The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-05 00:00:00

Theatrical Licences and Regulations.

The committee of the house of Commons ap-
pointed to inquire into the state of the law affecting
theatrical licences and regulations reassembled yes-
terday—the Right Hon. G. J. Goschen, M.P., in
the chair.

Mr. Dion Boucicault was re-examined. Ile said

it was physically impossible for any one of hisplays
to be produced at any of the music halls, or really
enjoyed, on account of the noise and talk which
took place in them. Hethought the functions of the
Lord Chamberlain—not the present one, but gene-
rally—were exercised with caprice and a disregard
to public opinion. It was desirable to maintain the
present state of the law with regard to copyright ;
but authors ought to be able to avail themselves of
it without having recourse to the Court of Chancery.
If London possessed double the number of theatres
he thought they would be prosperous, and that good
actors would be found to appear in them. Men who
who ought to be on the stage were performing at
music-halls, where they received much larger sala-
ries than at the theatres. He was in favour of unre-
stricted competition in theatres, with police regula-
tions to preserve decency. He thought there were
not enough theatres in London, but too many opera-
houses. (Laughter.) Class theatres did not pay, be-
cause the classes for which their performances were
specially produced did not support them in sufficient
numbers. Astley's would pay well if it were situated
in Piccadilly or at the top of the Haymarket.

day.

Mr. Shirley Brooks was next examined. He said
he thought the office of Lord Chamberlain was ex-
ercised with a certain amount of caprice. As an il-
lustration of that, he might mention that when he
was a very young man Mr. Disraeli brought out
" Coningsby," and, as it was considered a work
which could be advantageously produced at the Ly-
ceum, witness dramatised it. Everything was nearly
ready, when he received information that the pro-
duction of the piece would not be allowed, The
Lord Chamberlain said there were many reasons
why it was undesirable to produce the piece, which,
his lordship said, drew quasi a political contrast be-
tween the manufacturing and other classes. His
lordship said certain passages might be said to al-
lude to some family in Shropshire—(laughter)—and
he even objected to an allusion to Holloway's pills,
because Mr. Holloway was a respectable trader,
and employed a great number of people. (Renewed
laughter.) That occured in 1837 or 1838. Witness
was in favour of having an appeal from the Lord
Chamberlain's decision. Dramatic authors were
not much hampered by the present restrictions and
regulations. The drama had fallen to a low ebb,
both in literary and histrionic respects, and that he
attributed to public taste more than legislation. At
present there were bad pieces, bad actors, and had
criticism. The public taste was not in favour of
the legitimate drama. There was no great actor on
the stage now, and that was caused by the want of
a school of art. The performance of plays at music-
halls would not, in his opinion, deteriorate the
drama.

Mr. Wigan, manager of the Olympic Theatre,
thought the present number of theatres sufficient for
the playgoing people of London. There were plenty
of actors to be got, and their
pay had largely in-
creased. If music-halls were allowed to produceplays it would interfere with the theatres and lower
and bring the drama into disrepute. It would be
desirable to place music-halls under a licensing sys-
tem as to songs and ballets. At present there were
really no dramatic authors, and those so styled were
mostly translators from the French. The Lord
Chamberlain had told witness that the supplying of
drink in the stalls of the theatre would be a direct
violation of the conditions under which he held his
license. Witness did not see why, if the proprie-
tors of music-halls wished to perform plays, they
should not turn their halls into theatres and con-
form to the law. The audiences at music-halls
frequented them for drink and to make appoint-
ments. It was the ballets which formed the chief
attraction of the music-halls. lie looked upon
ballets as a very meretricious performance, and he
would be glad to see them done away with alto-
gether. lie had heard of managers receiving sums
of money for allowing ladies to appear at their
theatres—possibly with the object of being seen and
admired. Witness often had had large sums offered
to him for the same
them.
The.comunitto then adjourned.purpose, but he always refused

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

SPAIN.

MADRID, MAY 5.

It is stated that the Council of Ministers have
fully approved the bills proposed for completing the
financial scheme of Senor Alonso Martinez.

ITALY.

FLORENCE, MAY 5.

In yesterday evening's sittings of the Chamber
of Deputies, Signor Avitabile addressed the Minister
of Finance upon the subject of the decree ordering
the forced Bank-note currency. He censured this
measure as injurious to the interests of the Bank
of Naples and other Italian banks. Signor Scialoja,
in reply, fully explained the motives of the
Government for issuing the decree, and
stated that this measure was the best
that could be taken under present cir-
cumstances. Signor Scoti made some observa-
tions relative to the effect of the decree on the Bank
of Tuscany, which he believed would be injured

thereby.
The Chamber finally passed to the order of the

AUSTRIA.

