The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-25 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—Seeing by the advertisements that there are two or
three committees for raising monuments to Shakespere, I
cannot help thinking that those gentlemen would do a
greater public service by attempting to raise the living re-
representatives of the poet to a better position than they
occupy at present. This they should do, rather than squan-
der a large sum of money on two or three inanimate stone
representatives, which are not wanted, because there is a
very good one in Westminster Abbey, another in the British
Museum, both by Roubiline, and a third on the top of the
Theatre Royal, Drury-lane, where it is about as inappro-
priate as a guard of honour to a twopenny omnibus,
although, in one sense, it is indicative of the
taste of the times, as it suggests to the ima
ginative inhabitants of Vinegar-yard the idea of the
British public having turned him out of the house to abide
the pelting of the pitiless storm in Brydges-street. Well,
next comes the question—How can the living representa-
tives be aided and the drama encouraged ? Let us se.. Of
course, there must be a committee ; and, as Mr. Macready
is president of one of the Statue Committees, perhaps he
would not object to identify himself with one for the benefit
of his professional brethren. Well, could a theatre devoted
to the legitimate drama be partially supported by subscrip •
tion as the operas are ? The pulse of the public should be
felt on the subject, and I am inclined to think that the
liberal and enlightened nobility of England, with the young
Prince and Princess of Wales at their head, would gladly
foster any well-developed plan calculated to uphold the
dramatic literature of the country, and elevate the character
of the British stage.—l have the honour to be, your obe-
dient servant, GEORGE ELLIS,
June, 1863,

STEAM SHIPBUILDING ON THE CLYDE.—Messrs.
Caird and Co. have received an order from the West
India Royal Mail Steamship Company for a screw of
2,434 tons burden and 500-horse power. The machinery
will embrace surface condensation, superheated steam, and
a steel shaft by Krupp, of Essen. The steamer will be
modelled generally after the America, lately fitted by Messrs.
Caird and Co. Satisfactory trial trips have been made
by the Lord Gough, built for the Dublin trade by Messrs.
Caird and Co., and the Mary Anne recently launched by
Messrs. Connell and Co. The Mary Anne proved herself the
fastest boat, having run the lights in 49m., thus attaining
a speed of 19 miles per hour. She has been purchased at a
high price by the Government of the Confederates States
oe eri
ff Atmwoociah,ead
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last
week. Agents of the Confederates have also been in nego-
tiation for the swift steamer, Rothesay Castle, but no defi-
nitive contract is yet known to have been concluded on the
subject. Mr. A. Den ny, of Dumbarton, has launched an
iron paddle name the City of Dunedin, built for the New
Zealand coasting trade; she is 463 tons burden, and is to
be fitted by Messrs. De any and Co. with engines of 100-
horse power. Messrs. Scott and Son, of Cartsdyke, have
launched the Washington, a fine steamer, of 3,250 tons,
builders' measurement, constructed for the Compagnie
Generale Transatlanti quo. The Washington is 346 ft. long
from bow to stern (her boa i being a perpendicular one), and
her breadth of beam 44ft., -while she has 31ft. depth of hold.
She is now being fitted w ith engines of 850-horse power
nominal, the diameter of hoer cylinders being 94in. Great
things are expected of this fine vessel. The Washington
is intended to ply leetwetm Havre and New York, being
one of a fleet of eleven .steamers. now building for the
same company—seven of the 11 are in course of construc-
tion by Messrs. Scott and Co., who have several of them on
hand in France, and two ot tiers at their works at Cartsdyke.
Each of the boilers and 0°4,3 plates will weigh 61 tons.