The Sun.
London, England, 1831-02-23 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

Their Majesties last night honoured this house with
their pre,,ence. A larger audience could not have been
congregated within its walls than was assembled to mani-
fest the feelings of respect and love with which the people
hail the appearance of the Sovereign amongst them, enter-
ing with heartfelt satisfaction into their most attractive
intention
of The moment that their Majesties'
of visiting this theatre was announced, the boxes were al-
most entirely engaged, and when the doors were opened,
the pit and galleries were filled by a simultaneous rush.
Tie decorations of the Royal box were precisely the same
as we described them when their Majesties last visited this
theatre. They are neat, tasteful, and appropriate. Soon
after seven o'clock the Royal party, escorted by a body of
Horse Guards, arrived at the theatre. They were re•
ceived at the private entrance by Mr. A. Lee, Mr. Wal-
lack, Mr. Ellis, and Mr. Bucke, by whom they were con-
ducted to the ante-room, from whence they were imme-
tliately afterwards ushered into the royal box. The cheer-
ing on their entrance was enthusiastic. The royal. party
appeared to be, and no doubt were, highly gratified by
their reception, and repeatedly bowed to the audience.
Prince George of Cumberland was seated at the left hand
of the Queen, and Prince George of Cambridge on the
right hand of the King. The Chamberlains of the
King and Queen were stationed behind their Ma-
jesties, and two handsome and intelligent-looking
youths acted (we believe) as pages of honour. After
the audience had loudly and joyfully greeted their
Majesties, " God save the King" was sung by the en-
tire vocal strength of the house. Every stanza called
forth loud bursts of approbation ; but more especially
the last, where a prayer for the Queen is introduced.
The allusion to her Majesty was received with loud
and long-continued applause. The coup dceil from
the stage was, during the performance of the national
anthem, most animated and most brilliant. We have
rarely seen assembled so much beauty and fashion, and a
general emulation with respect to splendour and elegance
of dress was perfectly apparent. If so much brilliancy'
were displayed on this occasion, what may not be expected
at the drawing-room on Thursday ? The performances
commanded were the comedy of the School for Scandal
and the pantomime. The King and his Royal consort
seemed to :tijiry most highly the classical and pointed wit
of Sheridan. The performers, of course, put forth, before
such an assemblage, their best powers—and they succeeded
in amply satisfying them. After the comedy " Rule Bri-
tannia" was sung in a much better style than when it was
last attempted here. There was time for preparation.---
Then came the pantomime, and the laughter which it
created amongst the most staid of the audience went to
prove that " Men are but children of a larger growth."
The young Princes were, of course, infinitely delighted,
and the risible muscles of their august relatives were fre-
quently agitated at " some disastrous stroke which the
clown suffered." The beautiful diorama, by Mr. Stan-
field, attracted his Majesty's special attention, and he ex-
pressed his satisfaction at the exhibition by many
signi-
ficant gestures. After the pantomime, which was not
concluded till past twelve o'clock, God save the King"
was again sung, and their Majesties quitted the theatre
amidst the liveliest expressions of just and generous feeling.
His Majesty looked extremely well, but was occasionally
troubled with a alight cough. During the whole evening
his countenance was smiling and cheerful. The air of
Brighton seems to have been most beneficial to her Ma-
jesty. Her appearance is greatly improved since we last
saw her at this theatre.

The Solicitor• General (Sir W. HORNE) took
the oaths and his seat for Bletehingley, on Monday.

Ten Peers, 111 Magistrates, 260 landed pro-
prieton, 300 land and householders, &c., in all over 900,
have signed the county Cork declaration in favour of the

Union.

LONDON,
WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 23, 1831.

His MAJESTY held a Levee this day, at
two o'clock, at St. James's Palace, which was
attended by all the Cabinet Ministers, Officers
of State, and a great number of the Nobility
and Gentry.

