The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-20 00:00:00

IRE SUN, LO N DON FRIDAY, JAN UA RY 20, 1871.

to make, and to lay between Dunkirk and Bordeaux. The
point was argued at length last week, and the judgment was
given a day or two since, Sir R J. Phillimore ordering
the unconditional release of the vessel, but refusing to
condemn the Government in damages and costs. Both
parties obtained leave to appeal—the Crown against the
release, and the owners on the question of damages and costs.
An arrangement has since been made by which th e
Crown consents to forego the right of appeal in considera-
tion of the owners abandoning their claim for damages.
The matter is, therefore, dropped, and the order for the
releaSe of the vessel will at once take effect.
Mrs. Giacometti, or, as she prefers to be called, " Mrs.
Giacometti Prodgers," whose disputes with various metro-
politan cabdrivers have formed the subject of more than one
magisterial investigation, has figured in what is known
among the habituis as the " Scandal Court." She mar-
ried an Austrian, refused to live with him, and was
ordered to return and treat him with conjugal affection.
She has not done so, and an attachment against her lies in
the registry of the Divorce Court, which will be exe-
cuted if the lady fails to comply with the order.
" Mrs. Prodgers," to judge from appearances, is about
forty years of age, and is blessed with a profusion of light
hair. She is generally accompanied by her two sons, and
with them was in Court on Tuesday, when in the case of
Milne v. Milne and Fowler, she had the pleasure of
hearing her own case cited as one where a woman possess-
ing property, and being in the wrong, was ordered to pay
the costs,. This particular court enjoys the notoriety of
bringing certain individuals into unenviable publicity, and
Mrs. Giacometti, nee Prodgers, seems bidding fair to be-
come one of them.
There is a whisper, and I only give it for what it is
worth, that a certain probate suit which was tried some
five or six years ago, and where the property in dispute
was over £500,000, is likely to be revived. When last
before the court it excited great interest, and took many
days before it was disposed of.
" Britons never shall be slaves" sounds well in
theory ; but I am afraid that a good many of the witnesses
examined before the Truck Commissioners think
differently. Fancy men with families earning eight or
nine shillings a week in the nail trade, and having to deal
at " tommy shops," and pay, as one witness said, sixpence
halfpenny, or perhaps sevenpence, for fivepence halfpenny
sugar, or twopence more a pound for butter than the
other shops in the town vend the same article at ! It
is sincerely to be hoped that the Commissioners—whose
pertinacity in-obtaining answers from reluctant witnesses
is to be highly commended—will find some practical sug-
gestions to make on this monstrous robbery of some of the
poorest and most ignorant of our fellow-countrymen.
It would not be surpsising if some Black Friday, some
prodigious ruin, were to overwhelm the dramatic world.
The state of affairs is far from reassuring. Several new
theatres have lately been opened here, and it is becoming
pretty evident that there are neither audiences to fill them
nor plays to act in them. Speculation in this line has
gone beyond reasonable limits. The new theatres have
diminished the profits of the old, whilst the new them•
selves are not as a rule very prosperous. For the most
part the best plays prove the greatest attraction (which
was not the case of yore) ; but then so few plays can be
called even moderately good. The pantomimes grow more
and more childish ; the burlesques, good and bad, are as
much alike as the Mysteries of the Middle Ages ; and of
the more legitimate classes we have versions of Charles
Dickens's works, mostly with all the Dickensonian flavour
left out, such impossible conglomerations of crime and immo-
rality as "Jezebel," and rechauffs like " Fernande." What
is required is a pretty strong addition to the existing body
of dramatic authors. The talented members of this corps
are indeed very few in number, much overworked, and
through good fortune liable to neglect their reputation.
What can we expect in the way of good work from men who
find themselves able to realise a handsome competence by
knocking off plays at the rate of one in a fortnight Mr.
Robertson is a specimen of an overworked dramatic
author, who has come to grief in consequence
of hasty production. His new piece, " War "
has met with a wretched receptirn at the St.
