The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-02 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.
The annual general meeting of the Proprietors of the
Drury-lane Theatre took place on Saturday, in the
Saloon of the Theatre, for the purpose of receiving
the annual Report of the Committee, and for other
business. At a few minutes past two o'clock the Chair
was taken by Sir B. B. Cabbell, who apologised for the
absence of Lord Glengal, who had been prevented from
. .

attending by severe indisposition.
Mr. DUNN, the Secretary, having read the advertise-
ment calling the meeting, then proceeded, at the re-
quest of the Chairman, to read the following Report :
" REPORT OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE TO THE GENE-
RAL ASSEMBLY OF PROPRIETORS.
" Saturday, 30th October, 1841.
" The Committee have the gratification to meet the
Proprietors with prospects somewhat more cheering for
the cause of the drama than when they last made their
annual Report—for at that period but faint hopes were
entertained of the restoration of the drama on our
boards. In the absence of any offer for renting the
theatre at that period, whereof the resumption of dra-
matic performances was the object, the Committee
were compelled, as a means of finance, again to have
recourse to that species of entertainment which, under
other circumstances, they would gladly have avoided ;
still they feel bound, in Justice to the parties who have
had the conduct of those performances, to admit the very
respectable and attractive nature of the entertainments
produced by Mr. Eliason, during the period of his lessee-
ship. The introductiOn of the German Operatic Com-
pany in the spring of the year afforded to the admirer's
of that branch of the drama the highest gratification,
and formed a very prominent feature of the past' eason;
and herein the general assembly will not fail to remark
the anxiety of the Committee, under any circumstances
whatever, and at all events once mere to draw up the
curtain for dramatic representations, and they may boldly
assert, that from the high character that the representa-
tions of the German Opera uniformly sustained upon our
boards, and the consequent distinguished patronage with
which the public marked their progress throughout, the
Committee are confident that a similar sentiment of ap-
probation will pervade the general assembly with respect
to that enterprise. The Committee have the gratification
to announce that they have entered into an agreement
with Mr. Macready for a lease of the theatre for three
years, with a view to restore to the boards of Drury-lane the
legitimate drama; and looking to the present position of the
property, the Committee were guided in the arrange-
ment entered into with that gentleman from a personal
consideration of the character and respectability of the
individual with whom they were dealing, and whose re-
cent management at Covent-garden was so successful.
With regard to the particular nature of the contract with
Mr. Macready, the Committee think it advisable to ab-
stain from entering into detail in laying this Report be-
fore the general assembly, but they feel assured that
this meeting will repose sufficient confidence in the dis-
cretion of the Committee to warrant the observance of a
caution which, upon the present occasion, seems to them
to be so essential to the interests of all parties con-
cerned. The question of the renters' claims has under-
gone much consideration, and hostile proceedings
against the Committee have been resorted to by the tras •
tees of that body. In consequence of this proceeding
at an eventful period for the interests of the proprietary
of the theatre, the Committee deemed it discreet to abstain
from using such powers of resistance as they might have
fairly employed to the trustees' demand ; in consequence
of which, and in order to maintain peace in the esta-
blishment, the Committee have been induced to pay over
to the trustees' solicitor the sum of 1,4071. 10s. 9d. The
Committee beg further to report that a temporary
arrangement has been entered into as a prelude, it is
considered, to some final measure, which must, ere long,
take place in order to prevent the Committee from fall-
inglinto one or other of two extremities—either that of
resigning their powers, together with the lease, into the
hands of the ground landlord, or assuming the conduct
of the stage enterprise themselves, in consequence of
their inability to execute a sufficient and complete lease
of the property. Subsequent proceedings have induced
the Cemanittee to believe. that the interests of the pro-
prietary may yet be fully maintained in the event of the
renters' question, which has been so long in agitation,
not being speedily brought to a conclusion. The
substantial repairs of the theatre, which were re-
ported as necessary some considerable time past,
have been entered upon under the superintendence of
Mr. Beazley, the outlay for which, the meeting are al-
ready aware, will fall upon the immediate resources of
the Company, as a distinct sum has been standing at the
banker's to answer this particular branch of expenditure,
the extent of which will totally exhaust those funds. As
to the subject of finance, the accounts of income and ex-
penditure are now laid before the meeting, regularly au-
dited by Major Naylor, for the information of the assem-
bly. The cash account of the season exhibits an income
of 4,9781. 3s. Id., whilst, on the other hand, the expendi-
ture has been 5,058/. 18s. 7d., and the balance at the
banker's on the current account remains 769/. 43.21, to
answer the forthcoming outlay. In closing this Report,
the Committee trust that the assembly will consider that,
under the difficulties of the past season, they have exer •
cised their jai,gment with a scrupulous attention to the
interests of the Proprietary at large, and that a very
short time has now to elapse before Dniry-lane will again
hold its former station as one of the two magnificent
theatres of this great metropolis."
Mr. WARING moved that the Report be received and
adopted.
