The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-22 00:00:00

SPIRIT LICENSES IN THEATRES.

Yesterday a meeting was held at the Pheasant
tavern, Stangate, for the purpose of taking mea-
sures to procure a repeal of the section in the Act of
the sth and 6th Wm. IV., which permits the sale of
spirits, wines, &c., in theatres.
Mr. HARRIS, who occupied the chair, stated the
object of the meeting. He regretted that many of
the theatres were being converted into public-houses
—baribeing set up in the pit, the boxes, and the
gallery to supply the public with spirits, wine
and beer, and whatever else they wanted. This,
however, applied to some of the managers only.
Others—and amongst them were the most respect-
able managers in London—were quite opposed to
the sale of spirits, &c., in their theatres. It was
quite contrary to the intention of the Act of Parlia-
ment that theatres should be converted into tap rooms,
and the most respectable portion of the public were
opposed to any such system. If the managers of
theatres would only produce good pieces and pay
good actors, they would draw the public to their
houses without the additional excitement of a
public house. It was also unfair to the licensed
victuallers, who paid highly for their licenses, that
managers of theatres were allowed to lease their
theatres for the sale of drink. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. CLARKSON said he was quite unconnected
with managers or licensed victuallers, but he
came there to state that the actors, as a body,
were quite opposed to, and indeed disgusted with,
the practice of selling spirits, &c., in theatres. It
was bringing odium and disgrace on the profession
of the drama. He begged, therefore, to move
the following resolution :—" That in the opinion
of this meeting the recent alteration, by which
the lessees of theatres have been enabled to sell
wines, spirits, &c., is highly impolitic, dangerous to
the safety of the public, and subversive of the best
interests of the drama."

Mr. CHAPLlNseconded the resolution, which was
carried unanimously.
A petition to Parliament, setting forth the wishes
of the meeting, was moved by Mr. ADAMS, and
was unanimously adopted, after which the proceed-
ings terminated.

HOMER V. TAUNTON-THE HINCKLEY FRAME-
WORK KNITTERS' STRIKE—LIBEL.—This case Was re
sumed yesterday in the Court of Exchequer. The jury
found a verdict for the plaintiff on both issues—damages,
I&

FAST LIFE.—On hears of little Toussoun Pasha,
heir apparent to the Viceroy of Egypt, visiting Paris and
London with his suits, and chatting fluently in French and
English, all at the precocious age of seven. Let us hope
the young Egyptian may turn out too fast, as well as
Tou-sown.—Punch.
LAMENTABLE SUICIDE.--On Tuesday last an in-
quest was hold at the Plough Inn, Boddicote near Banbury,
before Mr. J. Churchill, coroner, on the body of the Rev.
George Mawson Nelson, 8.D., late Follow of Magdalen
College, Oxford, who committed suicide at his residence,
Boddicote Grange, by shooting himself with a gun on the
previous day. The first witness who was examined was
William Townsend, footman to the deceased, who stated
that he had been in the service of the rev. gentleman about
nine years, and during the last six weeks or two months ho
had witnessed a great change in his conduct. On Monday
morning, when he was removing the breakfast things, he
asked deceased how he was, and he said he felt better, but
he was afraid he should soon be as bad as ever. It appears
that the deceased subsequently went into tho library, where
Mrs. Nelson and other ladies were assembled, and after re-
maining there some time ho retired to his dressing-room
and was never seen again alive. Mrs. Nelson werirM-ffie
dressing-room to see if the deceased was there, and tapped
at the door, but received no answer; and on one of the
servants reaching the window of the sleeping-room by
means of a ladder, the deceased was found lying on his side,
with his back towards the door, and a gun and walking-
stick near to him. There was no doubt that deceased had
committed the rash act, as the door was bolted on the
inside and the gun had recently been discharged. 1t
appeared from the evidence of Dr. Rye, •f Banbury,
whe had attended the deceased during the past month,
that he had often complained of want of sleep and
great difficulty in arranging his accounts. He was fre-
quently in a very excited state as to ordinary matters
of business, and at tho request of Mrs. Nelson he
saw the deceased on Sunday last, after he had been to
church, when ho found him suffering under the delusion
of his supposed pecuniary difficulties. He prescribed an
opiate, which deceased took with the best possible effect,
and was much better on Monday morning; but he gave di-
rections that he should be watched, as he thought his ex-
cited state of his mind was such as might induce him to
commit suicide. The jury, after a short deliberation, re-
turned as their verdict—" That deceased shot himself with
a gun while labouring under temporary insanity." The Rev.
J. D. Gould, vicar of Boddicote, was present during the
inquiry. The melancholy event has created great excite-
ment in the neighbourhood. The deceased was a gentle-
man of large fortune, and has left a wife and one daughter.

