The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-29 00:00:00

The Oxford Commemoration.

OXFORD, Friday.
The " Shooting Stars" gave a supplementary per-
formance at. the Victoria Theatre last evening,
which, like its predecessors, proved a great success.
The members of Exeter College afterwards held
their annual ball, at the Corn Exchange, M. Jul-
lien again having the honour of conducting the
musical department. The attendance was large,
and the festive gathering passed off with the greatest
eclat. With this event the pleasures of the Com-
memoration may be sail to have ceased, the prose-
cution or " persecution" of the " Shooting Stars"
having taken place before the Oxford city magis-
trates ti.is morning. There was a full attendance
on the bench, the mayor, Mr. Spiers, presiding.
The information wi,s laid by Albert E. Jones, who
described himself as professor of elocation and pro-
fessional actor, residing at Alma-place, Cowley-
road, Oxford. There were in all 13 summonses,

the defendants being henry Groom, lessee of the
theatre, and the following gentlemen of the
University (members of the company known as the
" Shooting Stars"), who took part in the classical
burlesque of " Ariadne" :—Messrs. A. G. Bagnold
(Minos), W. E. Goschen (Theseus), F. M. Alleyne
(Mentor), E. H. Selfe (Phaedra), M. L. Cumming
(Ariadne), W. A. Heygate and W. G. Guillemard
(Pages), 11. J. Hood (Apollo), G. Gumbleton
(Bacchus), W. R. Barnes (Aurora), 'l'. Holme
(Flora), and W. R. Anson, (lliscordia). The
" informer" conducted his own case. Mr. G. Mal-
lam appeared for Mr. Groom, and Mr. Hawkins
(one of the university solicitors) for the " Shooting
Stars." The court was densely crowded, several
of the talented stars also beicg present. The charge
against the lessee of the theatre was that he kept
a certain place of public resort, situated in the
parish of St. Mary, Magdalen, Oxford, for the pub-
lic performance of stage plays, on the 22d of June,

to wit, the Victoria Concert Room, without autho-
rity in that behalf from her Majesty's Justices of
the peace for the said city, as required by the sta-.
tute, and that he did continue to keep the same
place open for one day after, to wit, on the 24th
day of June, 8:c. The precise charge against the
" stars" was that they did for hire act and present

there a certain part in a certain stage play, to
wit, " Ariadne," in a certain place, to wit, the
Victoria Concert Room, the said place not being
a patent theatre or duly licensed theatre under
the statute, &c. Mr. Jones said he appeared
there for the benefit of the members of the theatri-
cal profession, to support the information laid by
him on Tuesday last against Henry Groom, lessee
of the Victoria Concert Room, and a company of
theatricals known as the " Shooting Sturs," for
performing without a license. He paid 2s. 6d. at
the doors of the theatre on Monday evening, and a
check was given him for the money he paid, which
he delivered to a city constable in uniform. It was
a stage play, with all the adjuncts of scenery, &c.
Mr. Mallam, who admitted the facts complained of

and the lesseeship, submitted the prosecutor to a
desultory cross-examination, and made an able and
eloquent speech in favour of Mr. Groom, whose case
was heard first. He relied solely on the 23d sec-
tion of the Act of Parliament 6 and 7 Vic., cap. 48,
Which enacts that the words " stage play" shall be
taken to include every tragedy, comedy, farce,
opera, burletta, interlude, melodrama, pantomime,
or other entertainment of the stage or any part
thereof ; provided always that nothing herein con-
tained shall be construed to apply to any theatrical
representation in any booth or show which by the
justices of the peace, or other persons having
authority in that behalf, shall be allowed in any
lawful fair, feast, or customary meeting of
the like kind. Mr. Mallam endeavoured to
show that the performances of the amateur
theatricals during the Commemoration week,
and which had been allowed to go on from year to
year without interference, were a part and parcel
of the Oxford Commemoration, and therefore came
within the category of " lawful fairs, feasts, or cus-
tomary meeting of the like kind," ani took the case
out of the act, and on that ground he urged he was
entitled, according to the reasonable, fair, and
genuine meaning of the clause, to ask the magis-
trates to dismiss the summons. The clerk to the
magistrates (Mr. Jacob) Laving given it as his
opinion that the Commemoration was not a "fair,"
nor "of a like kind," and stated that the Victoria
Concert Room was rated for the relief of the poor,
the magistrates retired to the Council Chamber,
and having sent for the parties concerned the public
were shortly afterwards admitted. The Mayor said
the magistrates had well considered the case, and as
it was understood that the present intormation
should include the three days not included, they
had determined on fining Mr. Groom ten shillings
for each day, and as the young men did not inten-
tionally break the law, they would be fined ten
shillings each person. The decision was received
with loud applause.