Mr. SAMUEL WELLS felt some difficulty in seconding
the motion. lie was always ready to bear his testimony
to the services of the gentlemen by whom the affairs of
the Prop:letary were managed, but ho doubted much
whether it was a good precedent in public business to
leave the whole management of their property in the
hands of such a body. Ile would give them ell proper
confidence, but he must certainly object to their leasing
the theatre fur three years, without stating what the
terms were. Another part was the paying over of
1,4001. to the renters. Now these gentlemen, although
he did not mean to question their respectability, had no
share in his regard, seeing that They had never come for-
ward in an honourable and genceoas way to assist the
Proprietors or co-operate with them in one general exer-
tion for placing the affairs of the theatre on a better
footing. As they at present stood they were unable to give
a valid lease, and until, by the consent of the renters, they
were enabled to do that, he fur one would regret that any
portion of thoir funds had been 'paid over to them.
He would throw out a proposition , fur consideration—
let there be a joint Committee of renters and proprietors,
in order to see if they could devise some remedy for their
unfortunate situation. Let them meet and try some
means of making the most of the property. Their situa-
tion was extremely unpleasant, for he had no doubt the
present concealment arbie out of the fact that, because of
the division and disputes among themselves, it was im-
possible for them to give a vali 1 lease. He also thought
it would be most important that the Proprietors should
have soma knowledge of who their co proprietors were.
He would suggest the propriety and convenience of flay-
ing a general registry of all the Proprietors. Ile was
now in treaty for some shares from a gentleman who a
short time ago had no more conception of having any
title to these shares than he was Proprietor of the mines
of Golconda. If they had a registry they might get a
large meeting, and then they might come to some
arrangement.
A MEMBER of the COMMITTEE said there was a list
of the Proprietors in the books.
Mr. It AMSII3I7i3I, M.P., begged to thank Mr. Wells
for the valuable Suggestions which he had thrown out.
With respect to the desire of the Committee to conceal
the terms of the agreement with Mr. Macready, it was
a matter of prudence ; but if any Proprietor would wait
upon the Committee, which would sit on Thursday next,
he would receive the fullest information connected with
the agreement.
Mr. WELLS begged to suggest also, that if there were
members on the Committee who were disqualified, or
did not attend, they ought to be removed.
Sir B. B. CABBELL said the Committee had been very
constant in their attendance generally. lie was sorry they
were not in a situation to say in public on what terms
the Committee had agreed with Mr. Macready •, but he
would say that they were perfectly satisfied with them ;
and the Proprietors, as well as the Committee, were
aware that that gentleman was most honourable and
straightforward in all his dealings, and that his object
was to make an energetic attempt to restore the legiti-
mate drama to its proper standing, and that splendid
property to its former state.
Mr. WELLS believed there were some persons on the
Committee who were not qualified.
Mr. SPENCER begged to set himself right with the
Shareholders. Pie had proposed the name of Earl
Hardwicke as one of the Committee, on which occasion
the book was produced, and a sufficient number of shares
stood in the name of the Noble Lord to qualify him, and
he was elected. It afterwards turned out that the shares
were the property of his deceased father. The Noble
Earl had, therefore, no qualification. While he was ad-
dressing them, he would take the opportunity of say-
froTni Mr,
motion Wells.
was
Them
ing that he most hirEhly approved of all that had fallen
then agreed to.
andth
Mr. G
acted upon,tste,TitehelEt
theb suggestioneggedtosay a.
rfeilwirw.
Wellslsis
wloleuldsi
bne-
cerely
passe with
the
Prat the renters would proceed pari
o another?on a
s one
ri eto r s . 'their
body
w
di ifin
s
c ulti
pullinges
would
never be removed so
one
way, and the other way. lie was a Proprietor
of some original 100
1. shares, he had held them ever
since 1816, and he had never received ls. of interest
ulion the cost, therefore the renters
Macreadyr. was
were not the only
body who had a right to complain.
a man of credit, of high principle,
ho-
nourable mind. Only let both
paritesahonest and n
row the same
boat, aid him in his noble exertions, and the in
de not
far distant when Drury-lane would, like anothJPwhaees
rise from its ashes; or, rather, would surmount all its
difficulties.
Mr. ROBINS said he was speaking disinterestedly, for
he held only one or two renters shares, while lie held no
less than 60 of the unfortunate hundred pound shares. If
interest swayed him, he should be inclined to advocate
the claims of the Proprietors, but he contended that the
renters had a prior claim ; they had given up their 251.
for 121.105., and that had lately been reduced to 3/.63.8d.,
thesuggested
Proprietors that
they
who
should
had no e
row the
claim
at
all.
andsam enobwo.a
If that were done, he did not think they would ever re-
ceive one shilling.
itt withwas
Mr. RA MSBOTTOM said, if the renters foreclosed their
mortgage, the Proprietors could call upon the landlord
and obtain a new lease from him, that was the position
in which they would place themselves if they resorted to
any ulterior measures.
. Mr. GREGORY admitted that the renters had. a prior
claim, but since the theatre had been built, they had re-
ceived 60 or 70,0001., while the Proprietors had not
received one shilling in the way of profit. The fact was,
the joint-stock Proprietors had advanced a large sum of
money and received nothing, while the renters had had
their property considerably benefited by that loan, and
had received large sums.—(Hear, hear.) Such a state of
things, however, must at length come to a stop. Now,
he thought it the interest of both parties to uniteiastead