The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-15 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 15, 1863

Tti.EATRE—Itel `i Ai. HAY NI ARKE.I. of invasion, which, from its very impregnability,
Lessee Mr. J. B. Bnctstone. will afford protection to its weaker rivals, who will
THIS EVENING, (for the Benefit of Mr. Bucket one,
Last Sight of the mason), THE STAR OF ANDALUSIA. no longer be of so great importance as points of
After which, CHARLES xi'.
attack.
Followed by TILE BENGAL TIGER.
Miss Fosbroke land Mrs. Howard Paul will appear. We are sorry to see Sir MORTON PETo persist in

Mr. Buckstone's AddreFa.
To conclude with DEAF AS A POST.
Commence at 7.

his opposition to the Spithead forts. The hon.
baronet moved the omission from the schedule of
the items for the Horse Sand Fort, No Man's Land,
and Sturbridge. His arguments in favour of
such a practical abandonment of the design
of fortifying Portsmouth were very untenable. He
began by asserting that nothing had happened to
change the position of the question since last year,
when it was agreed to delay the building of these
forts until the powers of iron clad vessels had been
more fully tried. Why, everything has happened
that is necessary to guide our judgment. We have
seen the question submitted to a trial of un-
parallaled severity, not a mere experimental test
between theorists and scientific critics, but a
struggle of life and death—an attack made with all
the energy with which England's bitterest foe
could attempt to gain a footing on her invincible
shores, a defence maintained with a desperate de-
termination which even the garrison of an English
city in danger could scarcelywhneexcel.
the Thebest
in
longrb
day's struggle at Charleston,
clads of the North retreated crippled from the
terrific fire that greeted them from guns of English
manufacture has altered the position of the question
very considerably since last year. There are men
against whose cherished notions argument and ex-
perience alike prove useless. If we could
carry the impregnability of their theories into
either forts or iron clads it would certainly settle
the question of competition most effectually. Of this
e had several specimens on Monday evening—
among them Capt. JERVIS, who declared it was
absurd to waste money on immovable masses of
masonry, when we might Lve ships that could
follow the enemy. That is one of the very argu-
ments in favour of the forts, since a clever ruse
might mislead the ironclads and carry them off in
pursuit of some decoy, while a reserve force quietly
steamed up the defenceless harbour. He said also
that great stress had been laid on the Armstrong
gun, but since 1859 great improvements had been
made in the construction of iron ships. The gallant
captain seemed to ignore the great improvements
also made in artillery since that time. His asser-
tion that the American war supplies no evidence of
the value of forts, is sufficiently answered by the
mere names of Hudson, Moultrie, and Sumter. An-
other objection brought against the Spithead forts
was that as the Channel was 2,000 yards wide, and
our guns would; it was said, penetrate the Warrior
target only at a distance of 800, ships could easily
pass up the centre of the Channel. This was first
stated by the mover of the amendment, Sir MORTON
PETO, and it was reiterated by the hon. mem-
ber for Liskeard, who proved himself to be
as resolutely prejudiced as the honourable
baronet. Mr. OSBORNE appears to find a
special satisfaction in opposing every really good
measure which the Government brings forward, and
in the present instance he was so extreme in his
opposition that it was comparatively powerless.
He said we had not a gun above a 40-pounder of
which we could say what it was worth. Another
argument was brought against the forts which
should certainly encourage the partridges and
pheasants for the coming autumnal season. The
difficulties of aiming at anything in motion were so
gravely dwelt upon, that we can only conclude last
year's sporting experience to be very unsatisfactory.
Sir DE LACY EVANS, Lord HARTINGTON, and
Lord C. PAGET were all ready to defend the mea-
sure, but the best reply to all frivolous and vexa-
tious opposition came from the lips of the veteran
Premier, whose never-failing sagacity and common
sense left him completely master of the field, We
cannot do better than give his reply to the often
raised objections in his own words;—" Your float-
ing force is liable to be called from one place to
another, and therefore you cannot depend on having
that force superior to the force of the enemy on
every possible point. But then it is said You
have not guns of sufficient range to
penetrate vessels at a distance of 1,000
yards.' But, in the first place, you are
assuming that the ships passing between the
Horse Sand and No Man's Land would go so ac-
curately in the middle between the two forts that
they would be exposed to only an equal fire from
the two. But that is not an easy thing to do.
It might, perhaps, be done by a few vessels, but not
by a considerable force attempting to go through.
Suppose a large flotilla attempted to get through,
and they tried to place themselves so as not to be
much exposed to the fire from the forts, and that a
floating force was sent to encounter them, between
the fire from the latter and from the forts they
might get into a very embarrassing position. Well,
it is said, You cannot bit a moving body.' But
that is not the fact. It is a well-known practice of
gunnery to fire from a moving body to a fixed ob-
ject, which is equivalent to firing at a moving object
from a fixed body, A ship going at the rate of 12
knots an hour would move at the rate of about a
mile in five minutes, and a shot moving with the
velocity of 1,200 ft. in a second would go a mile in
some four seconds. The difference of velocities
being so great, what would happen ? At the dis-
tance of 1,000 yards, if you aimed at the bow of a
ship you would hit the body before she had moved
the whole of her own length. There is therefore
no difficulty in the matter." With regard to the
floating defences, the noble lord said it was never
intended to rely upon forts alone, but that it was con-
sidered that forts would be most valuable auxiliaries.
With the floating batteries within the ports, any
vessel succeeding in forcing her way up between
three fires, would certainly be a very remarkable
and fortunate exception. The scheme has been
devised in a bold and liberal spirit. Lord PALMER-
STON has taken it up with an energy and foresight
for which the country will one day thank him, and
we cordially endorse his homely advice to the hesi-
tating legislators—" The thing is of considerable
importance; do it in time; make hay while the sun
shines ; and don't wait till the moment arrives when
the forts will be wanted for use." Forts, like Rome,
are not built in a day, and we are glad to see that a
majority of nearly three to one expressed their con-
viction of the value of the old adage—Forewarned,
forearmed—over the dilatory and vacillating policy
that would leave us to find out our mistake in the
hour of danger and emergency.

