The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-06 00:00:00

ROYAL DRAMATIC COLLEGE,

Yesterday afternoon at Woking his Royal High-
ness the Prince of Wales went through the ceremony
of inaugurating and formally opening the central
hall of this young but much needed and hitherto most
successful institution. The proceedings in connexion
with this event were necessarily of a routine charac-
ter, inasmuch as the hall has not only been opened,
but in practical use at the asylum for some weeks
past. The honour of the Prince's visit, however,
was quite sufficient to make a gala day and festivity
of the occasion, and though the number of visitors
who came down from London was less than was ex-
pected and prepared for, yet the attendance on the
-whole was good, and the short ceremony passed off
with the utmost eclat. A temporary station was
erected in front of the building for the occasion, and
all over the grounds around it flags and banners were
hung about in picturesque confusion, while the
main entrance to the new hall in the centre was
most effectively draped in colours. On the lawn in
front of the College the band of the 24th Surrey
Volunteers was brigaded and played during the day
admirably, though it is mere justice to state that
their performances were almost eclipsed by the
really beautiful instrumentation of the band of the
boys of the Duke of York's School, whose excellent
playing elicited repeated applause at the close of
every piece. At 4 o'clock his Royal Highness
arrived at the platform, where he was received by
the master, Mr. Webster, the deputy-master, Mr.
Creswick, and the wardens, Mr. Bell, Mr. Buck-
stone, Mr. Compton, Mr. Theodore Martin, Mr.
William Sams, Mr. Toole, Mr. Wigan, Mr. Jer-
wood, and the secretary to the college, Mr. Anson.
Ilis Royal Highness passed at once, to the entrance
of the hall, under the porch of which Mr. Webster
presented him with a massive gold key, with which,
amid loud cheers, the Prince proceeded to unlock
the doors and enter the building, which, it is almost
needless to say, was already full of visitors—nearly
all ladies. The hall itself is a plain, lofty building,
hung around with a few fine pictures, and with its
high walls ornamented here and there with busts of
celebrated actors. In the entrance of the -hall a
small canopied dais was erected, and on this the
Prince stood while Mr. Webster read the following
address :

"May it please your Royal Highness,—Five years ago,
on the Ist of June, 1860, close to this spot, your Royal
Highness's illustrious father, the late revered Prince Con-
sort, laid the foundation stone of the building whioh is to-
day happily inaugurated by your Royal Highness. Upon
that memorable occasion the illustrious Prince said that the
Royal Dramatic College would confer a benefit upon the
public as well as upon the stage, by aiding a profession from
which the community at large derived rational entertain-
ment, in which popular amusement was combined with
moral instruction and intellectual culture. Sir, these golden
words are treasured amongst tha highest incentives whicb,
from that time to the present, hate stimulated our exertions
in carrying out the design of the institution. We have
sedulously endeavoured to establish the Royal Dramatic
College on such a basis as would have justified the approval
of the illustrious Prince, your father. We have the satis-
faction, sir, of being able to say that the design which your
royal father approved has not been in the slightest parti-
cular departed from, and that by steady perseverance we
have already succeeded in effecting the main purpose of the
institution. Three objects were contemplated in the erec-
tion of this college—a retreat for aged and infirm members
of the dramatic profession, schools for the education of the
children of actors and writers for the stage, and a central
hall, which should embrace a library and gallery for the
collection of works of art and literature illustrative of the
English drama. The first of these objects is accomplished,
for the second funds are in course of accumulation ; the
third, which crowns the edifice, your Royal Highness is
now about to dedicate to the uses for which it was designed.
Among the numerous benevolent institutions which abound
in this country:there is none more deserving of generous
support than the Royal Dramatic College. The actor,who
is the interpreter of the past in his gayest and in his gravest
moods, and who imparts to the drama that vital grace and
palpable life, possesses peculiar claims upon the sympathies
of the public. His rewards are precarious ; his fame is
ephemeral ; and when his faculties fail he pasees from the
bright footlights into oblivion. Here we hope to afford him
rest and comfort in old ago, where, no longer fretted by the
outer battle of life, ho may serenely look ' through the
loopholes of retreat,