The Mediterranean.

MALTA, June 23.

Her Majesty's screw steam transport Tamar, 6,
Captain W. Sullivan, C. 8., arrived in Malta, yes-
terday morning from Portsmouth and Queenstown,
having on board her Majesty's 31st Regiment of
Foot under the command of Colonel R. J. Eager,
which is to relieve the 29th Foot. The 31st landed
yesterday afternoon, aid the 29th will probably
embark on board the Tamar about the 28th inst.
for Canada.
The other screw steam transport Simoom, 6, Cap-
tain Lethbridge, is expected in Malta about the end
of the present month froni Gibraltar, where she was
to laud the Ist battalion of 13th Foot which she
had embarked at QICCLIStOWII. On arrival in Malta
the Tamar will embark the 51 brigade of the Royal
Artillery, under the command of Colonel G. R. H.
Kennedy, which is to relieve the other batteries now
serving in Canada, Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.
The screw steam gunboat Tyrian, Lieutenant
Commander the Hon. V. Montagu, arrived at Malta
on Thursday last from Candia, having been relieved
at that port by the gunboat Wizard, 2. The Eng-
lish yacht Mara, Captain It. B. Sheridan, M.P.
(owner) also arrived from Candia a few days ago,
and left again on Thursday for Marseilles. These
vessels do not report any progress on the part of
Omar Pacha in his efforts to quell the insurrection ;
and it appears it is not at all probable that the best
endeavours of the pacha will be crowned with the
desired success. The insurgents still continued to
receive supplies and ammunition from Syra, by
the Greek steamer Areadion.
The ironclad frigate Royal Oak, 35, Captain the
Hon. G. D. Keane, has received orders from Eng-
land by telegraph to return home, to be paid off.
On Thursday last, the 20th inst., royal salutes
were fired from all the batteries and the men of war
in port, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the
accession of her Most Gracious Majesty Queen
Victoria.
The English men-of-war at present lying in this
port /the Royal Oak and Prince Consort, iron-
clads ; the Tamar, troopship ; the Tyriah, gunboat,
andthe Cruiser, corvette.

The Duke and Duchess d'Aosta visited the
Palace and Parks of Versailles on Wednesday. Prince
Humbert went there yesterday, and extended his excursion
as far as the Military School of St. Cyr.
TERRIBLE FIRE IN THE OLD KENT-ROAD.—The
inhabitants of the Old Kent-road and adjoining thorough-
faros will not easily forget the scenes of confusion that
existed throughout last night and this morning, arising.
out of the great fire that occurred shortly before midnight..
At noon to-day the fire had only been safely extinguished,
and, although most of Shand, Mason, and Co.'s land
steamers had been " knocked off," it was found necessary
to have a continuous supply of water to pass through Beck
and Co.'s patent hydrants upon the smouldering debris, iu
case of a fresh outbreak. The damage done by the disaster
has proved to be far more serious than was at first antici-
pated ; and how it was that so many large buildings in the
Old Kent-road were not entirely destroyed, may be attri-
butable principally to the indomitable perseverance of the
firemen, and the vast streams of water thrown upon the
flames by the steam land engines. The flames, however,
literally speaking, have laid in ruins buildings which
covered nearly half an acre of land.
HER MAJESTY'S BOUNTY.—This timely relief
was yesterday handed to Mrs. Emma Roberts, of Bryan-
street, Hanley, who has recently given birth to three
children.. The Royal gift was obtained through the in-
strumentality of the Rev. J. Bramell, curate in charge of
Hanley Old