The Express.
London, England, 1868-09-09 00:00:00

•• • THX.O4B-BritililL.•

The ranks of the anprisilegtal oak-drivers were
coneiderably augmented yesterday, but the number of
recertiouists was only a mere fraction of the estimate
formed by the Hackney Carriage Proprietors' Association
on the previous night. There is still a fair supply of cab.
at the various railway stations, and the inconvenience to
which travellers are being subjected is not so serious as
might have been expected. At Charing-cross, which his
been abandoned by about 30 drivers, broughams were
yesterday placed on the stand. Other railway companies
have also:provided, more or lees, against any possible
contingency ; but the opinion entertained by the men on
strike is that if they succeed in bringing the privileged
drivers, or even the majority of them, to their side,
any attempt on the part of the railway companies
to resist their demands must necessarily be abortive.
Unanimity and enthusiasm apparently characterise the
proceedings of the drivers. Large meetings were hold
yesterday at Hoxton Market and Cambridge Hall, N.nrs-
man-street, Oxford-street, and those of the speakers who
were stated to be deserters from the railway stands were
received with rapturous applause. It was mentioned that
no fewer than 150 of them had left their stands since Mon-
day, and a confident hope was entertained that further
additions would be made to the number on strike
this morning. Yesterday cabs were seen plying for
hire having a billon which was written," I am out in com-
pliance with the act of parliament. The money I receive
is to be devoted to the fund in aid of the strike." Yes-
terday morning a deputation from the Hackney Carriage
Proprietors' Association waited on Sir Richard Mayne
with the view of inducing him to exercise his authority
on behalf of the men on strike. Sir R. Mayne expressed his
regret at the awkward position in which the public were
placed, condemned the manner in which the men on strike
sought to assert what they eonceived to be their rights.
and stated that it was beyond his province to comply with
the wishes of the deputation. The Hackney Carriage
Proprietors' Association are exceedingly anxious to sift the
question as to the difference between railway stands and
those in the streets. They state that previous to theetrike
the recognition of the stands at the stations as being
public was established by the adoption under
the recent set of parliament of the amended tariff
of fares. According to their account the railway cabdrivers
have again returned to the 6d. charge, and it appears to
be the endeavour of the committee to prove the swep-
t/ince by the former of the Is. fare, so that their doing so
might be made the ground in a court of law for the as-
sertion of the right of all cabmen to enter the stands of
the railway stations, which in the event of a favourable
decision would be recognised as public property. Proces-
sions of cabs were again conducted through some of the
leading thoroughfares yesterday. The majority of them
carried a bill bearing the ironical inscription, " Not fit
for Übe." The 'bus traffic has greatly increased since the
cenimenesment of the strike. Several of the 'buses
travel outride the ordinary route in order to pick up pas-
Fenger, and last night as well as the previous one we oh-
seri d ths in stop at the Alhambra, and other places of
ainteement.

THE TRARJLICY ACT AND IidiREOPATHIC

CIIEMISTS.