In the House of Lords last night, Lord
BROUGHAM brought forward his motion on: the
subject of Chancery Reform, in a splendid
speech, distinguished by wit, argument, and
energy. His Lordship dwelt at considerable
length on the manifold abuses of the Court, and
observed that he contemplated, first, a change
in the constitution of the Court; secondly, to
keep apart the administrative Judges and the ju-
dicial functionaries; and thirdly—a wonderful im-
provement— to substitute,where it was practicable,
viva voce evidence for the old custom of depo-
sitions. In addition, his Lordship proposed the
abolition of fees to Masters and their clerks,
which were well known by the very appropriate
title of " bribes." On this point he was very
decided and emphatic, and said that so long as
he sat on the bench he would never rest till
these flagrant abuses of the Court of Chancery
were wholly eradicated. Another of his Lord-
ship's proposals connected with the foregoing
was to pay the Judges and the Masters, and
other legal functionaries, by fixed, definite sala-
ries instead of fees. With regard to lunatic
cases, Lord BROUGHAM thought it would be
expedient that questions de lunatico inquirendo
should henceforth be tried before the Judges at
Westminster, rather than by Commission. On
the subject of Bankruptcy, he proposed that the
fourteen lists of Commissioners should be abo-
lished, and ten Judges provided in their stead.
His Lordship remarked, that by thus separating
the bankruptcy business fron the Court of Chan-
cery, the LORD CHANCELLOR would not only
lose the patronage of nearly seventy offices, but
would besides be curtailed in his income to the
amount of between 7,000/. and 8,0001. per
annum. His Lordship concluded by submitting
the first of his three Bills, and stating that on
Monday he would be ready to mention the course
which he intended to adopt.
In the Lower House, Lord HOWICK obtained

leave to bring in a Bill, founded on Mr. WIL-
MOT HoRTON'S favourite project of Emigration,
for the purpose of facilitating settlements in his
MAJESTY'S foreign possessions.

The intelligence from the continent is, full
of interest. At Paris another stormy debate
has taken place, in the course of which the
Ministers were roughly handled, and gave
but too evident symptoms of their weak-
ness and vacillation. The dispute between
M. MONTALIVET, Minister of the Interior,
and M. ODILLON BARROT, Prefect of the
Seine, has, it is said, terminated in the retire-
ment of the former gentleman from office. From
Italy the news still continues to be of the most
cheering description. Not only has the tri-
colour been raised in Bologna, but the entire
of Romagna has broken the arms of the
POPE. Young MURAT is daily expected in
Italy, which is on fire in every quarter.
As respects Poland, a great battle, it seems,
is very shortly expected. The invading bar-
barians are drawing daily nearer to Warsaw,
whose heroic inhabitants, however, so far from
being dismayed, are confident and full of en-
thusiasm. May they prosper, as their cause is
just

Despatches have been received at the Foreign
Office, this day, from Sweden.

Brussels and Frankfort Papers, received this
morning, report that the active operations of the

Russian army commenced on the sth instant.
The extracts are given in our first page.

Among the many important questions which
await the judgment of Parliament, is that of the
renewal of the Charter of the Bank of England.
This is a point which, during either the present
session or the next, must be determined on, and
it is one which is attended with no inconsider-
able share of difficulty. The late Mr. Hus-
KISSON expressed himself last Session in a way
which can leave no room to doubt that the ba-
lance of his opinion was against the renewal of
the monopoly, and Sir HENRY PARNELL (no
mean authority) in his well known work on
" Banking and Paper Money," has advocated
strongly the policy of throwing open the trade of
banking in London. On the other hand, Pro-
fessor M'CuLLocx, in the fourth volume of his
edition of the " Wealth of Nations," has re-
corded his opinion, that the Bank monopoly
ought, under certain restrictions, to be renewed ;
and the same position is maintained in an able
pamphlet now before us, entitled " An His-
torical Sketch of the Bank of England, with an
Examination of the Question as to the Pro-
longation of the Exclusive Privileges of that
Establishment." The writer gives a full
ac-
count of the history and transactions of the
Bank, so far as they are of a public character,
examines the advantages and disadvantages of
public competition, and of a national bank, as
substitutes for the present Bank, and comes to
the conclusion, that it would be attended with
ruinous consequences to the public, if the power
of issuing notes in London were not confined
to one set of individuals,—that it would be in-
expedient to open a national or Government
bank in London, for the issue of notes,—and
that, in sound policy, the Bank of England
should still be allowed to hold the monopoly she
has so long enjoyed, subject to some modifica-
tions which, it is admitted, the public interests
require.

