t'a, air for them-
selves in a morning ? Yes, it is the mares in this part of
the country. If everybody went into their places to try fur
themselves, what would were he left fur Sylvester, as tire
trier, to try; how I ung would it take hies to go round
An hour and a half. Theu he did not go down an hour
and a half betbre Old men ? So; we had no signals iu ease
of danger. It we found danger, we should have gone and
told Sylvester.
Charles Burgin, of Rme-hill, collier—l have been em-
ployed as a packer fur six months in the deep pit. I was at
work on Friday. As noon as I felt the influence of the blast,
I dropt down in the sleek to hide myself. I then heard
others crying out. I told them to throw themselves down, ;ind
be stilt. As soon as I thought it w:D. over (about
half a mnute), 1 proceeded through the beak and into
the horse gate and towards thu shaft. I had only gone a
few yards when I stumbled over a man, whom 1 have since
ascertained was George Linley. I took hold of him, spook
him, and said .‘ hello." lle made no answer, and I thought
he was dead. When I got to the bottom of the shaft I
. .

found others there, some of whom had escaped, and others
were wounded. I asked them if any men had come out of
the north side. They said no. I told them to remain where
they were, and I would go on the ut,rth level us far as I
could. I had not gone ten yan-s before I found a dead body.
I told those who were waiting, and then went forward and
found another dead body. I then went on to the first
buard.gate to see if the trap-door was Op. I tuund it had
been blown away and shattered to pieces. I thmight it was
not safe to go torther, and returned to the shaft bottom.
We stopped there till assistance came. I should think that
was an hour after the explosion. We then got tarpauling
sheets and nailed them up in place of the doors and stop-
pings, which were all blown down. We contioned that till
we gut to the end of the level, where we found also about
sit bodies. The witness dt-eribed the situation in which
several other bodies were Mund, endowing others his own
brother.
The Coroner—What, in your opinion, was the cause of
the explosion ?
Witness—No man will ever know the secret, but in my
judgment the third bcnk had broken in and driven the sul-
phur to the candles. I thought so both beaire and after I
had examined the workings after the explosion. I cannot
blame anyone fur the breaking down of the benk. It was
a eircumstauce over which none of us could have any con-
trol. We make the packs so tight as to exclude the sir
from the waste (the exhausted workings). I do that
by the order of Mr. 40V11,011, to conduct the air
up to the Mee of the workings, and not from tho
waste. The " gosh" or waste, is full or gas with-
out any air to sweep it away. 11 ben the gus Lets filled the
gash" it is forced up to the face and there swept away by
the current of sir. The " vah" being thus lull of gas,
and having nu air sent across it when a tall of roof takes
place, the got is unavoidably driven out towards the place
where the men's candles are.
Mr. Murton—That is the very place of all others that you
should keep it away from.
The jury then, at half-past four, adjourn,
next.
The pit will be, in the interim, CZUMiII.I by Mr. Mor-
ton, the government inspector. On Saturday Mr. Morton
will inspect the pit tinutteuiltol, except by 'note of the sur-
viving colliers. (In Monday lie will also inspect the mine
attended by Mr. Byrum, mining-zoteut Fitzwilliam,
Mr. Locke, colliery-viewer, Barnsley ; and T. 11.
sock, colliery-viewer, Sheffield.

to Tuesday