The Express.
London, England, 1850-05-06 00:00:00

DRAMA.

CLOSE OF DRURY-LANE TLIEXTE.F..—The season
tera.inatad at this Sastre on Saturday night after the per-
formance of " The Beggar's Opera," " Family Jars," and
the spectacle of "The Devil's Ring." Mr. Anderson dc-
li an address, in which, after stating that he had been
seriously injured in his resources, he proceeded to say :
"The great difficulty of converting this theatre into a temple
of the legitimate drama, after the various uses to which it
has been devoted—the opocisition I have encountered in the
shape of three foreign theatres—the positive coolnesa cf the
pubic press, without one cheering word of encouragement—
all these have combined to bring shoat what, in oue sense,
may be called my partial failure. [Mr. Anderson appeared
to be very much affeced at this stage of his address, and
made a pause of several moments.] A man placed at the
bead of such an establishment necessarily has a great many
'netlike IA well as friends; but I am happy to say that the
liminess of my friends has to singe extent counterbalanced
the malignity of my enemies. (Cheers.) I really feel
totally load. gusts to 'epees, my views oa this occasion.
Your kindness, my friends, has Then very great, notwith-
standing all these discouraging circumstances; and though
I am at present beaten, I am not by any means dis-
couraged. At Christmas neat I shall renew the battle of the
legitimacy of the national drama, when I hope once more to
be favoured with your :cheering approbation. I beg, in
ono xion with my grateful company, to tender you our
warmest thanks for the kindness you have extendiel to us,
and I now bid you moat reryeettbilly farewell." Mr. Ander-
son then retired amidst loud applause from all parts of the
house.

ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY, REOENT'd PARK.—On
Saturday an extraordinary general meeting of the Royal
Bo*anic Society was held at the gardens in the Regent's-
park, the Duke of Norfolk in the chair. Mr. R. H. Jolly,
FR S., Lady Harland, Lady Bassett, Lady Grant, Mn.
Mostyn, the Hon. J. Kennedy, Messrs. H. Pemberton, J.
Ridout, R. Goff, jun., R. Durant, H. But kle, M. Brunner,
J. T. Wortley, and H. N. Browns were unanimously elected
fellows of the society. It was resolved to open a subscription
for the erection of a suitable building in the grounds to con-
tain rooms for lectures, meetings, and a museum and library.
S I contributions have been already made for the purpose,
including 501. from the Bishop of Durham. It is estimated
that the building will not c more than 2,0001.. and as the
fellows numbar 1,500, no difficulty is an:icipated in rais'ng
the required sum. It was announced that 17,000 tickets
had been taken for the fete on Wednesday neat. For the
three files of last year only 22,000 tit kits were sold aitoge-
ther. The 'twain/ becks up, after a vote of that Ice to the
noble chairman, and the members proctrded to the colliery'.
tory to fespeet a magnificent sz.lia in full Mxim, which has
been grown in the society's grounds, and is said to be the
finest specimen in England.
COURT OF ALDERMEN.—A court was held on
Thursday, immediately before the Common Council as-
sembled, for the purpose of voting an address to the Quern,
congratulating her Majesty up in the birth of the infant
prince. The tithe's, which nbounded, as we are given to
understand, with expressions of loyalty and attachment to
her Majesty, was moved by Sir Peter Laurie, seconded by
Alderman Musgrove, and adopted by the unanimous vote of
the court.

EXTENSIVE FIRE IN LAMBETII-WALK. This
morning, Owed, befit* 1 o cluck, a deetructive fire broke
out on the premises belonging to Mr. Harris, a grocer
and cheseeraonger, in Tye rs-strve t, Lambeik-walk. From
inquiries made, it appears that whilst the inmates, consisting
of Mr. Harris, his wife and family, and a lodcer, named
Henry James, were in thi it beds, a party passing the pro-
perty perceived smoke pouring forth from the ship io Tyers-
stmt. Ha inetantly gave the alarm ; and, after some trouble,
seoceeeed in arousing the inmates, bet not before the whole of
the lower p.rt of the premises was wrapped in one g I
blase. The whole of the residents, however, with the ex-
ception et Mr. James, euoteeded in effectiog a if. re-
treat. Mr. James was not so fortunate. Owing to
the rapidity with which the flames progressed, all
chance of his escape by the regular means was cut oil, and in
order to avoid being burned to dea.h he was oblige.) to
resort to the dengerous rspedient of jumping out of one of
the upper windows. By the time he could accomplish it,
the whole of the premises from Tens-street into Wickham-
street presented a regular bluing mass, end the llamas as
they rushed through the windows stretchedover the carriage-
rand, and ascended so high into the air as to illuminate the
city sad more distant districts The engines were soon on
tkesp d, but in spite ot the elution' of the firemen, Mr.
Havei,.'s premises were wholly destroyed, his stock iu trade
consumed, sad the for: iture of several of the surrounding
neighbours seriously injured. The I.,es, which is very
serious, will be partially covered by an insurance in the
West of Ragland F.re•offiu.

Loan OP TWO LIVES ON THE RIVER.—On Saturday
an Inquiry, of four hours' duration, wee .on hobo before Mr.
Baker, the coroner, at the King and Qaten Tavern, Torre
Col!-street, Limehouw, resp cting toe death of James
C lade, aged 27 yeas*, who, it was slle•ed, lost his lite on
Tuesday last, by the neglect of Captain Cavil, the mommsn-
der of the Nymph, Woolwich steamboat. Alter • length-
on' d investigation, the corm, r aonoutced the h it,wing to
be the verdict of the jury :—" That the deceased came by his
death accidentally ; but we, the jury, cannot separlte
-
out expressing our unacim.ma opinion that too much care
row 1 i.o, to tied in th it:iv pttl9ll of steam-boats on the
tiler Thainatw."