The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-26 00:00:00

GELhBRATION OF SIIAKSPEBE'S BIt.TR-
DAY AT STRATFORD-UPON-AVON.

THE DINNER AT THE HALL,
At five o'clock in the evening, was attended by up-
wards of rights gonilein n ; the Presidential honours
by Wojainin Webster, E q., of the Theatre•Royal,
Adeloi, London ; a9d tho Vice-chair was filled by Dr.
Tito musical arrangements were highly satis-
tac, ory

Thf7opual loyal toasts havn g been drunk with much
enthus,aem,

Mr, WEBSTER proposed " The immortal memory of
Shale-p -r.." (Loud cheering) He (the chairman) could
see by the way in whiei they received the toast that they
were aware it was the toast of the evening ; he need
scarcely tell them bow inadequate he felt to do justice
to it, and therefore asked their kind indulgence towards
the few remarks he might make in connexion with it.
(Applause.) He scarcely knew how to trust himself
upon such a theme; it was unique and glorious : Shake-
pere, in his powerful touches of nature, had exhausted
old worlds and created new, so that it was impossible to
do adequate justice to it. The genius of Shakspere
seemed to light up the darkness of the middle ages,
towering above all other nations, and enthroned above
them aq if by one voice. In Germany Shakspere was a
household word, and in France and America there was
not ktable or shelf but what was enriched by his writ-
ings. It was no w nder that the authorship of such
wondrous works shou'd be questioned ; and it had been
positively asserted that " Shakspere" was written by
Lord Bacon. (Hear, bear, and laughter.) This, he
repeated, could not be surprised at, when at the present
day they were actually questioning the motions of the
moon. The OhAirtimu osiii fu,tnta vnlalgod upuu Olialan•
pere as being the poet of nature, and also to his con-
nexion with Edward Allen, who was also a highly-
gifted man, and a brother actor. Both deserved well of
mankind, and God rest their souls ! The toast was
drink in solemn s le, ce.

Mr. CARPENTER then proposed " The Drama." In
doing so he observed that beautiful as was religion, in
the writings of the drama more excellence could be found
than in many a sermon preached in the fashionable
churches of England ; and in them the pumps and vani-
ties of this u orld were truthfully depicted. He would
pi repose " Success to the British Dram t." (Three times
three, and one cheer more for Mr. Webster.)
The VICE CHAIRMAN proposed the health or Mr. Web-
ster which was drunk with three times three.
The CEAIRIIAN, in responding, stated how highly he
felt the compliment which had been paid him by being
placed in the chair on such an occasion. He was proud
~f his connexion with the drama; he took great interest
,in it and was happy to say he bad thriven by it. Ile
was proud of his profession, although at the time he en-
tered it, by Act of Parliament, the members of it were
designat: das vagallonds. This was a strange contrast
to the time nf Shakspere, when every actor was allowed
to sign himself as gentleman ; and this fact they would
find in the record. of that p rind. Now, however, they
were assured of their gentility, and treated as human
b ings. la conclu-ion he begged to thank them for the
cordial way in which the toast had been received.
(Great applau=e.)
Mr. ELvitis, in proposing "The worshipfultheMayor,
and Pro. pr to the borough of Stattord-upon-Avon,"
p id a tribute of respect to the memory of the late
Mr. Sheldon.

The 111Avox responded to the toast.
'I he 11,v. Mr. LEA responded to the toast of "The
Vicar and the clergy."
The subst quent toasts vrnr3, "L3rd Ellesmere and
the Sha,z,,D(re Soci.ty " "Prosperity to the Roya 1
Shaksperem C.ub ;" "Lord Carlisle, and the London
ennmit'ee, and subscribers to the Shakspere House
Fund ; " "The Lord Lieut. of the County of Warwick;"
"The War wickkhire La. ses ;" and "The Visitors."
The conviviality of the evening was kept up till a late
hour.

LORD DALHOUSIE'S PENSION.—The Court of Director
of tbn E tst India Company have voted an annuity of
5,000/. to the Marquis of Dalhousie, late Governor-
Gent-ral of India. A general court of the company, at
which the directors' resolution will he submitted for ap
pro"al, is called for Wednesday, May 14.
SUBMARINE CABLE ACROSS THE UMBER.—The want
of direct telegraphic communication between this port
and London having long been felt as a great disadvantage
to the mercantile community, the Electric Telegraph
C tmpany have determined to afford the req iisite facilities
the extension cf a wire for the purpose, by the way of
Grimsby and P. terborough, crossing the Humber just
above the pier at New Holland. The direct communica-
tion to London will in al probability be completed by
the middle if May. A second cable, for the purpose of
a direct communication with Grimsby, is cont,mplated,
as well as similar direct wires to Manchester and other
t►wns.—Laste'n Countie.l Herald.
THE NAvIGATION IN THE BALTIC.—The following ad-
vices, relatinz to the navigation i❑ the Baltic, were re-
ceived at Lloyd's yesterday :—St. Petersburg, April 17
—The port of Cronscadt is expected to be free from ice
be weer the 13th and 20th May. The first Stettin
steamers are a Ivertised to start on the 17th May.--Bol-
deraa, April 15—The ice is fast as far as the White
Church. The northerly wind has again driven large
ma 'see of ice towards the coast.—Riga, April 17—The
ce in the river has been in motion for some days, and
to-day the water is almost free, so that in about eight
days at latest the re-opening of the naVigation may be
expected.