VIENNA, MAY 4.

Prussia is said to have declined all negotiation on
the definitive solution of the question of the Duchies
on the basis proposed by Austria.

An official notification in reference to the issue
of the proposed Government currency is shortly► ex-
pected. Paper money will not be issued by the
Government itself, but by the National Bank of
Austria, which will issue notes of 1 and 5 florins to
the amount of 110 millions. This amount will be
placed to the account of the Government, the latter
reserving to themselves the right to order the issue
of 40 more millions of florins.

FRANCE, AUSTRIA, AND

ITALY.

PARIS, MAY 5.

The Memorial Diploniatique of to-day publishes
an article denying that France had made energetic
remonstrances at Vienna relative to the Austrian
armaments in Venetia. The writer continues :
" The despatch sent to the Duke de Grammont on
this subject was couched in the most courteous
terms, and solely requested confidential explanations
respecting the object of the Austrian preparations.
The Austrian Government replied, protesting
that it would maintain a strictly defensive attitude.
France accepted these explanations, and the result
was a mutual understanding, according to which
Austria undertakes that, should Italy attack Venetia
independently of France, Austria will not secure for
herself any of the eventual results of victory without
the diplomatic intervention of France."

BOURSE, May 4, Three o'clock.—The market
has closed on the following quotations :

4.} per Cents 94
Do. end month — --
3 per Cents. 64 65
Do. end month C4 67i
Credit Mobilier
Do. end month
Unis —
Do. end month —

Bank Shares 3500
Italian Loan 42 25
Do. end month 42 40
Mexican Loan 34
Do. Bonds 270
Spanish Threes
Home Debt —
Deferred
Cash.

Orleans

Acct.
810
... 1077 50
... 848 75
... 542 50

Northern .

Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern
Western
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa
Ditto to Barcelona
Roman

- - ••• NO -.

- - ... 305 -
- ... 325 -
- - ... 132 50

CALCUTTA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN

MAILS.

SUEZ, MAY 3.
The Bengal anchored at 1 p.m., Thursday,
May 3.

Roy al Institution.

At the weekly meeting of the members of the Royal
Institution yesterday evening, Professor Abel delivered a
lecture on " Recent Progress in the History of Proposed
Substitutes for Gunpowder." Notwithstanding the many
substitutes hitherto proposed, gunpowder still maintains
its position as the best of explosive compounds for the
various uses to which it is applied. Its component parts
remain the same as when originally invented, for nothing
has been found to answer the purpose bettor than a mixture
of charcoal, saltpetre, and sulphur. Improvements have,
however, been made in the proportions of those substances,
and in the mode of manufacture, so as to render the ex-
plosive action more or less rapid, according to the various
objects for which it is used. For small arms and for shells
a rapid action is required, but for large ordnance and for
blasting a much slower combustion is necessary to produce
the required effects. Professor Abel exemplified the diffe-
rent degrees of rapidity with which various samples of
gunpowder explode, from the slow smoking kind, continued
to bo used by the Chinese, to the almost instantaneous ex-
plosion of the fine-grained powder used for small arms.
He explained the action of gunpowder to depend on the
rapidity of tho supply of oxygen for the ombustion of the
charcoal. In saltpetre the oxygen is closely combined
with potass, and it requires a certain force and time to
rend them asunder. The sulphur is added to facilitate
the combustion, and he showed how much more
slowly the combustion of charcoal takes place
when it is mixed with saltpetre only than when
sulphur is added. Professor Abel mentioned numerous
substances that had been tried as substitutes for charcoal
and for saltpetre, including tanning, sawdust, and chloride
of potass, and exhibited the explosive effects of such com-
pounds, to all of which there are objections that pre-
vent their general adoption. He also explained the
methods that had been tried to render gunpowder less
dangerous when stored in magazines, such as mixing it
with powdered glass, and keeping the ingredients apart
until the time they were wanted, and he showed the im-
practicability of all such expedients. Ono of the recently
proposed substitutes for gunpowder was nitro-glycerine,
which explodes by percussion, and the dangerous nature
of which, ho said, had been proved by a disastrous explo-
sion at Aspinwall. After having mentioned some other
proposed substitutes, Professor Abel proceeded to notice
gun-cotton, and to state some of the improvements that
have been made in its manufacture during the last two
years. He showed various specimens of it, and pointed
out the important differences that are effected by mocha
nical compression in various way, so as to enable it to
explode more or lesslrapidly as required. Two pieces of the
slime weight, about three grains each, were exhibited, one
of which had been tightly compressed, the other remain-
ing fibrous, and the instantaneous explosion of the for-
mer was contrasted with the comparatively slow action
of thelatter. Gun-cotton, indeed, seems to be susceptible
of being made to suit all explosive purposes, and it pos-
sesses the great advantage of producing no smoke and of
i
leaving no residuum. Another advantage of no less m-
portance is the safety with which it may be manufactured
and stored, for it can be wetted and rendered incombus-
tible, and its explosive properties are restored without in-
jury when dried. Some doubts have recently been enter-
tained in Austria, where the great improvements in gun-
cotton were firstmade, whether it is not injured by keeping ;
but Professor Abel considers that when manufactured with
properly prepared cotton there is little fear of its deprecia-
tion, and his experience at Woolwich, 'where the manu-
facture has been conducted on a large scale, leads him to
believe that gun cotton can be kept for years without in-
jury to its properties. Among other applications of which
gun-cotton is susceptible is that of fireworks, which might
be exhibited in a room without nuisance, and he concluded
the lecture, which was illustrated with numerous experi-
ments, by giving a brilliant pyrotechnic display.

