The Express.
London, England, 1868-04-13 00:00:00

(STAMPED id. ADDTPIOSIALI

at very mealseillpiesa, and time * • disposition
on all Wade le itilhaib to shiellrbederate charges.
Two pod sireitbala hame esnileneted on South-
mereentiame, es abhor side ths Inlating Point,
which is near the red landmark on the beech. They
extend 350 feet to the west, and lb° feet to the
east, and are capable of holding. 2,000 persons.
They are condrneted chiefly with timber lent from
the dockyard, and are very firmly and secml
built. The ground to be bserioaded for the
pest is a straight length of nearly 1,000 yards,
extending from the tramway to about fifty yards
beyond the stand, and verging from thence in two
directions. Gaps in the hedges of the fields lying
between Cosham and Paulsgrove have been made,
and as a precautionary meanie It hat been deemed
advisable to place a fence round the chalk pits on
Portsdown-hill. It was hoped that the proceed-
ings of Monday might be brought to a close with a
grand pyrotechnic display, and an application was
made to the authorities of the Roy Laboratory at
Woolwich fer • grant of fireworks, but Without
enema% and as this denamila sortie head are both
harry and stuseross it is thmight that this ids&
will have to be given up. The conditions laid down
by General Lindsay rendered it necessary for the
Mayor and committee to take the strictest precau-
' *wary measures to ensure the unimpeded passage
of the voiunieert item Sc.uthsea-common to
Ribes The requirements of the War-offioe have
necessitated the diversion of the public traffic
to Portedown-hill through the Milton and
Copnor roads, as far as Burrill's pond at
Bilges, and from thence, for foot psesengers only,
through the fields and the sally port of Hibea
lines, across the moat and lake, over which two
temporary bridges are being, constructed. From
thence the public will proceed through the fields,
and over the railway crossing to East Cosham.
The whole of the arrangements in connexion with
the erection of the stands, barrioading latrines,
urinals, and the bridges and roads at Ribes., have
been entrusted to bfr. T. C. Clarke, C.E., the
assistant borough engineer. Ample precautions
' have been taken for the preservation of the public
peace, and a number of police officers will be
obtained from the neighbouringcounty and borough
forces.

THE VISIT

OF YES
PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES
TO IRELAND.

(rso ouz ersczAL 00131W0111)11111%)

DUBLIN, SATURDAY ATTWOOX.
Great as is the interest felt in the approaching
visit of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and
Princess of Wales to the capital of Ireland, and
earnestly as the leading spirits in this metropolis
are engaged in making the necessary preparations
to give a suitable welcome to the heir to the crown
and his wife, the city itself as yet shows but little
disposition to put on a gala dress. Here and there,
indeed, flags are to be seen waving from
the upper windows of the houses, and in
some of the principal thoroughfares men are
engaged in the work of erecting transparencies and
I gas devices, which are to form part of the illumina-
tion on Wednesday night. The flags as yet, how-
ever, are but few in number, and • not inconsider-
able portion cf them are displayed upon the pre-
mises of persons who announce their willingness to
sell or lend such means of decoration. In the same
way the preparations for the illumination
yet going on but slowly ; and tinker there is int
siderable increase of activity between now and the
day of their royal highnesses' arrival, the show
of coloured lamps and devices in gas on
Wednesday night will be but a meagre one.
Persons occupying houses upon the line of
route which the royal oortdge will follow
are already offering to let their windows for the
accommodation of spectators ; and in front of some
of the public buildings—as, for instance, Trinity
College and the Exchange—large and substantial
platforms are being erected with a similar object.
The route by which the Prince and Princess will
approach the city has at length been finally settled.
Their royal highnesses will land at the Victoria
Pier, Kingstown, at 12 o'clock on Wednesday next,
or as near that hour as the contingencies of a sea
passage will permit, and after leaving the yacht
Will drive along the road leading to Roby-place,
passing through Monkatown and Blackrock to
Ball's-bridge ; from thence by the road leading to
Lower Monnt-street, through Lower Mount-
street, by the north side of Merrion-square,
Clare-street, Leinster-street, Nsaaau-street,
Grafton-street, College-green, and Dame-street, to
the Castle. The route thus chosen will afford
ample opportunity to the citizens of Dublin to
express their loyalty and affection to the royal guests,
and should the day fortunately prove fine, I have no
doubt that the whole line to be pursued by the
august party will be crowded with spectators. In ad-
dition to the ball which is to be given at the
Mansion-house on Friday evening next, and the
guests at which are limited to • thousand, their
royal highnesses are to be invited to be present at
a grand national ball to be given, on an
evening not yet named, in the Exhibition
Palace. The preparations for this ball are being
made by a committee presided over by his Grace
the Duke of Launder, and including among its
members the Lord Mayor of Dublin, the Marquises
of Downahire, Donegal, Drogheda, Headfort,
Conyngham, Clanricarde, the Lord Chancellor, and
a host of other noblemen and gentlemen
of the highest position, and of all shades of
political opinion. The building will be specially
decorated for the occasion at a considerable ex-
pense, and it is hoped that this will be one of the
most bellbird istkain p ever held in Ireland. The
committee ansiMpats the pre once of nearly 10,000
of the nobility and gentry, but it is possible
that that may be rather too sanguine an
estimate of the number likely, to be pre-
sent. The price of tickets is very high-11. 10s. for
gentlemen, and 11. for ladies, if purchased to-day, and
10s. extra if applied for later. By some persons
these charges are considered much too high, and the
objectors seem to anticipate that in consequence of
their excess there will be a great risk of failure.
Thecommittee would, I presume, justify the prices on
the ground of the expense that must necessarily be
incurred, and of the impossibility, even in such a
building as the Exhibition Palace, of aocommo-
dating all who would desire to be present if the
prices• were much lower. At present lam not
sufficiently acquainted with the circumstances to
wonounce between these two opinions, and proba-
bly the better course will be to allow the result
.10 decide between them without attempting to
pronounce any premature judgment as to who is
right and who is wrong.