ROYAL SWEDISH RAILWAY.—At the meeting of the
Royal Swedish Railway, held yea relay, Mr. J. Rhodes
presiding, the report of the committee of investigation
was received, and a new body of directors was appointed.
The shareholders, however, declined to pees resolutions
authorising the issue of preference stock at the rate of 7
per cent. for five years, and afterwards to bear 6 per
cert., to raise the 350,000/. which it is stated will be
necessary to complete the line, until they shall have had
time to digest the contents of the document presented,
and a short adjournment, after come discussion, was
consequently agreed to. It appears to be considered
that the undertakit g may be resuscitated, and that, if
the Swedish Government can be induced to restore its
lost privileges, there is a prospect of all classes of pro-
prietors eventually deriving benefit. The geographical
Position of the railway, its relation to various other
lines in course of formation, and the encouragement
afforded by the native pepulati n to the introduction of
tt is species of communication encourage a belief that
tho traffic will be largo and remunerative. As it was
intimated that only about 50,0001. will be required to
carry out the first section, it was suggested that the
better plan will be to raise a limited amount, so that
advantage may be hereafter taken of an easier state of
the money-market. It was, however, explained that
the claims of creditors must likewise be settled, the
whole if whist, have hitherto been forborne to suit the
cumvoEienco of the company, ne frauds of the hate
?Jr. J. SaJleir and tho Leglig,rice of his colleagues re-
ceived geueral condemration ; but the detaee was prin-
cipally directed to the measures proposed for Tutoring
the property to a more favourable pooition,

The thirtyseeend anniversary dinner of the Royal
Sbakeperean Club, in cenememoration of the natal day
of the immortal bard, was held in Shakspere's Hall, on
the 23d instant; The town on this jeyous occa-ion was
say and animated ; banners and flags-were displayed
from all the public buildings ; the bells of the parish
church rang merrily; and the day was marked by all
the features of a general holiday.
At eleven o'clock in the morning, the "Birth-place
Committee" held a meeting at the ball, under the presi-
dency of D. Rice, Esq., the mayor of the town. There
were also present Messrs. W. 0. Hunt, E. Adams, E.
Gibbs, J. Atkinson, and J. S. Leaver: The minutes of
the last meeting were read and confirmed, and a finance
committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs. A. B.
Wheler, W. 0. Hunt, J. Atkinson, D. Rice, E. F.
Flower—three to form a quorum, and to meet quarterly.
The following gentlemen were added to the committee--
Mesere. F. Keridale, H. B. Sowdon, H. Kingsley, M.D.,
H. Stanley, C. Lucy, and K. M. Bird. A letter was
all before the meeting from Dr. Thomson, giving in his
resignation as President of the Society, an office which
he had held for many years to the satisfaction of every
o:.•e connected with it. The Dr. had been one of the
steadiest supporters of the club from its commencement,
and ho took a most active part i❑ raisin the fund for the
'purchase of the birth-place of Shakspere. A vote of
thanks was unanimously passed to him for his valuable
~ervices, and-Dr. Kin esley was elected to the vacant office.
Lire Secretary, Mr. J. S. Leaver, read the following re-
port, which was adopted unanimously :—" Annual Report
f the Shakesperean Club for the year ending 23d
April, 1856 :—E, er since 1847, when the Committee
wade the purchase of the "birth-place" and premises,
rimy had been in expectation of being able to announce
the liquidation of the debt incurred by the Committee for
the completion of the purchase ; and this year they have
r hat gratifying information to give, and the society is now
free of debt, in relation to the liability so long existing.
The. original sum formed from the Bank was 4701. se-
cured to the Bauk by a note, signed by your president,
and Messrs. W. 0. Hunt, C. H. Brapebridge, Flower,
and D. Rice, which was cancelled in November 22d
last ; the interest paid on it amounted to 751. 4s.
11d. In the effort, the Committee have felt it their
duty to make, to remove the debt they have been'obliged
Ito incur, some further t'•eh;lities in the necessary re-
pairs of the " birth place" and adjoining houses, and in
' paving the front of the house, to the amount of upwards
••,f 1001., but, at the same time, they have pleasure in
saying the whole of the property is tenanted, and with
the doeatiorie fram victors, and some other sources of
income, they are sanguine of being in a position to make
a very satisfactory report at the next festival. A return
is expected to be made from the L')ndon Committee.
Ae soon as that is receive], an abstract of the account
will be cr fully prepared, and with a list, of contributors
t• tie fund, hang up in tee birth-place. The finances
of the Club show a sm, 11 halaeice in favour of the trea-
surer, but the liabilities allured to render that eco-
nomy will be necese ry in order to carry out the views
of the committee. The committee cannot close this re-
port without alluding, with feelings of deep regret, to
the lamented death of their treeitrer and valuable sup-
porter,
Mr. William Sheldon,—his active participation
in the anxieties attending the purchase of the birth-place,
—hi= marline a to cn•operate with them in any matter
that m!ght tend to the improvement of the property or
the advaetage of the society, render his loss a severe
one, and the members generally arid the committee, we
ar, confident, will sympathise with them in their ex-
pression of regret at the demise of one who had been so
Ling associated with them The committee also report
teat upwards of two thousand visitors have placed their
names in the visitors' book at the birthplace ; although
this return gives the names only Of those who enter
them in the book, it a lows an estunat, to be made as to
the actual number of persons who arnually visit the
birth-;r lace, and hich the committee incline to consider
as very considerably more than the number of names
shown.