PRODUCE OF THE COLONIES.—A Parliamentary
return shows that in the year 1865 10,250,524 cwt.
of unrefined sugar were imported into the United King-
dom, and 9,878,933 cwt. were retained for consumption—
viz., 5,002,326 cwt. from British possessions and 4,876,607
cwt. of foreign sugar. The net revenue from sugar of all
sorts was £5,193,816. The import into the United King-
dom of rum from British possessions advanced in 1865 to
6,478,494 gallons; the import of coffee to 112,321,2781 b.;
of cocoa to 4,793,8641 b. 465,778,8801 b. of cotton wool
were imported from British possessions. Of this quantity
14,485,6321 b. came from the Bahamas ; how that got to the
Bahamas may be easily guessed. The import of cotton
wool from India fell in 1865 to 443,377,0881 b.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The Mullet, 5, screw gun vessel, 430 tons, 80-
horse power, has been commissioned by Commander
C. A. P. T. Robinson, for the West Coast of Africa.
The vessel has been taken into No. 3 dock of Sheer-
ness dockyard for the purpose of having her bottom
scraped. When this operation is complete she will
shortly leave for her destination.
The Griffin, 5, screw gun vessel, 425 tons, 80-
horse power, after having been thoroughly over-
hauled and refitted in Sheerness dockyard, has been
taken into the large basin, where she is being
brought forward for sea. It is rumoured she will
be shortly commissioned for the West Indies Sta-
tion. She was last employed on the West Coast of
Africa.

The Endymion, 21, unarmoured screw frigate,
2,486 tons, 500-horse power, built at Woolwich, is
being very rapidly completed in Sheerness dockyard.
The vessel is of very handsome design, and in every
respect commodiously fitted up. It is expected she
will shortly be commissioned, as a number of men
are already engaged in drawing her naval stores.
Her Majesty's screw troopship Orontes, Capt. H.
W. Hire, whose arrival at Spithead from China was
briefly announced in The Sun of yesterday, went
into Portsmouth harbour yesterday morning, and
disembarked the officers, seamen, marines, &c., she
brought home from China at the transport jetty of
the dockyard. Her list of officers and passengers
comprised :—Commanders—H. P. Knevitt and R.
Adams. Lieuts.—A. W. Warry, C. A. Watts, E.
M. Dayrell, D. K. Grant, S. J. Pitt, G. F. Morrell,
R. H. W. Cornwall, E. Echlin, J. R. Butt. Masters
—II. W. Burnett, J. H. Thomas, F. Piper, W. F.
Clifton, S. Darbyshire, H. B. Hunt, B. H. Speer.
Surgeons—R. Eustace, Dr. Adams. Paymasters—
T. Seccombe, D. W. Wise, W. T. Grieve, C. Barrs.
Chief Engineers—H. Cooper, H. Cook, R. Hodge,
J. Sneil, M. Forman. Assistant-Surgeons—S.
M'Bean, W. M'Mahon, R. R. M'Curdy, J. V. N.
Blake, G. W. Sutherland, James J. Parr. Sub-
Lieuts.—W. Cotton, D. G. Proby, E. Wingfield, J.
R. Aylen, H. P. Smith, T. James, A. F. Gardner,
A. C. M. Coulsen, L. F. Wells. Second Masters.
—T. C. Forte, H. W. Champion, W. Striven, J.
M. Lloyd. Assist.-Paymasters.—Alfred Clements,
J. J. Wilcocks, George M. Snell, H. 11. Grant.
Midshipmen.—C. G. Michalson, F. B. Lacy, L. F.
Wells (sub-lieut.) ; six master-assistants, three
clerks, five engineers, nine assist.-engineers, 18 as-
sistant-engineers, first-class ; 14 assist.-engineers,
second class; 13 gunners, six boatswains, four car-
penters, 502 seamen, 92 marines, and eight boys,
returned to England on relief from the China and
Japan squadrons; and 59 seamen and marines in-
valided. The passengers on board include Colonel
Jenner, 11th Regiment, on leave from Honkong,
Mrs. Jenner, and son ; Mrs. Mayne and three
children, from Singapore ; Mrs. Rock and servant,
and Mrs. Mynhennick, from the Cape of Good
Hope ; Lieut. G. F. Morrell, R.N., and Mr. H. H.
Grant, R.N., invalids, from Ascension.
The Orontes left Hongkong on the 17th of Feb-
ruary, and has performed the passage home in 74
days, including stoppages, 60 being the number of
days the ship has been under steam. On arriving
off Madeira a strong wind and rough sea on the
island prevented communication with the shore,
and the ship was steered for Brest to obtain coal.
On arrival there the French authorities placed her
in quarantine for twenty-four hours, although
there was no sickness on board. She arrived at
Brest April 30, and sailed again on the 2d instant.
Ou 29th of April a screw steamship was psssed,
outward bound. Three deaths occurred during the
voyage home, and one man fell overboard and was
drowned off the Mauritius. Piracy was exceedingly
rife in China when the Orontes left for England. The
English gunboats out there are all described as being
perfectly rotten. Most of them are unable to steam
more than four knots per hour. Great dissatisfac-
tion existed with the Itzebooe exchange in Japan.
It speaks well for the discipline of the ship and the
good understanding existing between the officers
and crew that there has not been a case of corporal
punishment on board since the Orontes left Eng-
land. The ship requires docking and the usual
course of refit, without serious repairs being neces-
sary, before she will again be ready for sea.

