The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-19 00:00:00

THE NAV .1 L _RESERVE.

SHIELDS, Dec. 15.—During the recent long de-
tention of a large fleet of coal laden vessels in the
Tyne, considerable interest was taken in the subjee',
of the Naval Reserve by the more intelligent of the
ablebodied north country seamen, as it was see
that men belonging to that force were earning their
guinea a week in drill on board the Castor man-a,
war, lying in the harbour, at the time the men ou!
of the Reserve were walking about with their hands
in their pockets. While Tyne vessels are in the
harbour loading, or lying loaded, the crews are
earning no wages, their engagement being for the
voyage; and many of them having been detained
a month in port by the recent foul winds, their
families are likely to endure considerable hardships,
as with the detention many of them will not seln"
plete the voyage for which they signed under two
months. Recently, in consequence of the satisfaY
tory explanations that have been given, the wen,
have been joining the Reserve at North Shields a'
the rate of 25 a day. But as more information was
asked, it was deemed by some intelligent seamen
glut it would be a good thing to call a body of the
men together, and a meeting has just been held in
the Long-room of the local Marine Board, which,.
was extremely well attended by seamen, and which
was very unanimous and enthusiastic. Mr. C. -I"''
Greenhow, the shipping master of North Shields,
who has given a good deal of attention to the sub'
ject, was the principal speaker. He passed in ire-
view the circumstances that had induced the people
of England to overhaul their defences and which
had caused about 100,000 of the best men of the
country to enroll and drill themselves as volunteer!
in the land service. He said that our sailors stood
unequalled as such, but in the present position of the
naval defences of the country something more than
seamanship was needed ; it was essential that a nub"
ber of men should be kept constantly trained in
gunnery, so that in case of emergency our shores
should not be left to the protection of raw levies,
but that our maritime power should be defended and
upheld by trained gunners as well as able seamen.
A commission sat some time ago, he said, to make in-
quiries as to the best means of attaining that object;
various propositions were submitted to the commis'
sioners, but at length it was determined that a
reserve of 30,000 able seamen should in the interval!
of their employment be properly trained to defend
the shores of their beloved land. The terms had
been most liberal to the seamen entering this ser-
vice. They would be paid 30s. a•quarter, have e
pension at 55 of £l2 a•year, and after 10 3 ears,
service they would have the preference of Coast-
guard appointments. The only obligation upon,
them was, that they should undergo four weeks
drill in the 12 months, for which they would reedit'
a guinea a-week, the hours being two and a half in
the morning, and two and a half in the afternoon,
and their drill would be so arranged as not to pre-
vent them following their ordinary employment at
sea. They would be protected from any of the
contingencies that might arise in case of war, and
under no circumstances that might arise would
they be called upon for any Other duty than that at
the defence of the United Kingdom. Mr. Greenhoirf
after appealing to the patriotism of the Tyne meg,
hoped that if any seaman had any question to put,
or remark to make, he would do it, and concluded
amid considerable applause. Thomas Wells, who
had formerly been a boatswain in her Majesty'S
service, said that he himself had offered to join the
Reserve, but, as he was above 40, he was net
eligible. He enteredinto details with regard to the
Reserve, and thought the terms extremely fair,
and such as seamen of the age eligible for the or'
vice should accept. Charles Barker, another tart
highly approved of the advantages of the Reserve,
as affecting the Tyne seamen, who were a domes-
ticated and home loving set f men. He said the
money that they would be entitled to draw ever,'
quarter would pay for their house and firing, and
the four weeks' drill under ordinary circumstance.
would not interfere with their regular employment.
He could speak for the Tyne men, that if the shore%
of England should ever be threatened by the foreign
foe, they, like their forefathers, would be ready to
drive the enemy from the waters of the North Sea.
William Ward, a very intelligent seaman, followed
with a fluent and well delivered speech. He had
no hesitation in saying that the reason why so mail
of the more intelligent of the north country seamen
held back from joining the reserve was the indis-
criminate flogging that was permitted in the aavf.
The men had no objection to a thief or a very bad
character undergoing that punishment, but its india'
criminate use was strongly objected to, and pre'
vented good men from joining. Several other sea-
men made remarks favourable to the movement,
and the proceedings concluded with three cheers for
the Reserve, and three cheers:for Mr. Greenhovr.
Since the meeting a dozen seamen have joined, and
a great number more would have given in their
names had not the immense fleet moving out of the
Tyne called " all hands on board."

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.

