The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-15 00:00:00

French Theatricals,

The first representation of the " Liberte des
Theatres" was given at the Varietes on Wednesday
evening. It is an amusing collection of incon-
gruous " quips and cranks and wreathed smiles"—
a perfect jumble of drolleries of all kinds. As to
the plot it amounts to nearly nothing ; but as there
must be some sort of method even in dramatic mad-
ness we may suppose the story to be this : —An am-
bitious pastrycook of theatrical proclivities wishes
to take advantage of the new law by opening a
theatre of his own ; but his neighbours, the grocer
and the butcher, have formed a similar idea, and
hence a comical competition between these and
other managers desirous of securing the services of
a lot of good, bad, and indifferent artistes assembled
in a café, who are sold by auction and knocked
down to the highest bidder by Mme. Duval, who,
armed with a punch-ladle for a hammer, sells off
her lots with great vigour. This gives occasion
for much drollery, as each artist has to give a speci-
men of his or her dramatic or musical powers. The
successful competitor starts a Theatre Restaurant,
in which the pleasures of the table are en-
joyed along with those of the drama—each dish
being served up with its corresponding artist—
soup with the soprano, Teel with tile jeunepretniere,
roast beef with the basso, and so on. The piece
played before this gormandising audienca is "Dun
Quichotte," windmills, and all, which is interrupted
in a pathetic part by Dalcinea, who has got hungry
at sight of so much good fare, and refuses to do
more without her dinner. Tnen follows an opera,
the "Violou Eachante," in which M. nerve as Ca..
bneinn personates an enraged musician as chef-
d'orchestre in en amusing manner, and Madlie.
Vernet, an actress of Lyons, plays an air on the
violin in a masterly manner; but the tenor has
fallen ill, and so we have a Guignol—the puppets,
as large as life, representing in laughable style Le-
maitre, Beauvallet, and other well-known artistes.
Then follows a ballet amidst pretty scenery, with
a real fountain in the centre, whose leaping waters
are illuminated by electric light in brilliant colours,
producing a singularly beautiful effect. After that
we have the rehearsal (in costume) of an extrava-
gant military melodrama of the old Cirque Imperial
kind. The whole ends by a grand ballet in honour
of theatrical liberty, in which we have characteristic
dances of all nations. The piece is lively, and, if
not overflowing with, is at all events provocative of
laughter.

For the Opera, M, St. Georges is preparing a
grand ballet, " Don Juan," the choregraphic
arrangements to be composed by that master of the
art, M. Rota. Madlle. Sax, whose engagement at
the Opera ends next year, is about to renew it for
five years.

The director of the Italian Opera has engaged
Madame Penco for the coming season, Zucchini, the
well known buffo, and half a dczen tenors, Eras.
chini,Negrini,Niccolini, Corsi, Baragli, and Naudin.
This last, however, is said also to be engaged as
tenor for " Vasco di Gam" at the Opera.

The Opera Comique is undergoing a thorough
repair, at the expense, it is said, of some 60,000 fr.
and will be opened towards the end of this month,
fresh and brilliant, with " Lara," L'Eclair, and a
new musical drama by M. d'Ennery, to be galled
41 Les Drames du Cabaret," in which M. Paul Menlo:
is to hare the principal role.

At the Lyrique, besides M. LegouvCs " Deux
Reines," and other attractive novelties, we are to
have an opera by M. Brizet, the composer of " Le
Pecheur de Perles," to be named " Ivau le Terrible."
M. Carvalho has offered a prize for the best opera
on the subject of the " Bride of Abydos," to be com-
peted for by young composers who have each gained
the prize of Rome. Mlle. Nilson, a young Swedish
soprano, has been engaged for this theatre, and is
to appear next month in the " Traviata."

Mme. Victoria Lafontoine has met with much
success at the Francais in the role of Agnes in the
66 Ecole des Femmes."

AL Sardou, unappalled by the critical hail with
which he has been assailed for not being quite equal
to Cervantes, is preparing " Les Pommes du Voisin"
for the less ambitious audience of the Palace Royal,
in which the chief parts are to be taken by Geoffroy
and Mlle. Honorine.

At the joyous little Bouffes Parisiens, M. Varne y
the late director, has subsided into the office of chef
d'orchestre, and M. Mestepea is to be his successor.
In the meantime M. Offenbach is getting " covered
with laurels" at Ems and other German spas, where
he has brought out two new works with success,
"Le Soldat Magicieu" and "Jeanne qui pleura et
Jeanne qui rit." At Baden, M. G. Iliquet'. new
opera, " De par le Roi," has been greeted with
equal success.
A new theatre is in course of erection on the
Boulevard St. Germain, and will be opened next
month with half a dozen new dramas and operas.
The "Societe du Grand Concert" have com-
pleted
arrangements for converting an upholstery
establishment, the Colonnes a'Hercule, in the ltue
Richer, into u music-hall, where, under the dime.
tion of M. Felicien David and M. Lorbac, the finest
music, classical and popular,
is to be disi)ensed to
the masses at the charge of one and two francs.
This hall is large enough to accommodate 3,000
persons, and the orchestra will be composed of 100
musiciam3, assisted by 200 chorists.
A question is now pending before the law courts
us to the right of the " Imperial" theatres to break
the engagement of an artist with a provincial theatre
and appropriate his services. A M. Lamy had en-
tered into a contract to act at 111arseilles, and after-
wards engaged to play in the " Gendre de M.
Poirier," at the FraucAis ; the provincial director
protested against this breach of faith, but the Man-
agement of the Franc sis claims the privilege of en-
forcing it, and peeve are curious to know whether