The armoured corvette Pallas, 6, Capt. M. Con-
nolly, under orders to convoy the gunboats Cherub
and Minstrel as far as Madeira, on their way to
Halifax, remained at anchor at Spithead up to sun-
set yesterday. She was expected to sail early this
morning. The Pallas and the gunboats will call
in at Plymouth Sound on their way down Channel.
We very much regret to leern that Captain A. C.
Key, C. 8., is suffering from an attack of ophthal-
mia, so severe that at his request a committee of
naval officers has been appointed to conclude the
competitive trials of the broadside gun carriages on
board the ironclad frigate Bellerophon.
Yesterday two squadrons of the 15th Hussars,
consisting of about 100 troopers, under the com-
mand of Capt. Penfold, arrived at Windsor from
Sheffield. They were billeted in the town, and leave
early this morning for Aldershot.

The following appointments have been made at
the Admiralty : —Captain Gerard J. Napier, to the
Canopus, vice Mason, promoted; Capt. J. E. Come-
rell, V.C., to the Terrible, vice Capt. Napier; Capt.
J. F. Ross, to the Pearl, commissioned ; Capt. C.
M. Aynsley, to the Jason, commissioned ; Comman-
der G. R. Wilkinson, to the Curagoa, additional,
for surveying service; Sub.-Lieut. Alfred C. Love-
ridge, to the Amazon ; Dr. William B. Dalby, sur-
geon, to the Implacable ; Charles W. Last and
Francis W. Sanders, midshipmen, to the Amazon ;
John C. Hibbert and James R. Maguire, naval
cadets, nominated ; Reginald C. Prothero, midship-
men, to the Victoria ; and Henry W. Badger, mas-
ter's assistant, to the Amazon.

