The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-16 00:00:00

i HA YMARKET THEATRE.

On the whole we feel inclined to endorse Mr. Duck-
stone's statement, and think ho has done enough to give
earnest of tact and talent to conduct the difficult ma-
nagement he has undertaken. He has evinced a catho-
lic taste in encouraging all portions of the drama ; and
with his desire to trade upon novelties and to employ
talent wherever he can find it, there is little doubt of
his success. Ms intention of strengthening his present
company is judicious, especially if he intends to
cultivate the poetical talent. Herein, however, we
should advise him to trust to his own judgment, and, not
accept pieces that have not intrinsic dramatic merit,
though recommended by high literary names. Of all
species of the drama, the serious requires to be of the
highest quality to render it successful. His promise of
a rich comic Christmas pantomime set every one of the
audience giggling, imbued, as they seemed to suppose it
must be, with the vis comics of the manager.
The house was crowded, and responded with such
heartiness to. the manager's hopes and intentions, tha
there can be but little doubt the new lessee may reckok
on a long and successful career, if he but show in the
future more elaborate campaign, the same hearty inten-
tion to delight his customers and patrons, that he has
in the brief season thus closed. 1

SLIGO ELECTION.---A petition has just been presented
by Mr. H. H. Wood complaining of this election, and is
referred to the general committee of elections.
THE STRIKES AT MANCHESTER.—SeveraI of the cot-
ton mills at Manchester have resumed work, in conse-
quence of compromises entered into between the em-
ployers and the operatives. At other establishments,
however, the hands continue to give notice of their
intention to strike. The piecers and cyphers at
Mr. Shaw's mill turned out on Monday. Those
at M'Connell and Co.'s mill, and at Murray's, have
announced their intention to strike on Monday, unless
10 per cent. advance is given. At the mills of Messrs.
Clarke (three firms)--Mr. Cross, Messrs. Kennedy, and
Mr. Beaver- —the operatives' on strike have made satis-
factory terms and resumed work. At Mr. Gregg's, in
York-street, six minders of self-actors have struck,
causing 140 weavers to be idle. Among the other mills
still idle are those of Messrs. Penny and Wood, 199
operatives ; Mr. Goadsby, 40 ; S. Turnbull, M. New-
ton, H. Crabtree, John Brown, Charles Ramsey, and
W. Andrews. The hands of Messrs. Clemson and
Vaughan, and Mr. Joshua Schofield, and several other
dyers, are still on strike, as well as those of Messrs.
Percival and Gates, glassblowers, and Messrs. W.
Fairbairn and Co., machinists. The scavengers at Man-
chester have also struck for an advance.
THE RECENT CAB ACT.—The act for the regulation
of hackney carriages in London has created amongst
the cab-drivers a fierce spirit of opposition, which, to the
'public generally, has been attended with much ineonie-
nienee. On Tuesday night last, after the rising of the
house, when there is usually a great demand for cabs
upon the stand in Palace-yard, the entire stand drove
off, uttering jeers and oaths against the hon. gentlemen
who wished to engage them. • " Yer wants to ride for
sixpence, does yer !' says one ; " Let 'em walk," said
another, and so the House of Commons—her Majesty's
faithful Commons—were compelled to submit to the
inconvenience resulting from their new act (for which,
we think, they deserve the thanks of the Londo.i
public), and find their way home as best they could.
The animosity of the drivers, however, does not
confine itself to the members of the Legislature, for on
Wednesday night and Thursday morning, the rain falling
for hours with incessant violence, and people from the
theatres, and other places of public amusement, anxiously
seeking refuge from the drenching storm in a hackney
cab, the drivers were quietly amusing themselves in
compelling their empty vehicles up and down the Strand
and other thoroughfares, deaf alike to threats and en-
treaties. In fact, they seem determined to visit the sins,
as they think them, of the Legislature upon the public,
and to carry their point by passive resistance. Instead
of being public conveniences, cabs, under the old system,
were public nuisances ; and it is to be hoped that all
persons using these vehicles will enforce the act now in
operation, and not submit to further imposition from the
same quarter. •
THE OLDHAII EXPLOSION.—The inquest upon view of
the bodies of the people killed by the colliery accident
at Bent-grange, Oldham, was resumed yesterday. There
was no evidence of any importance given up to the time
our parcel left. Since Saturday two more men have
died of injuries they received in the pit, making 20 lives
lost.

FRENCH EXHIBITION OF 1855.—With reference to
the discussion which took place upon the French Exhi-
bition of 1855, at the meeting of the Society of Arts on
the Ist of June, we understand that a dispatch has been
received by Lord Clarendon, that goods, the importation
of which is now prohibited, will, if shown at the ap-
proaching exhibition, be admitted at an ad valorem duty
.1 of thirty per cent.—jourral of the Socieity of Arta.