THE DUKE'S MOTTO.
THE HUNDREI` A.,ND FIFTY-THIRD NIGHT,
and Last Week but Three of the present Season.

ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.-
Under the Sole Management of Mr. FECHTER.
Last Week but Three of the present Season.
THIS EVENING, to commence with an Orl,final Sketch,
lititled A SUDDEN ATTACK. Messrs. Shore, Garden,
Widdicomb, Miss Henrade, and Mrs. Lee.
After which, at a Quarter-past Eight, the Romantic
.Drama, in Three Acts, and Pr3logue, entitled THE
DUKE'S MOTTO, by Paul Feval and John Brougham.
The principal character will be sustained by Mr. Fechter,
supported by Messrs. J. G. Shore, G Jordan, J. Broug am,
H. v\ iddi3ombe, F. Charles, Garden, Raymond, Dawson;
Misses Carlotta Leclercq, Kate Terry, E. i.avenue, and
Elsworthy. Doors open at 7, commence at half-past.
Acting-Manager, Mr. H. Barnett.

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
Sole T,,,E4Ree and Manager, Mr. G. Vining

THIS EVENING, at Eight o'clock, Shakespere'g Play o
ROMEO AND JULIET. Romeo, Mr. Walter ,iontgomery
Mercutio, Mr. G. V,ning ; Friar Lawrence, Mr. H. :4larston;
Apothecary, Mr. Belmore ; The Nurse, Mrs. H. Marston
Juliet, Mdlle. Stella Colas.

To be preceded by the new Comedietta, entitled COUSIN
TOM.

