The Express.
London, England, 1857-10-06 00:00:00

(Stamped ld. Additional•) [TWOPENCE.

their places under the powers of the deed. This, however
was sot the view taken by the 00.1inittek tad they
alto my that they wall the requisition served on you to b
compiled with, and for that purpose the names of the candi-
date. will be breaded to you, accordiag to the provkicas
of the deed. Dray view of your letter should be correct, I
shall be happy to mention the matter again to the ocurnitres,
on Iran you on Monday, before four o'clock; but
you will to consider the above observations are not to
interfere with or prejudice the re7ulation se already tem&
—Yours truly, "Tsai. B. FLEMING.
." To W. Ellis, EN.
" The directors acknowledged this letter as follows:
" ' 14th September, 1337.
" • Dear Sir,—Your letter of the 12th indent is now
before me, in which you state that the committee you nine-
sent wish the requisition "erred on the dinettes to be ocen-
plied with, and that the names of the candidates for the di-
rectorships will be forwarded to me according to the provi-
eions of the deed of settlement. The directors will facilitate
the views of every portion of the ehareholders as hr as possi-
ble, end call the meeting requested.-1 am, dear dr, yours
truly, " Wittier Ewa, Secretary.
T. B. Fleming, Req.'
" On that day the clinician, la order to fill up the number
presaited by the deed of settlement, appointed the
nu •
holder of 40 shame, • director. On the 16th of September,
• meethg, convened by advertisement, was held at the cars
of Mr. Flom*, for the purpose of receiving • repeat end
from the committee of shareholders. At that reset-
Ciralwm found that the committee of shareholders consisted
at .evea persona holding among them 66 shares, and the
meettag Ind without result, showing the directors that
it was hoptLr to look for advice or mastance from the scr-
olled committee of shareholders. The directors having
already, at two separate general meetings, diem:used the
formation of the company—the price given for the gardens
and the trasse—the mode of payment (entirely in shares)—
the duration of the teams sad the covenants contained in
them—have nothing more to state on these point.. Dub
conduct has been formally approved by a general mesting ;
and at a large meeting and by Mr. W. A. Coombe, held
an the 30th of April last, no person could be foend to
second • vote of disapproval of any act of the directors. The
deed of settlement, which every shareholder entitled to vote
in the affairs of the company has signed, contains the NUR
recitals on all these matters, and concealment of the truth
was neither ought, nor was it possible. For more than 12
months the question of renewal-of one of the leases her been
in agitation—the conaderation to be given being the main sub-
ject of discussion, the gentleman who, being a shareholder of one
share, acts as a solicitor for a corn/MC.oot shareholdons, and
also as solicitor for the landlords of one moiety, &mewling a
surrender of the present lease of eleven years, and en il3llll,
dime increase of rental to a very considerable amount. The
director. will submit to the shareholder. whether they who
studiously week to depredate the value of their property,
@mating at one time that the lease I. valueless, and asking
at another a large premium for its renewal, can be friend' of
the company, and whether the motive" avowed am the real
ones. The directors have been charged with having
upended an improvident sum upon the holdings of the hall
end refreshment rooms. The amount is large, but it has
been actually incurred in the belief that the outlay would be
remunerative. What has been done could not have been
effected at leas cost ; the authorised capital has not been se-
°sided, and the directors appeal to the shareholders whether
fault should be imputed to them for carrying out the original
plan and intent of the compsny.The mode in which the gardens
have been conducted has been praised by the magistrates of
the courts for the district in which they ere situate, and the
directors have kept up the character of the (sedans in every
way. The directors -ban been charged with raising money
upon bills of exchange. This charge was only made to pre-
judice them with the shareholders, and the parties making it
keew that it wee untrue. No money has been raised upon
bills. When memos to whom money war Andy owing from
the company wished to have an acceptance for the amount
due, the mastery, by order of the board, has given sock
acceptance, payable at the bankers' of the company, and on
amount of the compeny. Such acceptances ware mere ac-
knowledgments of debts actually due, and could not be used
by the directors in any way to rise moony. Having alluded
to the past, the directors would now propose their plane for
the future. Individually they would be glad to give up their
office, but they do not think it right to the general
body of shareholders to abendoa so large a p=
to the caprice of parties having little
therein. The position of the company stands thus:
It owes to mortgage creditors, for money tint,
9,6001. To mortgage ceeditors, for work and labour done,
6,0001. To general creditors about 10,5001. The directors
believe that 25,0001. will cover all real demands. If the
ample contract creditors will agree to accept perferentla
charges upon the property of the company for their debts,
there can be no difficulty in arranging for the future. If
they refuse to do so, the mortgagees will compel • isle, and
the creditors be left to the probable morphia The directors
advise the shareholders no longer to be managers of musical
entertainment.. Experience has taught them that no com-
pany out cepa or deal with the theatrical or medal world.
ad They viee the shareholders to let their prowl , for an
annual rental. The amount which ma be obtained for the
Royal Surrey Crude= will give an ample sum to pay interest
and dividend for the shareholders, with a surplus fond to
liquidate mortgages and debta.lThis is the recommendation
of the directors; if acceded to, they believe it can be
carried out to their mutual advantage. The directors will
propose that the commissioner of the court to whom the peti-
tion for winding up I. referred be plowed to adjourn the
hearing of the petition, with protection to the property of the
company, until they can carry out the proposed arrangement,
or see reason to abandon it as hopeless. The directors, by
the concurrent teetimmly of all parties, and justified by
pony from various persons to take theiic' and
dou
bt that • valuable propertz,4. to the share-
holders. tiader these circumstances this ‘
and entreat their calm consideration. directors sitsieVo'
conceal nothing; the booke of the company have been open
to all, and (lying done is faithfully recorded therein.
They have, perhaps, treated the charges made against them
too lightly, or they despised the calumny ; but the time has
now eons when they are prepared to give an answer, ae they
always were to challenge inquiry, and they ask only junks
for their aces." (Cheers.)
Now that was the report which would have been read in
the regular swum of Weimer, and they now had it before
them. He was not aware if any motion had been made, but
if not. be should conclude with one.