CLOS' or TB3 ST. PAUL'S SPZCIAL SNAVICIB.
Yaliwday mei( the annual =rim of special earriese
ender the dams of Bt. Paid's were brought to a ekes, the
wean beleloornhat bY tiil Ilitiasebt Rey. D. Robert
m en thor et Jipa.
emmy, whoa the Nero= woo
preeelied by as Mk" Takaussee, the enbeequent
nem bowleg been meshed by the dzehhiebep York
On el Diary, the Dee et Reefer, the Rev.
W.
Beery, at amilenboan ;meths Rev. W.
Cara, reeler el Rely Trility, the Bey. J.
Bankday. eepednendert el the Diem= Sens
file Ser. W. Cie* viler of et Way's, Teunke,
Dr. Nam Dean et Only, the Rev. Preitondery Violate,
she Nay et Ripon, end ether gostiseise.
Tll3 WNW LONDOW HODPITAL, HANDLIZIOUTH.
The camber el patients under trentaelat at this bespitel
defog the pest leek eneented to OW, el wbto W were

arir elle& -
The prim of Hornhaan's Tema are greatly re-
duced : Oak weillisswa •••••revaltW atoeAed $ beg al spa•
rioas thimior• miss an Omar Ireskiii ere doer
Bonham mai 0.., Leatlas, ot OS Pus
TM." ondledimors ••••AstiVrieklgUlliebeadolia In the
Provisoca—(•armlibmaist]

[ONE PENNY

MUSIC.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPEN&
On Saturday I Purituni was revived at this house
after an interval et four years. Originally produced at
Paris in 1834, I Peril/Ili wai tie Anal work of the
composer of Le Sonniedmlda Norma, and many other lees
importaat works; the death of BOW i■ UM, at the see of
32, Prematurely closing the career of a compost. from whom
Prolonged life much more might have ►een expected. It is
doubtless by hia Somiaml.sile that Bellini will be longest
remembered ; the greos and vocal suavity of his melodious
style, fulfilling there the rimairesnenta of • subject far
more in accordion with his powers than the
trage pessioos sad heroic dignity suggested by
the dramas of his more serious works. I Puri/nisi
is remarkable not only for Use European success of the
lousier Wolf, but ales for its original production expressly
for perhaps the grunted quartet of solo singers ever
smoeisted la opera—Grisi, Bubini, Temburici, and
. The hovers ,saki /Pusiimi hawk was
y followed Ly an eqaal amorist of enthusiasm
as its modernism is Londoa, %eluding the performance of
the same four great artists for whom tke opera had beet
originally written.

Although the music of I Punrini has little of that
dignity or dramatic propriety that properly belong
to • subject of such serious and heroic inte-
rest, it will probably long continue to exercise
• charm over the general public by the prowl.
nencc of its melody, and as being a special vehicle
for the exhibition of the graces of Italian vocalisation.
Its performance on Saturday night was so good that it
might have satisfied even those who retain a recollection
of the four great artists who were so identified with the
work thirty.three years since. Madame Fioretti, who was
the Elvin in this opera when she made her first appear-
ance at this establishment in 1863, gave increased effect
to her performance of the part on Saturday. Signor
Mario as Arturo (a part in which be has not appeared for
ten years), looked the gallant moldier and courtly cavaliu r
to perfection, and sang the music with that artistic at) le
and finished phrasing in which he has scarcely an equal.

DRAMA.

NEW QUEEN'S.