NEnv THEATRE-1M YAL, ADELPHI.--
Sole Proprietor and Manlove'. Mr. B. Webster.
THIS EVENING, THE IRISH TIGER.
After which, at Eight o'clock, a new drama, entitled THE
"HAUNTED MAN; OR, T E GHOST'S BARGAIN, in
which will be exhibited Professor Pei,per's adaptation of
the Great Spectral Illusion. Messrs. J. L. Toole, R. Phi.lips,
Sefton C. J. Smith; Mrs. Alfred Mellon and Miss H. Simms.
Followed by a new Burlesque, ent fled ILL-TREATED
IL TROVATORE. Messrs. Toole, P. Bedtord, R. Phillips.
Ebnrne, C. J. Smith, Romer ; the Sisters Nelson, Carry and
Sara, and Miss K. Kelly.

The Working Men's Club and Institute Union

held its meeting on Saturday at Burlington House.
Lord BROUGHAM was in the chair. It was a most
interesting affair altogether. Lord BROUGHAM'S
speech was cf course to the point, as all his lord-
ship's addresses are. He observed that some years
ago he had made the remark that the reason tern
perance societies had not succeeded was that they
offered no substitute to the poor man for the ale.
house. It was a fact that the working men fre-
quented the public houses more for company than

for think, and to obtain the conversation and diver•
sion that they could not find in their own homes.
It was to supply this want that working men's
clubs were founded. His lordship meat truly ex-
plained the importance of these institutions in a
few sentences. More misery, and even crime, is
oocasiohed 'ay the neglect of pro Ading means of

employment and sources of diversion for idle hours
than can be at all estimated by those who have not
thought of the affair. Idleness is the root of much
evil, but rant of proper relaxation is another fruit-
ful source of harm. The poor man returns home
fatigued with toil, and yet is inclined for some di-
version before he retires to rest. Even those who
have settled homes are not likely to find any diver-
sion in them. Besides there are so many cases
where young men have no homes at all, but reside
in lodgings, and wander about, as best they can,
for amusement, often frequenting the worst places
with no bad intention at first, but simply to pass the
tiree,until they are ensnared by wily agents, and get
drawn into all kind of snares. It is for this end that
the Working Men's Club is designed, to provide a
suitable change, and an agreeable diversion for
leisure hours. Not only do they provide news-
papers, but periodicals instructive and amusing.
Lord BROUGHAM stated that the Society for the
I)tffusion of Useful Knowledge began by publish-
ing scientific works only, but after a time, they
were obliged to add entertaining books to their list,
and now the latter class was the most extensive
among their numerous publications. This is only
natural, for of course a class not given to
study much at any time cannot manage
any deep and hard reading when tired with
long-continued and arduous exertion. Those
authors who make literature interesting to the
lower orders are great benefactors to the com-
munity, and deserve a mead of acknowledgment as
mach as those whose works are the marvel of the
learned, and the delight of the refined and culti-
vated. Lord BROUGHAM said he was not afraid that
working men's clubs would be inverted from the
original intent with which they were founded.
" Taking the Southampton Club as an instance, he
found it to be composed of 700 members, of whom
630 were day labourers and skilled work-
men, the remainder being clerks and shopmen."
This is a very good example of the style which i©
desired in this class of institution, and it is to be
trusted that this good example will be speedily fol-
lowed in many other towns of the country. What
an advantage it must be to the community of that
town to have so large a number of its lower orders
provided against temptation, and, at the same time,
preserved from discontent, by these rational and
elevated employments. The man who reads even
light works of an evening and discusses the news of
the day with his companions, is much more fitted
to engage in the duties of the next day, whatever
they may he, than he who broods morbidly at home
over troubles that meditaticn will not cure, or
rushes out in desperation to lose the painful
thoughts in an profitable pastimes. Lord BROUGHAM
remarked, most truly, that he had no doubt that the
exemplary conduct of the operatives in the North
wasowing to the spread of education and civilisation
among the people. In 1812, when a similar event to
the cotton famine had occurred, riots and distur•
bances had resulted ; but now there heroic men bore
their troubles patiently and quietly. This is most
probably a fact, and if so, it surely speaks forcibly,
if anything can, of the necessity of spreading these
means of grace, and working out this glorious mis-
sion as fully as can be done by available ends.
There can be no higher motive for human
exertions and no more worthy employment for riches
than to aid iu rescuing so large a class of their fel-
low creatures from temptation, and putting them
in the way of improving their lives to the best of
their ability, and thus effecting incalculable benefits
for them both now and hereafter. An interesting
speech was made by Mr. BRADY, a working man from
Pimlico. He said that as one of the managers of
the Pimlico Club he was much indebted to the
general council. He and his colleagues had re-
ceived valuable assistance from the parent body,
by whom they had been treated as self-relisnt men,
and not, as was too often tee case in communica-
tions between the higher and lower classes, as mere
children in leading strings. So far this meeting
seems to have achieved satisfactory progress, but
more funds are required to carry out its laudable
intentions, and bring its good endeavours to a de-
sirable result. A large increase of income is neces-
sary not only to further develope its usefulness
but to maintain its present efficiency. Surely a deaf
ear will not be turned to this appeal ; the voice of
reason and justice must urge the necessity on those
whom the claims of generosity cannot but affect. No
one who is a well-wisher to the community at large,
who has the means at his disposal, will hesitate to
encourage and foster this noble endeavour to elevate
the ,condition and improve the social position of
that important and influential class on whose wel-
fare and wellbeing depend the security of monarchs
and the safety of the whole social system.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE,