Last night, in presence of a crowded and brilliant
audience, Mr. Buckstone dropped the curtain of the
Haymarket over a season which only began at Easter,
amid hurry and lack of time for preparation. The
manager will raise it again in October, with a renovated
and a re-decorated house, the proscenium three feet
higher, and a variety of new accommodation provided
for its frequenters at the entrance. The farewell pieces
given were Presented at Court—a revival of an adapted
comedy, of which the gist consists in a city heiress
making her way to kiss the kingly hand of Charles 11.
through all the plots of the Lady Castlemaine and Ro-
chester party ; the burlesque of Mr. Buckstone's Aseent
of Mount Parnassus, which has run daring the whole
season, followed ; The Rougle _Diamond came next ; and
after that The _Boarding School Ball.
At the conclusion of the Ascent of Mount Parnassus,
Mr. Buckstone was vehemently called for, and after a
short interval spoke the address, which had been an-
nounc in the bills, and which was to the following
effect
"Ladies and Gentlemen,—According to custom, at the
close of a season, and the announcement in the bills of the
(lan I venture this evening to address a few words to you,
not only.to state my intentions for the future, but to thank
you for the warm and generous patronage I have received
from you during the few months I have held this theatre—
a patronage that leads me to hope, whatever may be the
vicissitudes of management, that I shall eventually find no
cause to regret having had the courage to encounter them. I
came into this theatre, ladies and gentlemen, last Easter,
and under no ordinary difficulties, close upon the expiration
of Mr. Webster's honourable career ofl6years, and with but
10 days to prepare a new piece for the opening night ; and as
that piece was the Ascent of Mount Parna3sus, I am sure
you will acknowledge that the best use was made of the
short space allotted to nse, while, during the 16 weeks of
my first brief season, there have been produced, in addi-
tion to Parnassus and several revivals, two new plays, two
new comedies, and a farce; and whatever may have been
their merits, they were all written by persons of high
literary repute, each of the novelties enjoyed a fair average
run, and I am proud to add, that not one of them was
taken from the French. In making this statement of what
has bees accomplished in so short a time, I am sure I shall
escape the charge of inactivity.
" As regards the future, ladies and gentlemen, several
alteration and improvements will be made in the theatre,
more especially behind the curtain. A new stage will
be constructed ; the grooves will be carried three feet
higher, so that the scenes will be loftier, and appear to
much greater advantage than they have hitherto done ; ex-
cavations wall be made below, to effect what is teohnically
called
quite unnecessary, ed'ry
`sinking andssa ris,inaga,"t-0 tahinokugahndsorimsee,
andmay
rise
esiandedr
sink, is too often the characteristic of all mmanagement.But while such alterationfsmay assist scenic display, it is
kuine
not my intention to change the class of entertainment
which for more than a century has been associated with
this theatre. I still wish to continue it as the first house
in London for English comedy, play, and farce ; yet, at, the
same time possessing the power as regards show, to com-
pete with my spirited rivals, whenever it may be thought
expedient to do so, especially as at Christmas, I contem-
plate producing, for the first time at the Haymarket, a
grand comic pantomime.
" The theatre will also undergo a thorough repair and
redecoration, while several alterations will be made in the
audience portion to insure comfort and convenience for my
patrons, though, as to decoration, ladies and gentlemen,
nothing can at any time' sprpass in beauty the decoration
I now behold—a full house—for, let a theatre be never so
splendidly decorated, it will always look melancholy when
those shab'y and miserable wretches are present called
empty benches.
" In my programme at the commencement of the season,
several author's names were published who had furnished
me pieces, some have already been produced, and the rest
will appear in the course of the season, while in addition
to some of the first dramatists of the day who have pro-
mised me their aid, Mr. Planche will resume his brilliant
pen for your amusement ; and though Mr. Buckstone may
not again ascend Parnassus, he will no doubt be found,
with the assistance of others, trying to get up something
or other.
" Of the company, ladies and gentlemen, while all the
old favourites will remain, I shall be constantly adding
new,talent to it whenever it can be found.
We well know, according to the quotation from the
tragedy of `Cato,' It is not in the power of mortals to
command success,' though I confess my inability to con-
clude the quotation after the manner of a certain country
manager, 'who announced that he'd `do more than that—
he'd do without it.' No, ladies and gentlemen, though we
cannot at all times command the smiles of the radiant
Goddess, I will do my best endeavours to deserve them.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, again thanking you
for your patronage, at the close of my ' trial trip' in the
little, but good ship `The Haymarket,' and with fair
hopes for the future, till October next I respectfully bid
you farewell."