' to see the stir
Of the great Babel, and not feel the crowd.'
Here, too, we hope to preserve the records and personal
relics of the profession, so that when the actor is seen no
more the memorials of his art shall survive him. The Stage
of this country owes your Royal Highness a large debt of
gratitude for the constant interest you have taken in its
progress ; and, by extending your favour to the Royal
Dramatic College, your Royal Highness has not only be-
stowed an important boon on the whole dramatic profes-
sion, but materially elevated its title to public respect and
support. Upon your Royal Highness properly devolves
the task of bringing to a successful conclusion the noble
work whose foundations were laid by your illustrious
father, and whose objects her gracious Majesty, your
Royal mother, has thought worthy of her patronage. We
thank you for it from our hearts. May the work whichyou
have this day inaugurated prosper, and may your Royal
Highness live long to witness its happy fruits."

To this address, the conclusion of which was
loudly cheered, his Royal Highness replied as fol-
lows :

" Gantlemen,—lt is truly gratifying to my feelings to
find myself this day called on to take a part in the final
completion of a building the foundation of which was the
work of my lamented father, as it was also an object which
he had much at heart. My satisfaction is increased by find-
ing his beneficent plan carried out in a manner worthy of
the cause and of the profession for the benefit of which
the Dramatic College has been instituted, and that, as the
inevitable hour approaches, he who has so often adminis-
tered to your amusement, blended with instruction, will
hero find a retreat open for age and infirmities, in grateful
recognition of a debt due by the world at large. lam
happy to learn that the funds are progressively increasing
towards conferring the inestimable boon of education on
the children of men who, whether by their performances
or by their writings, have themselves laboured so well in
the cause of literature, and so justly earned this provision
for their offspring. The inauguration of the building
we are now in completes the three purposes which you
have enumerated as forming the original design of this
institution. After having provided for the material
wants and comforts of those who are entitled to seek a
shelter in this asylum, the last object is to cheer their oTen-
ing of life, and to embellish its closing scenes with the
books, memorials, and records of their art, that they may
again live in the past, and make their final exit in a spirit
of thankfulness to God and their fellow-creatures."

At the termination of this reply the ceremony of
presenting the purses collected by ladies in aid of
the funds of the College was gone through—a cere-
mony which unfortunately only occupied a minute
or so, the notice to collect having only been issued,
we believe, some two or three days before.
A concert, at which the Prince was expected to be
present, was intended to conclude the ceremonial of
the day but his Royal Highness, having other en-
gagements, was pressed for time, and only remained
to hear Miss Louisa Pyne sing " Sweet spirit, hear
my prayer," and Madame Grisi give " Qui la voce,
from I Puritani. The last-named performance, in
the small hall of the College, was heard with fine
effect, and the famous cantatrice managed her voice
with a skill that belongs only to the genius that—

" Age cannot wither, nor customstale."

At the conclusion of this performance, which was
deservedly greeted with the most earnest applause,
and by no one more earnestly than the Prince him-
self, his Royal Highness made a short tour round
the exterior of the College buildings, and then re-
turned to the station and to London.

After the departure of his Royal Highness the
concert was continued, and a late lunch in the
evening brought a very pleasant day to a festive
conclusion. A very fine detachment of the Hon.
Artillery Company acted as guard of honour on
this occasion, and, as usual, their muster, both in
appearance and drill, was perfect.

ALLEGED RECRUITING FOR GARIBALDI.—Oxford,
June 2.—At the city police-court to-day Mr. Plow-
man called the attention of the bench to the fact, that a
gentleman of military appearance, and who represented
himself to be in the service of General Garibaldi, had been
staying in Oxford, and had induced a number of young
men to enlist in Garibaldi's service. A lad named George
Darling, who had been living with him (Mr. Plowman) for
nearly two years, left without any notice whatever on
Wednesday last, beyond a few lines saying that he was off
for Italy, the military officer having supplied him with the
necessary means. Ho (Mr. Plowman) had this day been
informed that no fewer than 16 lads wont off the same day,
and that their destination is Venice. The bench thanked
Mr. Plowman for his communication, and suggested that
he should call the attention of Government to it.

THE EASTERN FISHERIES.—The mackerel fishery
has not exhibited much improvement during the past week
at Great Yarmouth. Prices have ranged at about 30s. to
3Ge. per 100 (120) fish. There has been a good supply of
trawl fish at Lowestoft. The boats connected with that
port have commenced the mackerel fishery ; prices have
been about the name as at Yanouth. •