The necessary preliminary to any Legislative
measure on this subject, will be a Report of a
Select Committee of the House of Commons,
in anticipation of which we should not be in-
clined to express ourselves very decidedly one
way or the other. At present we are far from
being convinced that there ought to be any dif-
ference in the system of banking in London and
in the country. If banking were placed. on a
proper footing throughout England,—if the
Scotch system, or something like it, were intro-
duced,—if, after proper security had been given
by bankers, they were at liberty to issue notes
either of one pound or a higher amount,—and if
the practice of cash credits were brought into
use, very great advantage would ensue both to
the landed and the manufacturing interests. To
have suppressed the small notes altogether, be-
cause a controul to the issue of them was wanted,
was a measure of a hasty character, and contrary
to the general principles of public economy.
Whether there are, or are not, sufficient rea-
sons for the continuance of the Bank monopoly,
one thing is pretty certain, viz., that the Govern-
ment ought to make an entirely new arrangement
ith the Bank with regard to the management
of the public debt. That the Bank should re-
ceive 270,0001. per annum for its trouble in pay-
ing the dividends, is an extravagant waste of the
public money, when it is considered that that
establishment, besides its exclusive privileges,
holds constantly some millions of the public
money, without payment of any interest thereon.
This expenditure has been objected to over and
over again in Parliament ; but the answer has
generally been that it would not be interfered
with during the term of the Charter. As that
Charter is near its end, there is, therefore, no
time so fit as the present to take steps to get rid
of this burthen. The Bank would be too
happy to pay the dividends without any further
remuneration than the advantage of the public
money it holds ; and the charge alluded to ought,
at least, to cease the moment the Charter expires.
Whether there be any necessary or desirable con-
nection between the Government and a banking
establishment is a question of doubt, and one to
which the Committee of the House of Com-
mons ought to direct its special and unbiassed
attention.

THE FUNDS.-(THIS DAY.)

CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK.

We have no arrivals, with the exception of the express
from Paris, of the ►east importance. It was generally
reported yesterday afternoon that an express had arrived
from Paris, bringing an account of a change in the French
Ministry, but as yet this does not seem to be confirmed, as
it appears that the Ministry are going to obtain leave of
the King to dissolve the Chambers, by which, it is sup-
posed, they will obtain more strength.
The French Funds have fallen one per cent.
THE FUNDS.

Although it was generally expected that the present
state of affairs at Paris, and the fall in their Funds, would
have had an effect on our market, it has operated on the
contrary. Consols, which left off yesterday, at 7541 fur
the account, opened at the same price, and for a moment
went down to 781, after which the market took a sudden
change, and Consols gradually rose to 78ii, at which
price they are at present.
To-morrow being settling day in Consols, the brokers
and jobbers are busy settling their accounts, and the ex-
treme fluctuation during the present account has been
already about Si per cent.
In the Foreign Market little or nothing doing.
The letters by the Dutch Mail bring the Dutch funds
about I per cent. lower. It was reported at Amster-
dam that the Russians were within thirty miles of War-
saw, but no battle had as yet taken place.
Report says that a dissolution of our Parliament is on
the eve of taking place.
_ _ _

This moment Console have given way, and receded from
7811 to 78,-3- I.

HALF-PAST ONE.

Console, which were done in the early part of the morn-
ing at 78j for the account, receded to 78k, which is a fall
of per cent., and the market still continues very heavy.
This fall in the Funds has caused several reports to be
circulated, such as a great Bull account having been sold
out ; a change in our Ministry, and Sir R. Peel to Le
Chancellor of the Exchequer ; it is also said that Lafayette
is to be again in the French Administration ; but up to the
present hour we cannot say that any dependence is placed
in these reports.
In the Foreign market there is nothing doing.
THREE O'CLOCK.
Consols, 78i 4•