The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-24 00:00:00

Royal Dramatic College.

In conformity with the provisions of the will of
the late Mr. T. P. Cooke an anniversary dinner
.
was given yesterday to the inmates of the Royal
Dramatic College, in festive commemoration of
Shakspere's birthday, which was that of the tes-
tator also. Among the guests assembled in the
Central Hall of the college at Maybury, where the
dinner took place, there were besides the residents
in the institution a number of actors, including
B. Webster (the master), Mr. J. L. Toole, Al'
Paul Bedford, Mr. and Mrs. Keeley, Mr. Addison,
and many others. There were also present several
gentlemen connected with dramatic literature'
After the dinner, at which Mr. Webster presided
in his character of master, the toast of ",
Memory of Shakspere" was proposed; and Was
received with all the honour due to Be
august a sentiment. Mr. Webster then rev',
in detail the will of the late Mr. T. F..
Cooke, by which it was provided that in the
course of the evening the name of the author wile,
had gained the prize he left for the best nautical
drama should be announced to the company. IVbeu
the perusal of the will was concluded, and the me-
mory of the generous testator had been proposed in
appropriate language, the chairman announced that
the winner of the T. P. Cooke prize was Mr. Slot
The title of the successful drama was " True to tw",,,.
Core," and the story on which it was based had re-
ference to the Spanish Armada. It appears that out
of 24 plays sent in to the committee six were selected
by Mr. Palgrave Simpson, and these were again r?,
ferred to the committee, who had no difficulty 111.
deciding in favour of the drama by Mr. Slous.
health was drunk with all customary
manifestations
of favour, and he returned thanks. The next too!
was " The health of the family of the late Air.
Cooke," which was acknowledged by his son-in-laws
Mr. Cummings. Of the other toasts the most WI;
portant was." The Drama," proposed by Mr. 1tdh,..0
•
Bell, and also spoken to by Mr. C. Halliday, Wit
took occasion to remark upon the smallness of Oa'
remuneration awarded to dramatists as compare
with that enjoyed by novelists and writers of ma-
gazine articles. " The health of the Master" we
subsequently drunk, and was acknowledged in
elo-
quent terms by Mr. Webster, who was received With
enthusiastic applause. In the course of the evening
Mr. Paul Bedford sang " Tom Bowling ;" and
selection of Shaksperian music, capitally performed
by a band of vocalists under the direction of Mr. r
Kingsbury, pleasantly enhanced the festivity of to
occasion.

INSTALLATION OF LORD WARDEN OF THE CINCITi.„
PORTS.-Whit Tuesday has been decided upon as the (la'
for the installation of Earl Granville, 1.G., as Lord War-
den of the Cinque Ports and Constable of Dover Castle'
VISCOUNT RANELAGH AND MR. NORTOIL-4-:
special meeting of the Brighton Club, last Sat,gr:
day, a resolution was moved and duly seconded that P'""
Norton should be expelled. This motion was supportedbi
39 members and opposed by 24-1 majority of 15 for tb°
expulsion; but inasmuch as, according to the rules of al°
club, two-thirds of the votes must be recorded in orde the
expel a member, the resolution was lost by three---ul
votes being 63, and 42 required. It was stated that
minority of 24 objected to the expulsion on the ground t11:0
inasmuch as Mr. Norton was no longer in the army' a
was not bound by the military code to take notice of
Ranelagh's proceedings, and that, as a civilian, Mr. NI.;
ton was justified in protecting himself from a breach of t-
peace by legal proceedings before a magistrate.
SERIOUS ILLNESS OF MR. W. COTTON, 130• C
The late Governor of the Bank of England, Mr. Willia°
Cotton, the " lay bishop" of the Church (as Bishop 1310,
field called him), and one of its most liberal benefactors, 1;
lying dangerously ill at his seat at Leytonstone, Essex. 11
is 80 years of age, and is universally honoured in the Oil
"and by all classes.
THE IRISH JUDGES.—Judge Hargre* ave, a t.1:16
1,
Landel Estates Court, died yestorday,lafter a protracted quit
ness. It is reported that if a successor is appointed, in
Colman O'Loghlen will be the person. Judge 0114
is suffering much from a fall from his horse yesterdal•
ti
An application was made yesterday iu the COP;
of Queen's Bench for a rule for a now trial in the ease cd,
Strauss v. Francis. The plaintiff, it will be remembered©
brought an action for libel against the publisher Of t.
Ath,enwum —the libel consisting of an attack on a P.nv del
which the plaintiff had written. In the course of heall-0
the plaintiff's counsel withdrew the case. The judge Y"'
terday refused to grant a new tri