The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-05 00:00:00

IMPERIAL P.

'ARLIAMENT.

HOUK OF LORDS.—WernmDAY, Dac. 4.

The LORD eiIAICZLLOS took hie seat oa the woolsack
eiretly before five o'clock.
THE DRAINAGE AND IMPROVEMENT OF LANDS
(IRELAND) SUPPLEMENTAL BILL.
On the motion of the Dake Rica Mora ip, this bill was
read a second time.
THE TOTNES, ac., WRITS BILL.
The Earl of DERBY, in moving the second reading of
Ode bill. said it was for the purpose of remedying a defect
la the Reform Act of la►t it-salon in Tepid to the four
boroughs mentioned in the bill. It appeared that if a
vacancy should take place in the representation of any one
et these boroughs during the present session it was doubt-
ful whether the Speaker would not be obliged to is,ue his
writ for a new election, and it was to remove that doubt
that this bill hid been brought in by the Attorney-
General.

The hill was then and a second time.
THE EAST LONDON MUSEUM SITE BILL.

—. —.—
The Duke of MARLBOROUGH said the object of this
fill was to get rid of a technical difficulty in obtaining the
site fur the Rest London Museum. Certain persons had
subscribed the money for the purchase of the site, which
belonged to trustees of a charity ; but as these trustees
could not easily make a conveyance of the ►ite nor execute
the deed of conveyance, it had been thought desirable to
introduce this bill for the purpose of removing all the diffi-
cultic. which existed. He might mention that the Charity
thaucuiasioners offered no objection to the measure.
On the motion of the noble duke, the standing orders
relating to private bills were considered and ditpensed
with, and the bill was read a second time.

The house adjourned at 20 minutes post 5 o'clock.

Drama.

OLYMPIC.

A comedy in three acts, which has been some
tine in rehearsal, and has been delayed in consequence of
the illness of Mrs. Charles Mathews, was produced at this
house List night with perfect success, under the title of
/rem ',are to Gay. The author is Mr. Benjamin
Webster, junior, and the foundation of the new play is,
we believe, an old comedy by Scribe, which, as far as we
know. has not been before presented in England. One of
the prominent characters in it bean a strong resemblance
to the heroine of A Woman of Beeriness, another adapta-
tion by the same writer, and there is a somewhat conven-
tional Irishman with sporting tendencies, who has figured
in comedy after comedy for the last cer.tary and
more, bat with these exceptions the new play, if
it is deficient in a very interesting plot, is
not deficient in character and good dialogue. All Mr.
Webster's work is very carefully and conscientiously
done, and no one retreted more than we did the hot and
hasty condemnation of Ethd—the last piece of any im-
portance which he produced at the Adelphi. In fitting
the present play to the English stage, he has evidently
kept the chief end of comedy in view—to amuse rather
than excite. No one amongst the audience probably cares
for the story which underlies the dialogue, or takes the
trouble to unravel any intricacies that are left entangled
by the author, but the whole house was evidently enter-
tained by the rich humour of a pottering old country
lawyer, admirably played by Mr. .I,ldlion, the
dash and "go " of a managing widow, admirably
represented by Mrs. Stirling, who has been espe-
cially engaged for this performance, and the cool,
pleasant, and natural acting of Mr. Charles Mathews, who,
as a clever managing clerk, is always on the scene at the
right moment playing with the other characters as with so
mug puppets.

The comedy was well received, and Mr. Benjamin Web-
ster. jun., was called before the curtain ut the termination
of the performance.

*labia anZr Military.

PORTSMOUTH, DEC. 4.
The Crocodile, troop-ship, Captain Watson, left
Portsmouth harbour yesterday afternoon at two o'clock for
Queenstown, where she will receive troops for Alexandria.
The Orontes, troopship, Captain Phelps, sailed from
Spithea.l this morning early for Gibraltar and Malta.
The :-.erapis, troop-ship, Captain Seedy, is under orders
to rec,lve noopa for conveyance to Alexandriaon the 13th
inst. She will sail the following day.