QUEEN'S THEATRE, HULL.—The Hull Advertiser
says that Mr. and Mrs. Clarance Holt have received even a
more flattering welcome than when last they were at the
Queen's Theatre. On Monday evening the house was
crowded with an enthusiastic audience. Boucicault's
drama, "The Octoroon," was performed. Mrs. Clarance
Holt as Zoe, the Octoroon, performed her part with great
success, and was repeatedly and deservedly applauded.
Mr. Holt acqaits himself better than any other person we
have seen in the piece, and his style of acting is evidently
appreciated here.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT BlLL.—This Bill extends
to England and Ireland, but not to Scotland. It is to be
murder of the first degree, (1,) where a person murders
another with express malice aforethought against the per-
son murdered, or any other person, such malice being found
by the jury as matter of fact; (2,) where a person murders
another with a view to and in or immediately before or
after the commission by such person of any of the following
felonies, or for the purpose of thereby enabling himself or
any other person to commit any of the following felonies,
vis., rape, burglary, robbery, piracy, or unlawfully or ma-
liciously setting fire to any dwelling-house, a person being
therein ; (3,) where a person murders another in the act of
escape, or for the purpose of thereby enabling himself or any
other person to escape from or avoid lawful arrest or de-
tainer, immediately after committing or attempting to com-
mit murder or any of these felonies ; (4,) where a person
murders a constable or any other peace officer acting in the
discharge of his duty. Clauses 6 to 8 provide that on con-
viction for murder of the first degree, judgment of death
may be pronounced in open court, and the offender shall
suffer death as a felon ; or the Court may order judgment
of death to be entered of record, and this shall have the like
effect as if judgment of death had been pronounced in open
court, but execution thereof hadbeenrespited. All murders
not of the first degree are of the second degree, the punish-
ment of the latter to be penal servitude for life, or for not
less than seven years. The indictment is to charge murder
of the first degree, or to charge murder of the second de-
gree. It is made felony unlawfully or maliciously to wound
a child or inflict upon it grievions bodily harm during its
birth, or within seven days thereafter; and it is not to be
necessary to prove that the child was completely born alive.
On an indictment for child murder the accused cannot be
found guilty of concealment of birth. Executions aro to be
within the walls of the prison. The sheriff or his deputy,
the governor or chief officer of the prison or his deputy,
the chaplain or an officiating minister attached to the pri •
son, the surgeon or chief medical officer of the prison, and
such other officers of the prison as the sheriff requires,
shall be present at the execution ; and any justice of the
peace having jurisdiction, and such persons as it seems to
the sheriff or visiting justices proper to admit, may also be
present at the execution. The surgeon's certificate of the
death, a certificate from the other above-named officials,
and a duplicate of the coroner's inquisition on the body are
to be sent to the Secretary of State, and copies are to be
exhibited at the prison entrance for a certain number of
hours. The body is to be buried within the walls of the
prison,

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HER MAJESTY•

'WINDSOR CASTLE, Friday.
The Queen, with Princess Helena, walked and
drove in the grounds this morning.
Their Royal Highnesses Princess Louise and
Princess Beatrice also walked and drove.
Prince Leopold, attended by Lieutenant Stirling,
took a drive.
Prince Alfred, attended by the Hon. E. Yorke,
arrived at Windsor Castle this morning.
His Royal Highness went to London in the after-

1100 n.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, attended
by Major Teesdale, visited her Majesty this after-
noon.

The Prince of Wales, accompanied by prince
Alfred, visited the Queen at Windsor Castle Yes-
terday.
The Princess of Wales, attended by Viscountesis
Walden, visited the Exhibition of French ana
Flemish Pictures at the French Gallery,

THE QUEEN'S COURT—Tars D.kY•
Her Majesty the Queen held a Court to-daY a!
Buckingham Palace. Her Majesty was attended
by all the leading members of the Royal household,
a large number of the aristocracy, the corps
matique, and others specially invited who bad the
.
honour of being " received." It is announced that
her Majesty will hold another Court on Tuesday.
the 19th of June, and that the Princess of Wales will
hold Drawing-rooms, on behalf of her Majesty, 00
Wednesday, the 23d inst., and on Saturday, tir
9th of June.

HAYMARKET THEATRE.—The Prince of Ilra
and Prince Alfred, attended by Major Teesdale and ice
Yorke, honoured the above theatre with their Presence
last night to witness the performance of the new comedy'
" The Favourite of Fortune."
The Duke of Rutland has arrived at his residence
at Campden-hill, Kensington, for the season.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Hastings ant,
the Earl and Countess of Kintore have arrived at the ~
George's Hotel.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Bristol bale
arrived at their residence in St. James's-square, for the
season.
The Marchioness of Downshire had a small and
early party last night at the family residence in Delve-
square.
The Marchioness of Winchester is still conaLleci
to her bed, being very ill with the measles, at AlDrrt' St.

Mary's.
The Earl of Normanton has arrived in Seanic're:
place, Mayfair, from Somerley, Hampshire, for the set's°-;
The Earl and Countess Percy entertained a seleca
party at dinner yesterday evening at Northutaberisu
House.
The Countess of Jersey and Mr. Brandin* e. 111;
tertained at dinner last evening his Excellency the 111013 he
Ambassador and Baroness Brunnow, his Excelloo' t
Spanish Minister and the Marchioness de Molina, the
and Countess of Clarendon, Lord and Lady Otho Fit I,
gerald, the Right Hon. Sir Robert and Lady Emil/ 7ne.,
Count Maffei, Viscount Hamilton, Mr. and Lady VU
Sandars, Mr. Calcraft, &c.