James's Theatre. It is eertainly below Mr. Robert-
son's mark ; but the audience, especially on the
second night, carried their disapprobation far beyond the
limits which the demerits of the piece could justify. An
Irresistible tendeacy to laugh seized them in
the middle of the second act. Once fairly
started, there was- no checking the movement.
The most serious passages of such a serious subject as
" War," were regarded as comic, and scene after scene of
gravity was greeted with explosions of merriment from all
parts of the house. And so the play was " damned."
There must be a good deal of luck In these things, for
I never knew a dramatic performance so treated before.
Some curious facts have come to my knowledge which
may serve to shew the feeling of the Londoners touching
the war. Mr. Strachan's excellent burlesque, " Cceur
de Lion," performing at the Strand Theatre, is founded on
Sir Walter Scott's story, " The Talisman." An Austrian
Archduke is one of the characters, and it is part of the
action that King Richard should trample on the Austrian
flag. Unfortunately it happens that the individual who
represents the Archduke bears a wonderful re-
semblance to Bismarck, and the audience, quite
regardless of the Austrian colours, at once identify
him with the obnoxious Prussian statesman, and go
wild with enthusiasm when the flag is trampled upon.
The Prussians resident in London, who ought to know the
difference between the Austrian colours and their own,
if Englishmen do not, are much aggrieved, and I hear
that numerous complaints have been forwarded to the
Lord Chamberlain, asking him to put a stop to this
"insult" to the Prussian flag. Of course the Lord
Chamberlain can do nothing, even if that not very active
personage thought proper. When the Prussians discovei
their mistake they will probably demand that the Austrian
Archduke should, at least, be represented by somebody
who does not resemble Bismarck.
Mr. Foley, R.A., whose group for the South Kensing-
ton Memorial of the Prince Consort is just at present
calling forth sincere expressions of praise from all art
critics, has been perhaps more energetic in working for his
own country, Ireland, than for us in England. I was
struck in the early part of this week, when I had occasion
to visit Dublin, with three statues by this artist in that
city. They all stand within one hundred yards of each
other, two, those of Oliver Goldsmith and Edmund
Burke, being in bronze, and the third, that of Smith
O'Brien, in white marble. The last work is some-
thing marvellous in execution, the chiselling upon the
face and hands of the patriot appearing exqui-
sitely and accurately finished. The statue is perhaps
the finest in the Irish capital, as that of King William the
Third, " the Orange King," is the worst.
By-the-bye, some of your readers may be preparing for
a trip to Ireland, via the London and North-Western
Railway. Let me assure them that they need not fear
being squeezed in crowded carriages, if they are not afraid
of going at either extremity of the " Limited Mail." I
was very much amused at finding the central carriages of
the train positively crammed at Euston, the other evening,
and on asking the reason, I learnt that the recent acci-
dents tempted the passengers to security against danger
from collision at either end, and so they took possession of
the centre. On this line of railway foot-warmers are pro-
vided at London and Chester.
There was much excitement among the tradesmen in
Dublin this week, in consequence of the anticipated arrival
of the Marquis of Hartington, who will, they expect,
be as liberal to " a chosen few " as Mr. Fortescue has
been.
.ed

A YOUNG IIoPF,PuL.—On Tuesday, at Liverpool
a lad, only 10 years of age, named James Clare, was
brought up on the charge of breaking into the warehouse
of Mr. P. D. Garton, a tradesman of the town, and
stealing a considerable quantity of goods. The prisoner
blew the lock from the door with gunpowder. He was re-
manded.

THE ►SPRING} ClRClllTS.—Yesterday the judges
closed the Spring Circuits, as follows :—Home.—The
Lord Chief Justice of England (Sir A. J. E. Cockburn,
Bart., and Mr. Justice Hannen. Oxford.—Lord Chief
Justice Bovill and Mr. Justice Montague Smith.
Norfolk.—The Lord Chief Baron and Mr. Justice Black-
burn. Northern. —Mr. Baron Martin and Mr. Justice
Wiles. Western. —Mr. Justice Byles and Mr. Baron Pigott.
Midland.—Mr. Justice Brett and Mr. Baron Cleasby.
North Wales.—Mr. Baron Bramwell. South Wales.—
Mr. Justice Mellor. Mr. Justice Lush remains in town.
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