Last evening n meetingof hornepoptithic chemists
and meth. al mcn was held to cinsder the position in which
they lad hcenplaeed by the passuig of the Pharmacy Act
lust session. The meeting, which will convened by Dr.
H. IL Mad& n in the name of several of the leading
b. nueopathic chemists, was held in the Board-room of the
Bs mu °rabic Hospital' Great Ormond-stria.
Dr. l'orx having heen called to the chair, stated that
Dr. Madden was unavoidably absent, but had sent a coin-
nimication in which he stated that the questions to be dis-
cured at the me. ling were the sale of poisons and the
qualifications of dispensing chemists. As regarded the
.ale of poisons, the introduction of the word+ " in poison-
ous quantities" into the several clauses of the act would
nsiure all that was needed, and it would be a decided ad-
vantage that strong poisons, such as aconite and flux
yonder', should not be sold without the preeautions
required by the art. As regarded the qualifications of
dispensing chemists, he felt strongly that their present
position was eminently unsatisfactory both to the pro-
fession and to the public. It would be vastly
better that all homeopathic chemi,ta should have legal
qualifications for their position and he should be pleased
to see such a step made compulsory. At the same time it
was desirable that a longer period should be allowed for
the chemists to qualify themselves, and he considered that
tboy ought to undergo an examination in homeopathic
pharmacy as well as iu general pharmaceutical knowledge.
He suggested that the various homompathicsocieties should
unite an appointing aboard of examiners, whose certificates
of efficiency should be rousidered a legal qualification in
addition to the certificates required by the new act.
Letters were also read from various homeopathic chemists
and physicians, containing suggestions for the uurposc of
placing homeopathy in a firmer and more recognisNl
position in the medical world, especially by the formation
of • homeopathic chemists' society.
The CHAIRMAN in opening the proceedings sail that
the intention of the framers of the act was worthy of all
praise, namely, to secure a well-educated and properly
qualified class of persons to whom alone should be entrusted
the sale of poisonous drugs, and also to restrict the sale
of poi. ow used for improper purposes, esnecially those
wed for the purpose of proeuring abortion. -The framing
of the clauses of the act would, however, materially affect
the dispensing of homompathie medicines by placing them
under vexatious restrictions. by the 17th clause it was
enact+ d that a curtain list of poisons named in the sche-
dule should not be sold by any chemist unless the pur.
chimer was known to the seller. The schedule in question
contained various poisons which were largely used by
homisoathies. He did not think that the suggestion made
by Dr. "Walden would meet the difficulty, because Katsina
and canthurides were not intended to be used in poisonous
quantifier but for criminal purpo.w. He thought, there-
tone, that the beet way to deal with the question was by
fixing a definite quantity, such as the 100th part of a
main of arsenic or co-naive sublimate, or the 100th part
of a drop of aconite, which it should be lawful to sell at
one time. Another point they had to consider was the
provision which rendered it necessary for dispensers of
medicines to make ppp prescriptions according to the direc-
tions of the British win.
In the discussion which followed it was generally ad-
mitted that the act WWI in no degree levelled at homeopathy,
but it was pointed out that the clauses which referred to
the sale of poisons, and especially to the making up of
tinctures. according to the British Pharmaeopeia. would
seriously afoot if not altogether prohibit the sole of
lennompethie medicines.
A great many suggestions were made of meeting the
difficulty, such as a deputation to the Home llocretwy on
the subject, petitions to parliament to alter the act so far
se it interfered with the practice of hommTatliy, the
fixing of the quantity of poisonous drugs which might be
sold, &e.
Eventually, on the motion of Mr. Exoau, seeonded by
Dr. Davey, it was tweed to appoint • committes, eon-
sieting of several eminent homoopithic doctors and che-
mists, including the names of Dr. Madden. Dr. Eppa, Mr.
J. Walker, Mr. Leathern, Mr. Rom, Mr. Gould, Mr. Tur-
ner, Dr. Drury, Dr. Pope, and Mr. E. Pope (as legal ad-
viser), with power to add to their number, to watch the
Pharmacy Act of DOW, and take each steps as might be
neoresary to preserve the rights of homeopathic ehennets;
and it warn further agreed to refer to such committee the
propriety of asking Mr. Hardy to receive a deputation on
the subject.
Thu proccidiugs concluded with a volt of thanks to the
clobivati.

BRUSSELS, SEPT. 7.
The second public meeting of the delegates to
the Congress of Working Men, held under the
auspices of the International Association, which
took place this evening in the Theatre du Cirque,
failed to excite any great amount of interest or
attention. Hardly any public notice has hitherto
been given of the meetings of the congress ; and
I have little doubt that the great majority of the
people of Brussels, probably of the working classes
themselves, are ignorant that any such assemblies
are being held in their city. Ido not think there
were more than 250 persons present this evening.
The first part of the sitting was occupied by the
reading in English, French, German, and Flemish
of the report of the general council of the Inter-
national Association. This document, which was
dated from London, spoke with satisfaction of
the present position of the society, which had
already attained to such proportions us to have
excited the opposition of the ruling powers.
France had, as was natural, taken the lead in this
hostility—last year by seizing the papers of the
association, this year by prosecuting the Paris
branch ; and the Emperor having thrown off the
mask of pretending to a rotect the working-classes,
his government had onneed the Internatioutel
Association as a principal organ of Fonianism,
while the tribunal which condemned the Paris
section had naively dociarod that its existence
welt inconsistent with the maintenanee of
truth, juctiee, and morality. In Austria the
working-class movement was assuming more mud
mss e a revolutionary aspect ; and the liberal
govertinient, " on the point of being overwhelmed
feudalism," had prohibited the meeting of a
congress in Vienna. Yet, owing to the aseistaaee
which they bad received from this association, the
building trades of that city. whom the tIEWIoYer9
desired to separate from all oonnexion with it,
had obtained a reduction of one hour per day in
tlie)r period of labour, and an addition of 10 p CRYSTAL PALACIL—ONS fillirLLlNo D.+T.—
cc to their wages. In England the council heal TIIVDAT Bsynnunta B.—Admindoss by season tickets,
little progress to report, except the adhesion of 1,162 ; ditto on payment, 3,9.2 ; total visitors, 6,116.
the eurriers end shoemakers of the City of beldam ; BRLIMAST.— Erre's COoOA. Invigorating,
but they attributed the want of activity iu their erred, sad
era mti
Ala,tiolorar=iitetil..,!'d Om.
"1"110(3111 iq tin iliwtth4 /Mk VlitiA the stuli ISkaetlPoikkta--lA474l;a7inst7r

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MUSIC.

THE GLOUCESTER -MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

GLOUCEIRTER. Iscriscomr.