The CHAT &MAN—Me motion le that the third resolutice
to the notice convening the meeting be taken Brat.

Mr. Corrotc—lf that motion had not been seconded, he
would have seconded it; but as it had been pot before
the meeting he would move en amendment, and the meting
should decide whether the directors, the portico against whom
such charges had been mods, were justly charged, and
whether they were to continue in office. The directors
would have been glad to have others added to their
numbers, and they would have been glad to resign
their places to other persons better qualified to fill
them, but they would not resign them to !sermons
who were not in a position to maintain the credit of the com-
pany. He would move as an amendment —"That the
report of the directors this day read be received and approved.
That this meeting confirms the proceedings of the previous
general meetings of the shezelolders, believing that the
conduct of the director' up to the present time has been ac-
tuated by a sincere devils to promote the interests of the
company. That the charges made against the directors of
raising money upon bills, and of unfair dealing with the pro-
perty of the cowpony, are in the opinion of the meeting
totally devoid of truth, and that the accuostionsmade against
them ace unjust, and brought forward by parties whose in-
teriore are in opposition to the shareholders." He moved
that amendment, intending it to meet the charges made
against the directors.
Mr. CHAPPELL seconded the amendment.
After • very long diecussion, Mr. Coppock's amendment
was put and negatived by a large majority.
The original motion was then pot and carried.
Mr. FLoccino moved, "that the four directors named in
the requisition be removed from the directorship, and four
others appointed in their stead."
Mr. Mg:OH/in, seconded the motion.
Mr. Vto rose to move an amendment. He said his
amendment cast no reflection on the existing committee of
ehareheldere, which was in a certain eense erif-conetituted ;
but the present meeting could nut deal with the result of
their labours, se they had presented no printed report. He
begged to move as an amendment, " That a committee of
ehensholders he appointed to investigate the whole of the
accounts and attain of the company, and report thereon • and
for that purpose that the prevent meeting be adjourned to
November 20, at the same time and piece as the present
ing."
Mr. Joints seconded the amendment, urging that en inde-
pendent committee of shareholders—of large shareholden—
should be appointed; let them investigate the account., and
let them ales investigate the charges against Mr. Coombe,
After some further discussion the amendment was put and
carried.
A very noisy and angry discussion then arose with toler-
ance to the person. who were to constitute the committee.
Mr. Vining first proposed that the committee should consist
of seven members, of whom four should be members of the
old committee. This was strenuously objected to, and Mr.
Fleming moved that the new committee should consist of 12
members, and include the whole of the old committee—seven
in number. After a good deal of confused, excited, and
desultory discussion, Mr. Coombe withdrew his name, and a
committee of 12 persons was appointed, six of whom wee,
members of the old shareholders committee.
Mr. NtenoLts moved a vote of thsethe to the chairman,
praise the excellent temper which he had exhibited during
th'erri? Ps mined to unanimously, and the proceedings,
which had commenced at two o'clock, terminated at five
minutes to six.

SOTTIII KENSINGTON MusEux.—Daring the week
lartaOct. 3, the visitors have been so follows •. On
y, Tuesday, end Saturday (free days), 4.277' on
Monday and Tuesday (free evadugs), 6,749 ; ma the three
uindento' days (admission to the public, dd.), Cps
'WSW mob. (Welanday), 173 ; toed, 11Xi&

MUSIC.

