The Express.
London, England, 1868-04-09 00:00:00

ROYAL GENERAL THEATRICAL FUND.

Last night the twenty-third anniversary dinner
of this society was held at the Freemasons' Tavern ; Mr.
W. M. TORIUMII, H.P., in the chair. There was a
large attendance, including several ladies. Mr. Elwin.
burn, in responding on behalf of • toss!, announced
that the society had at present 30 annuitants, the total
cost being 1,3301. per annum. He further announced that
her Majesty, with her usual liberality, bad contributed
1001., and that the Prinoe of Wales had also sent a liberal 1
donation. In responding to the toast of the " Drama,"
Herr Bandmann (of the Lyceum) said he accepted the
honour of being called upon to return thanks for this toast
as a sign of courtesy to • foreigner and a guest. As regarded
the drama little could be mid—it spoke for itself. It spoke
loudly, it spoke from the earliest records of history, sad
let them hope that it would continue to speak for
ever and for ever. Asa German by birth and education
he felt the great power which the wonderful art of the
actor exercised over every nation. In Germany the drama
was regarded as • state institution, and the artistes were
considered as public officers. Only to-day he had read in
a German paper that the Crown Prince of Prussia had
written and handed over to a theatre a five-act drama;
and it was a fact that Shakespeare was much more acted
in that country than Schiller or Goethe. The Germans,
in fact, claimed Shakespeare quite as much as did the
British nation, and one of the German lyric poets asserted
that by right Shakespeare belonged to Germany
alone, because when Shakespeare's genius was seat
from heaven to earth its destination was Ger-
many, but the wind blowing westwardly it rested
in England. For himself, he cared little where
Shakespeare was born ; he belonged to the world, and his
plays were acted and appreciated in every civilised ela-
tion. The drama would live as long as cultivation and
mankind walked hand in band, and its decline would act
abate until, like the crab, thex walked haekwarda.
_

mob ham woke Ornate7rod the aritite
Mdlla Liebhart, Mrs. Howard Paul, Miss Poole, Mime
Power, Kr. Farquharson, Mr. T. Dist* Kr. Busby, Mr,
Ooates, Stour Tito Mattei, Mr. George Tyler, he.

Tax PROPOSED EUPHRATES VALLrf RIELWAT
AND Coamautricurion carts Ilimm.—The Council el the
Liverpool Chandler of Costumes yesterday bad this Nab.
jeot under consideration, but ao dednite resolutioa was
adopted upon it. It wee stated that the Worth of the
I
proposed line would be 500 miles, that its eonsfonellen
would eogt B,OOOOOIL, but that it would save 1,000 miles
In the voyage to ndia, and would reduce the time for the
traasport t of troop between Southampton and Unwire
oiae-tui

Tai LAT/ TAILOWe STRUM—The balemenehen
of the committee of the Leads* roaster toilers is sow
nexion with the strike of last year kas just been loud cad
circulated amongst the employers in the trade, atemben
of the Masten'Asoodan and subscribers to the
guru:tee fund. From the statenseat It • that the
amount subscribed for the (wawa*, lard to .statures
the ernploors whose user ererion strike eg#Del les wee
7,029/., of which sum 5.460!.. wee paid is. The total
receipts, inelading the above i5,45W.., wen 5,7514 14.. 9d.
Amongst the items of expeaditure le the sum of 4,41511.
far law charges ia prerematiug the m.. tad *hots of
the Operatives' Association.

" /ivory mother aid bowsaw* feud cites set
es lewdly pbylleia• is ibermaterome Memos tad asideeke
that emir meets &Odom end sermate. For of
non I bore mod Davis's PAM Killer, sad IsaeNer it
in the medians box. la diarrbres ft fa always
end for cote sad brakes lavoloable."—N. Y.
. " Atter levier; bora lees troubled with Mew
Mellisee is nem*" la my hoe eat , oesesememe
d Wok I bed areal teeth I seed year meg-
Milerhailler,videkeltareuttely earodme.--G.J. AsHroa,
Jam JAW fro Part Darla k Sae, lr
Scia-row, Renege." No gembee without Oak
1111119
6.mark "rate !LILLIS," OS the sort. duly.
--04.11