And as compared with the month ending the 20th of Nov.
1858, the above returns show an increase of £1,157,129
in the circulation of notes in England, and an increase of
£1,895,065 in the circulation of the United Kingdom.
On comparing the above with the fixed issues of the seve-
ral banks the following is the state of the circulation :
Ihe English private banks are below their fixed '
issue
The English joint-stock banks are below their
fixed issue

£221,603

Total below fixed issue in England.... £1,001,758
The Scotch banks are above their fixed issue .. £1,761,227
The Irish banks are below their fixed issue .... £1,091,364
The average stock of bullion held by the Bank of Eng-
land in both departments during the month ending the 16th
of Nov. was £16,861,459, being a decrease of £479,271 as
compared with the previous month, and a decrease of
11,860,817 when compared with the same period last year.
The following are the amounts of specie held by the Scotch
and Irish banks during the month ending the 19th Nov.:—
Gold and silver held by the Scotch banks £2,568,227
Gold and silver held by the Irish banks 2,550,152

15,118,379
Being an increase of £282,379 as compared with the
previous return, and an increase of £160,488 when compared
with the corresponding period of last year.

T 111 S DAY'S MARKETS.

CORN EXCHANGE.

IMPERIAL WEERLY AVERAGES. - Wheat, 43s 8d ;
barley, 35s ld ; oats, 21s 9d; rye, 30s Od ; beans, 41s
ld ; and peas, 39s ld.
- - -

THB Six virEince AVERAGES. Wheat, 433 81 ;
barley, 35s lld ; oats, 21s 9d ; rye, 30s ld ; beans, 41s Od ;
peas, 38a Ild.

-
ENGLISH GRAIN SOLD L .IST WEEK.—Wheat, 124,600 ;
barley, 92,097 ; oats, 12,693 ; rye, 199; beans, 6,136; peas,
2,146 quarters.

METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET.

About an average time-sf-year supply of beasts was on
offer in our market to-day. Fer all breeds the demand was
heavy in the extreme, and prices were nominally 4d per
81bs lower than on Monday, the top figure being 4s 8d per
Bibs. The show of sheep was limited, yet sales progressed
slowly, at late currencies. We have to report a dull in-
quiry for calves, the supply of which was very limited, at
about previous rates. Pigs were very dull, and there was
scarcely any demand for mulch cows.
The market will be held as usual on Monday next.

Per 81bs. to i
s. d. s. d.
Crse. & inf. beasts 3 2 3 6
Second qualitydo. 3 8 4 2
Prime large oxen 4 2 4 4
Prime Scots, &c. 4 6 4 8
Crse. & inf. sheep 3 4 3 10
Second quality do. 4 0 4 4
Suckling calves, —s to —s
22e to 28s.

link the offal.

s. d. s. d.
Primecrs-wool do. 4 6 4 8
Pme. S'thdowndo.s 0 6 4
Large crse. calves 4 2 4 8
Prime mall do 4 10 5 2
Large hogs 3 6 3 10
Small porkers
and quarter •old story pigs.

POARIGN SUPPLY.
Beasts 196
Sheep
Calves
Pigs