LIVE: IP 00L, Saturday.
To-day, at the Liverpool Assizes, I)3fore Lord Chief
Justice Cockburn, Messrs John Jones a ncl Robert Highat,
merchants and ship store dealers, carr:,,fug on business in
Chapel-street, Liverpool, were charged, at the instance of
',he Government, with having enlisted, at id endeavoured to
enlist, a number of seamen and others in the service of the
Confederate navy, contrary to the terms of her Majesty's
proclamation of neutrality. The prosecution was laid
under
the 39th George Ili., e G 9, sec 2,
The Attorney Gcneral icr the County Palatine, Mr E.
James, Q.C., and blr V. Lushiagton, inst.-acted by .:`lesoirs
B.,teson cud Rubinson, appeared on behalf of the Crown-..
Mr Temple Q.C., and Mr Baylis for the defendant Jones—
and Mr Brett, Q.C., Mr Mellish, Q,c., and /dr Gibbs fur
the defendant ilighat.
Francis Glasabrook was examined by Mr Lushington.
Ho said—l am a seaman, and was formerly in the Naval
Reserve in the name of Frank Rivers. I signed articles to
go on board the steamer Japan on a voyage to China in
March, 1863. 1 signed them at the Sailors' Home, Liver-
peel. After doing so I wont to Messrs Jones and Highat's
office to get my advance note, and received it. I was then
told that I was to go that evening by the Greenock boat
from Liverpool. I went down to the boat, and there I saw
Mr Highat. He was
giving cheques to the other men, who
were also going ouc in the Japan. When we got to
Greenock we were taken on board the Japan by a steam
tug. The Japan was lying some distance down in the
Clyde. The following day the Japan left Greenock sport
the command of Captain Hitchcock. When we arrived
small ateamtng,
wo if h
cthhe
wereF nt
oe
ohk cionasttoww.e few.ll
emwevenitth
With her to Brost,
where we came to an anchor. In the evening we herded
alongside of the small steamer, and all night we even
engaged in taking on board from her stores and & s
powder and shot. Mr Jones was on board at the time.
When Lient. Maury came on board he put on the uniform
of the Confederate States, and then all hands were called
down into the cabin. I saw Mr Jones there at the time.
He was standing at the time with Lient. Maury, who told
flag, and said that if we would go with her he would :give
us that the ship was going to sail under the Confederate
us 44 Os per month, 410 bounty. A number of us aftfpted
the term and signed articles. The Confederate fief; was
hoisted at night, and we loft the coast of France, and went
on a cruise as far as the Cape of Good Hope. We took and
sunk several vessels while we were flying the Confederate
flag. We returned to Cherbourg about the month of Octo-
ber, and afterwards I came to Liverpool on leave of absence.
I went to Messrs. Jones and Highat's office, where I saw
Mr Jones. He asked me how I liked the Georgia, and I told
him I liked the:vessel very well. On one occasion I told
Mr Highat, and he asked me if I belonged to the Florida.
1 told him that I belonged to the Georgia, and he then said
that he wanted to send us back to the Georgia, and that we
were to go by way of Dover. I asked him for a month's
half-pay in advance, and he told me to come back at three
o'clock, and bring my wife's signature. I did so, and re-
ceived my half-pay, and was told to be down at the Havre
boat on the following Monday evening about eight o'clock.
On the Monday I went down to the Havre boat, and £3,
part of a month's pay, was given to me by a man named
Wilding, a clerk of Messrs. Jones and Highat's. I did not
go to Cherbourg again. I refused to go. I served as a
petty officer on board the Georgia.
Cross-examined by Mr Temple, Q.C.—When I came to
Mr Jones's office and represented to him that I had go';
leave of absence I wished to go back again. I went dow
to the Havre boat on the Monday and got the money, mid
then I walked away. I had changed my mind before. I
went to the boat. I had seen the American consul. at
Liverpool before I went down to the boat and got the 13.
Mr Temple—Who took you to the American consul?
Witness--A man named Maguire,
Is he a detective t—l believe he is. When I was before
the American consul he told me that I should have tlu) same
money on shore that I had had on board the Georgia.
Maguire was to be toy paymaster. I was to do nothing but
walk about in Liverpool (a laugh). After I had seen the
American consul I went down to the boat and got the £3.
I went to Messrs Jones and Highat after I had seen the
American consul and received money from them. I received
money from both the American consul and Messrs Jone s
and Highat. Maguire told me to go to Messrs Jones ar,cl
Higher, and ask them to give me money. I have be en
walking about since the time I left the Georgia.
Aud receiving 4'l 19s 4d a mouth, I believe, from the
American Consul ?—Yes.
Several other seamen who had also been similarly en-
gaged, and sailed in the Georgia, were next examined, and,
corroborated the last witness's statements. The wives .of
several of the men were also examined, and deposed to re-
ceiving the £lO bounty and the half-pay from Messrs Jones
and Highat.
Mr Temple and Mr Brett, for the defendants, contend ed
that there was no case, as the enlistment, it any, was mit-
side the British dominions, having been at Brest, conse-
quently not within the meaning of the act.
His Lordship overruled the objection, but consented to
take a note of it.
The learned Counsel for the defendants having addressed
the jury, a verdict of guilty on all the counts was returned.
Judgment was deferred, pending the case being taken to
a higher court on the objection raised.