~ OBERON."

Mr. Mapleson, guided by the success which
attended his experiment last year, has again decided
on a supplementary season of cheap prices—as a
means of placing the peculiar enjoyment of Italian
opera, as produced in its present perfection at his

theatre, within reach of the public generally. No
expatiation can be required upon the merits of a
design which gratifies the growing taste for
music in so laudable a manner; since whilst
effecting the artistic good of supplying the
musical student with the highest standards of
execution, it involves the social benefit also of
placing for a time the enjoyment of the few within
the possession of the many. If art be a common
property to be possessed in the degree of public cul-
ture, every meaßs by which that culture can be
stimulated and rewarded is undoubtedly to be
honoured.

Such a purpose could have scarcely been better
initiated than by the revival of Weber's " Oberon,"
which was produced with so much completeness three
or four seasons ago, when the libretto was almost
entirely rewritten by its atuhor, Mr. Planche, and
the new recitatives required by the improvements
were admirably supplied by Mr. Benedict. Upon the
merits of these changes we enlarged so fully at the

time that we can have no occasion to do more at
present than say they are carried out in a like spirit
of efficiency, whilst our former praise is as much
demanded by the production of the opera gene-
rally. We have again Madlle. Titiens and Mme.
Alboni in the characters of Reiza and Fatima,
the one embodying the highly dramatic, and the
other delivering the brilliant music, in a manner
which no other singers could compete with for an
instant. IN e have also Madlle. Trebelli in the
character of Puck, and Mr. Santley in that of
Sberasmen ; whilst M. Gassier dues all that is pos-
sible for the inferior part of Babekan. To these
must be added the band and chorus, which „ere
never in such perfection as at present, and the merits
of the 11116 e en scene, which certainly never were
exceeded.

The great novelty of the occasion, and to many
also the great attraction, was the first appearance
of Mr. Sims Reeves in the character of Sir Huon,
which three years was so creditably sustained by
Signor Mongini. We may safely assert that the
music of the hero has never met with such adequate
treatment since ►t felt from the lips of Braliaw•
His grand scena especially—" Ob, 'tis a glorious
sight to see," produced a poweriul impression;
while the entire performance was received with the
most unmingled satisfaction. It is needless, we
presume, to add that the house was crowded to the
roof.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.

A letter from Copenhagen mentionL, the expeeied
arrival there of Prince Amadeus, second son of the King of
Italy, who intends to begin by Denmark a tour in till,
Scandinavian States.

o,rzy,
; *riot IPf.
QVArtAlilar
y

HER, MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, July 14.
Her Majesty, accompanied by Princess Leiningen,
drove out yesterday in a carriage and four.
Viscountess Jocelyn and Colonel the Hon. A,
Hardinge were in attendance.