At half-past ten divine-eerv:--'oe _ nommesced
in the choir of the cathedral. The service
wasintom d by the Rev. C. 3f. Harvey, the
lessons being reed by the Rev. Canon Harvey
and Canon Sir John Seymour, Bart. The service
music need on the oocanion was Rogers in D, and
the anthem "Blessing and glory," an adaptation of
one of Bach'seight-partavitete, both of which were
given with excellent effect b, the united choirs of
Gloucester, Hereford, and Woniester, the verse
portions of the anthem having been assigned to
the members of the latter. The organ was pre-
sided at by Mr. J. R. Pyre, jun. The sermon
was preached by the Rev. Canon Lysol's, who
tack -his text from the 17th verso of the 15th
chap ter of St. Luke's gospel, " How many hired
cervants of my Father's have bread enough,
and to spare, and I perish with linneer." At half-
-1,54 I the festival performances commenced in the
rave of the cathedral with a selection from
Iltiydn's(.'notion, beginning with the orchestral
prelude, in which the oeliposer has nought to
illustrate by music the original state of chaos.
The solos were asnigni.sl to Milne. Titiens, Mr.
Sims Beeves, and Mr. &alley. The lady gave
" With verdure clad," with ...teat refinement and
expression; the same qualities being equally oon-
spicuous in Mr. Sims Reeves's delivery of the
gruceful air "In native worth," the great tenor
being equally admirable in the several incidental
recitatives, particularly In splendour bright,"
the contrast between the siib•lued gentleuess of
the exquisite phrase " With softer beams," and
the declamatory power thrown into the climax
leading to the following chorus, being especially
noticeutle. Mr. Santley'm splendid singing of
the highly dramatic air " Rolling in foaming
billows," was also a distinguishing feature in the
extracts from the Creation, which closed with the
chorus " Achieved is the glorious work," that
stands at the end of the second part of the ora-
torio. The choruses selected were extremely well
sung. After the selection from the Creation,
un " Intermezzo Religioio," for orchestra, was
performed—the composition of Mr. Hubert Parry,
Mas. Bac. Oxon, who has studied, we believe, in
Gci many. This was followed by a selection from the
111th Psalm, " Confitehor," by the late Samuel
Wesley, father of Dr. S. Wesley, the organist of
the cathedral, and conductor of the festival here.
A powerfully written chorus, " Gloria Petri,"
cloned the selection from the 2'salia—the whole
work possessing so much el:cub-At and masterly
writing that it shoeld be better known to Lon-
don audiences. The closing performances of this
morning consisted of Beethoven's 318101 in C, and
Moidelssohn's forty-second
The total collections to-day amount to 1671.10 a.

DRAMA.

HOLBORN.

A drama in four acts by Mr. H. it. Byron, called
Blow for Blow, which is so far original that it has not
been adapted from the French, has been produced at the
iloltorn Theatre with complete swore. In design and
execution it has very little claim to originality ; its
in-
terest is criminal, but not too: criminal ; its principal
characters are strongly marked and admirably fitted to
particular actors ; but the story in the two opening acts is
unnecessarily complicated ; and the comic scene., amusing
enough in themselves, have the slenderest possible connec-
tion with the main plot. An old Portsmouth lawyer, who
has got into pecuniary difficultiee, commits lorgery to ex-
tricate hineelf, and falls into the power of a watchful and
revengeful clerk. The clerk loves the lawyer's daughter,
l,ut the lawyer's daughter loves a sailor. and the sn't of
the sailor is favoured by the father. To make matters
worse the clerk is horzewhinnli by the sailm.
in a scene which we sl.c•rld have thought would have
been highly repugnant to English tat,te, and the eitraized
cletk con‘equeutly plets the ruin of ereryb . The
lawyer is transported chiefly through his a;toney, and
when, in the course of the second iollow•ine nets,
the sailor, transformed into a baronet. i, f•gen.l:niarriecl
to a second wife, hie tire; havian ,udd.•uly. elet 1/4
reeks out the sister of the tire' wile and peeu . to

personate her dead sister in the way we 'vacs
mentioned. The p, nal i. eiret ia! i•r a
time, suflieient to to .k.• ;tio per-
sorages of the pI. y .111.reme:y tiit,crati',.. and
%Len the agony ha- c.o.', .1 it: t I wt of
tl e IS cut by hae .a,, t il.ti :01 I, of a
riertul or thud hoer wito•riev.
atd the fun and liteliny kill are shown best iti the
demiiptive ra: sages ; le cu to .t lswy. • —rt!ng
man, swindler. and street lausiciab. Air.
George Henry, who speaks nrieli and oft.n.:ut.l inter-
rupts the suay u midi as p,.<-dele. Nits, 1.y.111 route,
the moot impressive young acitess on the Loud .a stage,
is admirably as the sister iustigated to rewemas and 11r. J.
C. Cowper, an accomplished rioter, who 'WA/volt becoming
wont Am a gmweing tragedian, has taken a new lease of
theatrical life as the vitiations clerk. llr ha• sae...meted
admirably in changing his identity and in act•tefing
rather heavy voice. IlisiCJane ltiguold, a young lady.
we believe, new to London, made a eery favourairie drat
immanence in a rather gushing pact, amt Wea-
thereby again exhibited her talent as a pleasant servant
girl, hilt the general acting might have been polished up
a little more, either by the author or the stage manager.
The piece has one or two gond seance by Mr. T. Grieve,
and appears to please the general public.