The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-05 00:00:00

SPORTING NOTES.

toO
too
too
100
too
100

95i 5

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Committee Room, Town Hall,
Stratford-on-Avon, April 4, 1864.
[No. I.]

JOINT-STOCK BANK?—[Continued.]
London and South-Western (lim.), 22 1
London and Westminster. 91 7 6 14
Merchant Bank, gm , 19 181
Mercantile and Exchano-e. lim.' 1611
Metrop. and Prov. Bank (lira.), 31 1
Mexican, Bin, 6} 7
Midland Bank (lim.), 141 15
National of Liverpool, limited, 181
Ditto, new, 13
National Provincial of England, 1451 5
New Zealand Bank, 15
Oriental Banx Corporation. 6641
Scinde, Punjaub, and Delhi, lim.. 124 13
Standard of British South Africa (lim ), 291 t
Union of Australia, 50
Ditto, new, 31
Union of London, 50 49 501
MISCELLANEOUS.
Australian Mort. Land and Finance,
Bombay Gas, limited, 54
British American Land. 21
Ceylon Company, 11
Company of African Merchants. lim., 2
Consolidated Discount, lim., 8 74
Contract Corporation. Lim., 6:1 1
Credit Fonder, 11 1
Discount Corporation, limited, 111 12 131
Egyptian Commercial and Trading, Rm., 51 6 52
Electric Telegraph. 99 7 8
Financial Corporation, o 5 6 A.
Gen. Cr( dit and Finance of London, 11w.,10}
Hudson's Bay. 19 i 13
International Financial Society, 12
Italian Irrigation (Canal Cavour),
Ditto, 6 per cent. Bonds, redem. 1870, issued 90, 86
Joint .stoek Discount, lim.
Land Securities, Um., 5 47: 51
London .Financial Association, lim., 281:4
—Ditto, new, issued at 4 pm, 16 1
Londn Provincial Marine, 34
Mauritius Land, Credit, and Agency, lirrt.,`2l
Mercantile Credit Association, Ifni, 15 'd
National Discount Company, lam., 14
Peel River Land and Mineral, 461
Peninsula and 0, iental Steam, 83
Royal Mail Steam.
Scottish Australian Investment, lira, 142
Societe Financiere d' Kgypte, lim., 5
Universal Marine (Insurance), lim., 54 5

The Epsom Meeting commences on Thursday. The
first great ev.nt to be decided is the City and Suburban
Handicap. A great many horses have been backed for
this race. Liston held the premiership in the betting
for the last two or three weeks, but has now received the
coup de grace by having the pen drawn through his name.
Jarnicoton very nearly met a similar fate, having retro-
graded in the betting from 15 to 50 to 1, but has now
returned to even a shorter figure. The French division
are now in great form, and if not the actual winner, he
is sure to finish in the fiqit flight. Gordian Knot and
Veterinarian are the most formidable of The light divi-
sion, Brindisi, a cast - off from Lord Stamford's
stable, will represent the Duke of St. Albans. There
is only one 1)01 in the race, viz, Torn Fool, and as the
month of April is said to be rather propitious to that class
of animals, it is just possible he may share her favours and
those of the judge on the present occasion by his being re-
corded the winner. He has been backed to win a large sum
of money by his spirited owner.; If I was certain lie would
only run kindly, I should prefer him to anything. He has
a bad temper, and there is no dependence to be placed on
him. I shall give my final selection both for the City and
Suburban and the Metropolitan to-morrow. The winner
for the City and Suburban I expect will turn up in either
VETERINARIAN, GORDIAN KNOT, BRINDISI, JARNI-
COTON, or Tom FOOL. The Metropolitan ought to be won
by LORD ZETLAND, but I would advise him to be let alone
at present, as it is quite possible he may not put in an ap-
, pearance.
101

A FRESH MAN.

EPSOM SPRINGSCRATCHINGS.-April 4, at 150 p.m. :
Liston, Blarney, and Lucky Star, out of the City and
Suburban ; Cachuca, out of the Metropolitan ; and Gunner
and all Mr. Bryan's horses out of their Epsom Spring
engagements. _ _

THE GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE, MELTON MOW-
BRAY.—We are authorised to state that Mr. Behrens, the
owner of Game Chicken, objected to Cooksborough, the
horse that came in first, on the ground that Mr. Lotan, who
rodo him, was neither a farmer nor gentleman jockey, as
required by the conditions of the race. The stewards will
investigate the case on Thursday at Epsom.
THE LATE CHERTSEY MEETING .—Alcibiades, who came
in first for the Hunters' Stases on the second day, has been
objected to as not being qualified to run, and the matter will
be investigated by the stewards as soon as possible, and
notice of their decision given in due course.