VICECM.-ENGLISR OPERA.

The revival, lost night, of Wallaoe's Morifono
was attended with complete success. The theetre wee
crowded to the doors, and the performance wee applauded to
the echo. This opera, many of our renders will remember, is
just a musical version of the French play Don Clear do
AMIN, which was once so popular on the English stone that
it we, performed at three of our principal theatres at the
some time. The open was produced at Drury-lano when
that theatre was an English opera-house under the manage-
ment of Kr. Bonn. It had a great run for several seasons,
mad became so familiar to the public that its principal airs,
like those of Belle's Bohemian Girl, wife ground on barrel-
organs in every street. And it droned ire meows. Wallace
bioneofourmostaccomplished mosidans,andhasdistinguishell

himself in several branches of the art, being notionly • vocal
composer, but an excellent pianist and the author of many
favourite pieces for that instrument. Naritetsa is ,an opera
of girt merit. In the libretto (which is by Mr. Fitzball)
the spirit of the original play is well preserved. The plot is
cleverly constructed, with many effective incidents end minis-
tione, leading to • sulking and interesting dieousment. The
music on the whole is admirable. Much of it, especially
the concerted and choral pieces, are highly animated end
dramatic; and many of these may be compared, by no means
diaadvantageoualy, to the beet things of Auber. Many of
the airs, too, are melodious, graceful, expressive, and admi-
relay calculated to display the best qualities of a singer. The
work, however, has the fault which appears in every modern
opera written for the English stage. It is loaded with bal-
lads ad oaptandess, stuck in d propos de rim, without
the slightest connexion with the subject of the piece or
the Weimer of the scene; being intended in the first place
to give the principal singers opportunities of making displays
and gaining encores, end next, to obtain a sale at the music-
shops. Some of them are pretty enough in themselves; but
to anybody who values the dramatic character and effect of
an opera they ere disagreeable and provoking. They en-
tirely stop the current of the action, destroy the interest of
the play, frieze any warmth of interest which may have been
excited, pat en end to everything like scenic Simian, and
reduce the performer, from being the representative of a
character, to the condition of • mere singer in a concert-room.
None of our English operas are free from this deformity ;
but rime of them, WO think, are so loaded with it as
this opera of Maritotta. It is literally stuck full of these
unmeaning excremencee ; and the worst of it is that they
become mom frequent end lengthy as the piece advances ; so
that the march of the action is mere and more retarded when
it ought to become more and more rapid. Ditty after ditty,
we confer, quite exhausted our patience ; but • portion, at
least, of the audience seemed to feel differently, for they ap-
plauded and encored vehemently; so that the object for
which these things were introduced was gained. We cannot
Hems composers or performers for doing what they find
agreeable to the taste of the public ; but we trust that the
public, by better acquaintance with the masterpieces of the
foreign musical stage, will come to demand that the music of
the stage shall have a dramatic character and meaning.
The performance of last night is entitled to the high est
praise. Indeed, we think that the opera wee heater and more
completely given than when it was Snit produced at Drury-
lane. The character of the heroine has never been more
agreeably acted than by Mims Louisa Pyres; nor has the
music of the part ever been half so well sung. Her voice
was beautiful, her execution brilliant and exquisitely
finished, her style full of grace and delicacy, and her expres-
sion warm end animated. Mr. Maniacs ins the original re-
presentative of Don Nair de Baran; it was alwsysone of his
happiest efforts, and he now slap and acts it better than
ever. Even if Mr. Harrima were not a singer at all, his
performance would dorm to be esteemed apiece of excellent,
rendre comedy. Where the music Is dramatic in itself, he
sings it with true dramatic effect. If ha sometimes forgets
that he is Don Cesar, and becomes Mr. Harrison, the singer,
labouring in his vocation, the fault le not his—he only does
what every one else must do is themes mac. In the little
pert of the Page, Miss Susan Pyne acted with graoe and
haling, and sang very sweetly. Mr. Wall did all jua time
to the somewhat ponderous part of Don Joie de ,
Santarem; and Mr. Ferdinand Glover, • young
singer who has recently become known to the
public, and who sustained the character of the King, de-
lighted everybody by the 'meaty of his rich baritone voice,
and his pure Italian style; but, es an actor, be has every-
thing to learn.

The opera was mat upon the stage with the completeness,
good Mete, and splendour for which the management of Mir
Fyne end Mr. Harrison is already distinguished. The
orchestra and chorus on by far the beet that we have ever
heard in an English theatre, and Wallsoe's music gave them
ample opportunity of showing their powen.
We have had pleasure in hearing that Balfe is busily em-
ployed in the oompoeit ion of an open for this theatre, that a
large portion of it is completed, and that it will be epeedlly
produced.

THE DRAMA