The title of the pantomime here is " Robinson
Crusoe, or, Harlequin Friday and the King of the
Caribbee Islands;' ;the grotesque opening is invented
and written by Mr. Henry J. Byron, and combines
the features of carefully written burlesque with the
broader characteristics of good old fashioned knock'
about pantomime. Of course the greatest liberties
have been taken with Defoe, in order to concoct
something like a drama from the long string Of
personal adventure, unrelieved by feminine interest,
which goes to make up the mass of the books of
" Robinson Crusoe :" but Mr. Byron has, by laying
his first scene in Hull, before the departure of
Robinson, and introducing a heroine into the plot,
contrived to give additional variety to the situation,'
of the piece without, to any great extent, destroy'
ing the illusions of oar childhood. In the first
scene we find pretty Jenny Pigtail (Miss Murray)
the object of ambition to Captain Will Atkins
(Nlr. J. G. Shore), a pirate, who in attempting to
carry her off is knocked down by Robinson Crusoe,
the accepted of Jenny's heart; Crusoe (Mr. Garden)
is, however, not destined to enjoy his triumph long,
for on his way with Jenny to be married he is
stopped by the recreant Atkins, who has betrayed
him to the pressgang, carried him away to one of
his Majesty's vessels, while Atkins and his myrmi•
dons bear away the fainting Jenny. We then
come to the black abode of King Tyranny (Mr.
Raymond), who, while he is rejoicing over
the success of his protege Atkins, receives an
unwelcome visit from his enemy Liberty (Miss
Rose Leclercq). The audience is here shewn
the progress and wreck of Crusoe's vessel, by
means of some beautifully executed dissolving
views, and, as it is a law of Christmas that a
bright scene must follow a dark one, is treated with
a view of " The Lucid Labyrinths of Liberty Hall,"
where a ballet occurs in which Mdlle. Marie Dumi-
fia pn pde acrraunscoee
Espinosa), who escapes from Hoke?
ina Enndngislanand.imallsn, next
e sheeenriefiwrset
latre, of continental renown, will
and are introduced
to Friday (M.
Pokee and Wanky Fern (Messrs. Moreland and
R. Cathcart), and is engaged as servant and goes
off with his master rejoicing. In the next scene,
Crusoe's dwelling, we find Friday installed and
attempting to carry out Crusoe's instructions in
the manufacture of a pie. If we mistake not this
scene will prove one of the most hilarious of the
season and we will not spoil the pleasure of our
youthful readers by anticipatory comments thereon,
suffice it to say, that the King of the Carib-
bee Islands, who rejoices in the name of Hoop"
dedoodendo (Mr. Saker), is entirely put to
the rout together with his Caribbean confreres. BY
that extraordinary destiny which governs things
pantomimic, Atkins's vessel, with Jenny on board,
has been wrecked on Crusoe's island; unfortunate
Miss Pigtail is seen by the King, and is about to
be added to his already ample list of squaws, when
Friday, by his adroitness and bravery, contrives
her escape. An Indian dance of a novel and
exciting nature occurs in this part of the piece, in
which Espinosa figures prominently, and exhibits
a variety of those terpsichorean feats which asto-
nished the town so last year. The opening is wound
up by a fierce minor-theatrical combat by Crusoe
and Atkins, assisted by the animals, and especially
the dog. who awakes reminiscences of the Forest
of Bondy," and other canine dramas—the total rout
of Atkins and the unequivocal triumph of the
lovers. The transformation scene is most brilliant.
la t he comic business there will be the usual changes,
kicks, and cuffs, including a skating dance, by the
same artists who created such an effct in it when

" The Prophet" was produced this last opera season
at Covent Garden, and also another pas de charac-
terc for the celebrated Princess's corps de ballet, in
which they are expected to rival their celebrated
rifle corps dance. Mr. Forrest, who created such a
favourable impression last Christmas, is again the
clown. The entire scenery of the pantomime, by
Mr. Telbin and Mr. Gates, will be found to com-
bine artistic excellencelwith the necessary amount
of glitter deemed indispensable at Christmas.
Everything which trouble, taste, and liberality
can do has been done, and Mr. Harris may look
14rward hopefully to a success even surpassing that
of his last year's pantomime of " Jack the Giant
Killer."

haE
son
hib
eve

reci
Bat
met
and

a sl
bur

1100

Mat
X4C
X 2(

Was

veer
20,(

at tl

sold

Com
from

speci
TI
20th
X 53,
total
aecoi

in th
varia
to-da.
favou

the n

a decl
921 9;
Exchf

impro
Ceded
An
acted
import
to 721
are Ste

give al

Cents.
Belgial

The
have b
cipal u
qttotati

_ firIOEIS

kanchi
kidlan
have de,
Northe]

The
shown
toolbar
Canada
of Cana

Joint
been -

Orienta
4; and

o:lhadiniiikaan t6oo
sst
New
Cen
.lev, 3 pe
kuntitie
Ditto fi
Ditto Del
aoltsols f
.%Xcheqw
D tto
Ditto E.
nratilian
Ditto 4
Peruvian
I,_Ditto A

r°rtugtie
b• itto
°Panish 3
Ditto A.
Ditto N
Ditto A
„Ditto t':
„,'sl)aui4.ll
▪ Itrkish
Ditto N
Ditto A.

t Izi 1M
an, 4
Dutch Ex
I),tto C

Con

CHIC

, The p
'"113., Ca
the abov

_ •
The bi
4 large c
The I
ho
l ered 01
ere say
1"
'4l'd th

On thl
41°Yal B
tlici, on
't• Jean

The P
masts ga
1/111.11 Mel
Oibra]

It is st
koveltiee i
to
At-walk
ot —.ger ;
Lthe rem
het og be
ZB4lting
t
%Maimed

::At
ad
saenttruti
tt:A-111 igeda 'fie
cpn
tro rig
distr
ge none'

season

charac-
xllet,in
!brated

such a

in the

ne, by

) C OM-

mount

stmax.

~rality

y look
g that
Giant