The Sun.
London, England, 1808-12-31 00:00:00

7'HE NEIL THEATRE.

The 'ceremony of laying the foundation stone of
the New Theatre in Covent-Garden this day, na-
turally attra6tecl a prodigious number of speaators to
the spol. The late hour at which the scene COD..
chided, obliges 1.14 to defer the particulars of this inte-
resting scene till Monday. No labour or expetice
-had' been spared to-accommodate the Masonic Order,
' tthe'SAbscritier,s, and the friends of the Proprietors,
' L4)erfOrmers,'4.-c. The Prince of WALES and his
iiiifty liddA,Place peculiarly provided for them, and
the atfOl'qi. was raised for the reception of visi-
-14 l-neral. The arenue for admission was at
the Piazza door.. Large bodies of Civil and Military
itit
Officers were properly stationed I.n order to prevent
confusion and 'disorder. A brass-box, as usual on
similar occasions, filled with coins of the present
reigp,
.and a record of the event, were deposited in
the'
,StOlie A silver trowel, of beautiful workman-
'ilo, Was. presented to'the Pitiec E of WALES whose
'Affability and elegance of manners were conspicuous
ibh the occasion:
4,'iTline follosWina i; the official account of the cere,
m
.f • • . 0 ony, as issued by the Grand Lodge at Freemasons'
Hall :

The Grand Lodge to be opened at twelve o'clock by the
S.W. or I .W. or Senior G.O. present.
At half past twelve, proceed to the place assigned, and
wait the arrival of the G.M.
'The arrival of the G.M. to be announced by the air of
Gad save /be King."
The G.M. followed by the Grand Officers, to proceed
from the covered place assigned to receive them, to the place
,prepaled for the ceremony, through an arch raised for the pur-
pese.

The upper part of the stone being raised, the G.T. de-
posits in it the coins and medals.
The cement being then prepared, the G. M. adjusts the
same with his trowel, and the stone is let down whilst a mar-
tial air is played.
The G M. then tries the work by the plumb, the level,
and the square, which arc severally presented to him by the
I. W. the S.W. and Deputy G.M. arid having tbund it cor-
rect, he lays the stone by giving three knocks with his
mallet.
The corn, wine, and oil, arc then presented to the G.M.
he scatters and pours them on the stone, and immediately
afterwards delivers to the Architect the plan of the building,
deSiring ft4bhiplete the structure according to that plan;
sttctesS acid prosperity to the work, and the general
lubject art.

Pif de jmie is, then tired, and the G. M. retires.
The 819t,lier;s return to the Hall in procession, and the
-Grand Loicigt: is closed.

INDIA House.---Yesterday a Court of Direaors
was held, whe❑ the following Commanders took
leave of the Court, previous to departing for their
respe&ive destinations, viz.

Capt. W. Campbell, of the Nottingham, Capt. r. Birch,
of the Britannia, and Capt. l . Twcedale, of t 4 Perseverance,
for Aaira3 and China;
•Carnatke- and Capt. W. 1. Easttield, of the• Admiral Gard-
no, fot,kadcica, Madras, and Bengal.
lie bZri adjourned at six o'clock till Wednesday
.k:ipext.
' Ilk Majesty's Ship Doris, Capt. COLE, and the
iVe.ili)i-d, East Indiarnan, Capt. BARNA RD, were
at Abushire, in the Gulph of Persia, the latter end
of June.