The Express.
London, England, 1861-03-26 00:00:00

ROYAL GENERAL THEATRICAL FUND.

The sixteenth anniversary dinner of ithis
excellent charity was given last night at the Freemasons
Tavern, Great giteen•etreet, Mr. E. T. listrrit occupying the
chair.

The company, which was over 200 in number, included
Mr. B. Webster, Mr. J. B. Buckstone, Mr. W. Creswick,
Mr. T. P. Cooke, Mr. 0. Borings Child., Major Williams,
Major Sell, Mr. Berjeast Bellentine, Dr. Hastings, Mr. W.
R. Sams Captain Yorke, Mr. Edward Ruggles, Mr. J.
Brougham, Mr. Fechter, Mr. A. Harris, Mr.Jerwood, Major
Willianis, Mr. Areedeckne, Mr. C. D.. Singer, eta 140.
The ended the hall and the gallery were set aside for the
ladies, of whom there were a conaiderable number.
The CHAIRMAN, in proposing the Queen, saki it was out of
no disrespect to her Majesty that the dinner took place
that evening. Many weeks previous to the death of her
Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent that day had been
fixed upon for the annivoroary festival, and it was found
impossible, owing to the arrangements at the tavern, to
select another convenient day.
The health of her Majesty was then drunk in silence.
The next toast was "The Prince Consort, the Prince of
Wales, and the other branches of the Royal Family."
The CHAIRMAN, in giving the " Army, Navy, and Yolun-
teen," said be could almost himself mien, thanks for the
navy, having been for a very short time in that honourable
service. When a boy, 15 years old, he was packed off by
the night mail for Chatham to join Lord Coehrane's vessel,
but his mother followed him next day, and brought hm back
with all his baggage. (Laughter.) Hill father was an ad-
miral in the navy, sod ho believed be bad the honour of
fighting with T. P. Cooke at Cape Si. Vincent. (Laughter
and cheers.)
Major Wuritite and Major SNELL replied on behalf of
the army.
Mr. T. P. COORS, in rising to respond on behalf of the
navy, was grnited with loud cheers. He mid—Ladies and
i am only repeat what I have so frequently said
fore, that I feel highly gratified by your associating my
name with such a toast I beg that you will, if I am
erred to see many more of these happy meeting., have the
kindness to appoint a younger and more efficient band
to discharge this duty. (Cries of " No, no.") My recol-
lection of the British navy is of the last century.
I must coshes I have but an indistinct recollection of that
period, and when I try to receive it in my mind I feel like
Rip Van Winkle awaking from a long dream ; everything is
now so totally changed in the navy. In the first place, ear
poetic mile have beau nearly discarded for the more prosy
but certainly more efficient screw and paddle-wheel ; our
guns, then of limited range, are now exchanged for those
of unlimited range, and of unlimited powers of
destruction ; but above all, the material of which
our ships were then formed Weills now totally
useless, for our dear friend and gallant ally on the other
side of the Channel appears practically to have towed in
into a tarnation fix. (Laughter.) He has taken the scales
off our eyes, and thus convinced us that our wooden walls
are now of very little use to us ; and if we wish, in future,
to compete with him, awl to bold our own in Europe—
which, of eourse, we must—we must perforce give up ear
hear to of oak and rely upon the soul of tree. (Cheers.) We have
plenty of that mnwial still left, and also au abundance of
coal with which to lick that raw material into shape. (Cheers.)
With respect to engineering capability—that is, the building
of iron ships—permit me to say, in the wants of Brother
Jonathan, that we can beat all the world. (Hear, hear.)
It is therefore some consolation that, though our dear friend
has put os to enormous expense, he has at the sometime placed
us in possession of enormous power ; and if we must sur-
render our deer hearts of oak, still we have within us that
British pluck which 1 trust will ever beat within the breast.
of our gallant and heroic sailors. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN proposed the toastol the evening, " Pros-
perity to the Royal Theatrical Fund," and in doing so
described in forcible terms the necessity for such an in sti-
tutiou, and the advantages it conferrer( upon members of
the theatrical profession when visited by sickness or mis-
fortune. He spoke of the successful • efforts. of
actors and actresses to contribute to our amusement,
and of the strong claim which they ne a class had upon the
sympathy and generosity of the public. He concluded by'
an urgent appeal to the guests for subscriptions and dons.
twos Unearth the funds, which he said now unwanted to
about 12,000 f.

The Meat wee drunk with enthusiasm.
Mr. Romero :1z rose to respond to the toast, and was
enthueiastically applauded. He said—gentlemen, it has
always hem a part of my duty as treasurer of the Royal
General 'fbeetrical Fund, to say something handsome of
the chairman on these festive occasions ; to speak of his
talents, his high position in society, and his excellent quali•
ties7(laughter)—but with respect to our chairman of this
evening, I feel that he is like the Dunces in Sheridan's
famous opera, a very hard person tocorepliment—(laughter)
i —not that he s undeserving of everything handsome that it
is possible to say of ham—(lond lihier)—but I am
puzzled upon which of his many good points to seise. and
hobs& with. He is not a distinguished) novelist, neither DI
be a member of parliament; that is to say, not at present
—(laughter)—he is nut a popular actor—Raughter)—nrither
is be a poet, nor a great painter, nor a 'emotion preacher—
(laughter)-while as regards the last celebrity, he may eer-
Wally reply, " No, thank Heaven, nobody can say that of
me.". (A laugh.) Yet still he must possess some prominent
qualities, or he could not be where he is to-night—lawns)
—the president of a festival so excellent in its objects,
and so nunierousl, attended. I have often beard bias
called an extraordiniry man. (Laughter.) Of noun that
is one cieualiecatious—(continued laughter)—but I ant
more disposed to admit that his chief recommendations are,
that wh' e be is a man of great energy, he is also a man of
peat good nature and generosity ; while, to my knowledge,
he has hardly ever been known to fail in any of the numr
sous enterprises in which be has embarked ; therefor* as
impresario of Her Majesty's Theatre, lessee and manager of
Drury-lane Theatre, proprietor of the Alhambra—
tell—projector of hotels and luncheon bars innumer
and purchaser of everything—(man of laughter)—the libe-
ral employer of hundreds of people, actors, singers, dancers,
musicians, artiste, pautomituista, acrobats, and nigger singers
—(hear, ar)—and consequently the encourager of all
trades, 'professions, and almost of every description of Maw
tare, from the libretto of The dither WitcA—PatOtor)—
sod Robin Hood, to the charming lyric of "Old Bob Ridley"
—(roars of laughter) —he is well qualified to preside at this
disner,wbere I am sure his great energy and indomitable per-
Salleffinal will be brought to bear upon your feelings
sod your pockets, and that a large subscription will be the
happy result of his appearance here to-night. (Applause.)
I have the pleasure to inform you, gentlemen, that
cur still oontinubs in a flourishing condition. (Hear,
bear.) Our capital, if you are generous to-night, will
amount to nearly 12,0001. (Cheers.) We have sow thirteen
amanitas*, receiving 901., 601., and 30f. per annum, accord.
iiag to the elms to which they subscribed during the term
required by our rake ; and wham I toll you that ten of
these annuitants are diae—(applanse)-1 can show you no
proof of the excellence and usefulness of our aoeti-
fatioL
(Cheers.) Nor do we cosine our resources only to
the emoting of annuities. At the death of a member we
eantribile 101. towardsfuneral expenses, and any subscriber
wishing to retire from the fund can claim the return of aw-
-1 half the amount of his subscription money,
though this not
eery liberal claim has very rarely been made upon us.