Shaksperean Tercentenary Celebration at
Stratford-on-Avon,

Sin,—lt is with sincere regret that the Stratford ,on-Avon
Tercentenary Festival Committee are compelled to announce
to the public that Mr Fechter has broken faith with them
by declining to put the play of Hamlet upon the stage on
the 27th instant, and to take the part of Hamlet.
At this late period it is totally impracticable for the Com-
mittee to place any tragedy upon the stage, as forming part
of the Tercentenary Celebration, which they much deplore
both on account of the public and the occasion.
The Committee, however, deem it right that the pubPc
should be made acquainted with the circumstances attend
ing Mr Fechter's breach of his engagement, entered into
with the Committee in De.cember last.
The announcement in the preliminary programme was
drawn up by Mr. Fechter himself, and most extensive pre-
parations made, and the stage enlarged under his directions,
expressly to allow of the scenic effects which he required ;
and up to the day of his unfortunate accident ho was in most
friendly communisation with the Committee.
Judge then of the consternation and surprise of the Com-
mittee, when, on the' 26th March last, they received the
letter from Mr Barnett (No. 1), dated the 23d and posted
at Ventnor in the Isle cf Wight, on the 24th. The vice-
chairman, Mr Flower: wrote at once in reply the letter
(N.. 2).
On Monday morning (the 28th) a paragraph appeared
in one paper only, the Star, stating the withdrawal of Mr.
Fechter from Stratford, whereupon a meeting of the Com-
mittee was held, and the resolution (No. 3) was passed and
forwarded to Mr. Fechter, through Mr. Barnett.
This has produced no alteration in his determination, and
now, at the eleventh hour, we are placed in our present
' difficulty, without any fault of our own ; and are driven to
the necessity of offering to those who have already taken
tickets for the performance of Hamlet, a return of their
money or an exchange of tickets for other entertainments.
—I have the honour to be, S:r, your obedient servant,
HENRY KINGSLEY, M.D.
Hon. Sec., of the Stratford-on-Avon Tercentenary
Committee.

To the Tercentenary Committee, StratfOiradr-cuhpo2n3!A
GENTLEMEN,—Mr. Fechter, prevented by his accident
from writing himself, requests me to inform you of the pain-
18v6on.
t.
ful necessity your late resolution has placed him under,
namely, declining the honour of appearing at the Stratford
Celebration.
The said resolution giving the force of truth to the false
and injurious statement spread about by one of your mem-
bers, and published by unfriendly papers, viz.; that Mr.
Fechter, by '° undercurrent and trickery ways," forced on
the choice of his f ' Hamlet."
Mr. Fechter would have felt proud to serve in his humble
the Immortal
or personal vanities
Immortal Master but he can-
noto afford to lose his reputation as loyal artist and honest
wao theou
g
man, hthoughtless
over which he cannot, nor will not, have any control.
I am desired by Mr. Fechter to add that the scenery is at
t through
celebration
the disposal of the Committee, he having no wish to pre-
vent the carrying out certain proposals so honourably made
by the already mentioned member still sitting in yourcom-
mittee, and simply retires, forced to such decision by your
own will and resolution.---I am, gentlemen, your obedient
[NO 2 ]
servant, H. BARNETT,
. .
The hill, Stratford-on-Avon,
March 26, 1864.
DEAR SI R, —A letter received from you this morning,
dated the 23d inst., addressed to the Committee, and opened
by me as vice-chairman, is most incomprehensible to me.
Should Mr. Feohter break his engagement after his re•
pested pledges to the Commiree, he would be doing us a
wrong which, at this late hour, would be irreparable, to
say nothing of the still greater wrong Mr. Fechter would
do to himself.
Your letter has not been shown to the Committee, but
to a few members of it privately, for I cannot imagine
that Mr. Fechter, after having in so straightforward
a manner acceded to the request of the Commit-
tee, will really break faith with th.rn at the eleventh
hour; now that they, have pledged themselves to
the public, and have, with great exertions, made their
difficult and expensive arrangements to suit his views and
lowly of them under his own directions; besides whiCh we
have in the country sold largely of tickets, with a prospect
of speedily selling the whole.
It is my opinion that the Committee cannot accept Mr.
Fechter's resi,mation, or in any way be a party to such a
breach of faith with the public, the consequences of which
must rest with him alone.
Mr. Fechter's engagement with us is not, and cannot be
affected by gossip and " unfriendly papers," and there is not
the slightest foundation for saying that the Committee have
by resolution, or in any other way, given any sanction to
the false reports to which you allude ; in fact, we are quite
at a 10FS to know to what resolution you refer, or who are
the members of the Committee meant in your letter. Do
lay this letter before Mr. Fechter at once, and let me have
a reply by return of post, es I hope that, upon reconsidera-
tion, he will prevent the matter going before the Corn
mittee.—Yours truly,
(Signed) E. F. FLOWER,
H. Barnett, Esq.