A new dramatic version, by Mr. John Ozenford,
of Mr. Charles Dieketui's old and powerful story of Oliver
Twist was produced at this house onSaturday nigh t in advance.
of the Esster holidays. If any man had propheniedten years
ago that Ohms Twist, duly licensed by the Lord Chamber-
lain, would be performed in a theatre built on the site of
St. Martin's-hall, and licensed by the Lord Chamberlain,
and on the Saturday night in Passion week by the consent
of the Lord Chamberlain, he would have been looked upon
as a babbling idiot.
In putting Wirer Twist on the stage there seems to be
only two ways of dealing with it. One way—the old
way—is to grapple boldly with the story, to soften
nothing and spare nothing ; the other way is to avoid the
brutal tragic episode of Bill Sykes, and to make selections
from the abundant comedy of the story, raising the
Artful Dodger to the rank of the hero as the
dramatist did who provided Mr. Took with the
version that he has played nosuccessfully, apparently
without the Lord Chamberlain's knowledge, is
various parts of the country. Mr. Otenford has steered
his course between these two extremes—has given us a
bit of Bumble and Mrs. Corney, a good deal of the
" Dodger " and Fagin, a fair share of Bill Sykes and
Nancy, and a sprinkling of the other characters. The
adapter has not ventured to shock the sensibilities of a kid-
gloved audience by making the moat of the murder of
Nancy, though he has elaborated the scene between
Pagin, Sykes, and the Dodger witkli leads wp to ft. in the
old Surrey version we have seen Nancy dragged round the
stage by the hair of her bead, and at the Victoria Theatre
we have seen a thousand grimy men and women rise
in one body in the gallery during this some,
and cares the murderer with all the energy and coarse lan-
guage of an excited multitude. Mr. Ozenford hail brought
the murder of Nancy (if she is murdered, which is not
quite clear) and the attempted *move of Bill Sykes over
the housetops together, making a weak and confused
ending to the play, and depriving the story of that human
and humanizing scene in which the flash associates of Sykes
avoid him with real horror after the murder. Mr. Dickens's
story is powerfully repulsive, and some of Ida pro-pauper
satire is misplaced, but he has given the adapter plenty of
material to work up into what are called character parts,
of which Mr. Ozenford has fully availed himself. Bumble,
represented by Mr. Lionel Brougb, is only on in the open-
ing scene, but the actor gave the sketch as much humour
as he could crowd into it. Mrs. Conley was well acted by
Mias H. Evened in the same scene, and Sowerberry, the
undertaker, was most unctuously represented by Mr. J.
Howard. itr. Byder's Peen was full of force, but want-
ing in slyness and senility. It wee too majestic and too
serious. Mr. H. Irving as Bill Sykes was sufficiently
savage in eveZs but the voice, and Kiss Nelly Moore
revealed tines power in Nancy, but was too girlish
and refined. Hodaon's Oliver Twist was simple and
inoffensive, and Mr. J. Clayton, dressed like a haggard
caricature of Mr. Charles Dickens at the age of thirty, was
sufficiently Impressive and mysterious as Monks. Mr.
Toole'a Artful is an elaborate and well-studied piece
of slang acting, free from offence, but within the grasp of far
inferior actors. It is not a part in which he can show
his beet qualities—his quiet humour and pathoe—but it
is a part which he can make effective after a stereotyped
low comedy fashion, and can aid by a meg of the
" ohicksleary " order. Some of the scenes were a little
too like pantomime—too realistic and streety in subject
and treatment to please the audience, and an old *arias-
, tore of Bow-street thirty years ago was not quite under-
stood or appreciated. A perspective view of London-
bridge by night and • housetop picture, are the chief
scene effects. Mr. Charlesw Dickens, especially just now,
is a powerful name to conjure with in a theatre, but if
Oliver Twist is to be reentered amongst dramatic suc-
cesses a vote of thanks ought to be tendered by the
managemoent to the Lord Chamberlain for raising public
curiosity by his absurd and hollow interdiction.

SURREY.
Poor Humanity, a novel by the author of " No
Church," "Owen a Waif," di., which has been exciting
the reedits of Osseetts ireposine for the last six months,
was produced in dramatic form at the Surrey Theatre on
Saturday night, the writer being his own stage adapter.
The art of compressing long and involved works of fiction
into the apaoe occupied by a drama of ordinary dimensions
is certainly far from an way one, and in this ease there err
evident signs that the dramatist has not been unaware et
the difficulties he has had to oontend with, or of the means
by which they may, to DOM extent, be overcome. Many
of his original incidents he has of course entirely set aside ;
others he has so far modified that they may almost be said
to have been cast in a fresh mould. The dialogue of the
novel he has, whenever practicable, transferred bodily to the
drama. If the result does not fully satisfy the exigencies
of the critic, it certainly satisfies those of the
playgoer, for there are plenty of striking scenes, :Odd=
act is washed up to an effective climax. The fault of the
week, as of so many similar productions, is that it contains
at ones too much and too little. Some of the incidents
are developed at undue length ; others are dismissed so
hurriedly as to be scarcely intelligible.
The enplanes, which bad been incessant throt4u:
the evening,as was as vigorous ever at the sad,
the curtain, which had risen at eight *Week, did net fell
until pest midnight. After the principal performers had
been called, loud arias were raised for Os author, who ap-
peared in °bedlam to the suances, sad bowed bin
acknowledgments from a private box.