The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-17 00:00:00

IN, MON im EV ENING, SEPTEMBER 17, 1866.

BENSON'S WATCHES.
53 and 69, Ludgate-hill; 25, Old Bond-street.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

Tins DAY.—Morning, 61L 50m.—Afternoon, 711. 15m.
TJ-31oRnow.-111orning, 7h. 45nL—Afternoon, 8 22m.

4 1,
4-
Vi.7)l ,(111,V;
j. .2tY4-A:,l

LONDON, MONDAY, SEPT. 17, 18G6.

The Emperor NAPOLEON has renounced his in-
tention of proceeding to Biarritz, as he had appa-
rently settled to do. Of course this has afforded an
excuse to many to declare that his MAJESTY'S health
is at fault, but it is reassuring to notice that he is
able to continue his daily exercise ; and, no doubt,
we shall find that it is the confused state of political
affairs that has delayed his journey and finally pre-
vented it altogether. The irritated feeling in France
has not abated concerning the course adopted by
the Prussians, and in many ways we meet with the
manifestation of this feeling. At Colmar, in
Alsace, there was a notable instance of it the
other day, when, at a yearly local dinner several
speakers took the opportunity of denouncing
the Prussian policy. Baron DE lIEECKEREN was
very vehement on the subject, and elicited the sym-
pathy of his hearers by declaring that the German
braggadocio was extreme, and that they had the
arrogance to claim Alsace and Lorraine, owing to
the fact of their German origin. All these signs are
significant enough, and so the Prussians will
find to their cost when hostilities begin, which
they must sooner or later. A very good article
has appeared in the Opinion Nationale concern-
ing the aggrandisement of Prussia. It is
well worthy of attention, as it enters into the con-
sideration of those things which have conduced to
give Prussia her superiority over Austria, and points
out the benefits France might derive were she to
follow her example in some conspicuous ways.
Great stress is laid upon instruction, and the intel-
lectual level of the Prussians is shown to be greatly
superior to that of the Austrians. "In this respect,"
aids the writer, " may we not have to borrow from
Prussia ?" In France of the present day there are
departments in which sixty conscripts out of a
hundred cannot read or write, and it is justly com-
plained of here that the small sum of £24,000 per
annum is deemed sufficient for the important pur-
poses of education, while it is found that immense
sums are contributed to objects quite secondary,
however desirable they may be in themselves. The
Americans spend six francs per individual for pri-
mary instruction, while the French think it enough
to devote six centimes for the purpose—a sum
amounting to three half-pence. "This is the most
serious charge Ive know of that can be brought
against our boasted civilisation—a building all out-
side show, with gilt cornices, but rotten fonnda-
tions—an odd mixture of prodigality and stinginess
—prodigality for superfluous luxuries and stinginess
for indispensable necessities." There is a good
deal of Sound
sense in this, although it may not be
very flattering to the amour propre of those to whom
it is addressed. The French conscription system is
also discussed in a very earnest manner, and it is
truly said that it would not enable the Government
to raise with the same speed as the Berlin Govern-
ment have done " so large a number of well-drilled
awl well-instructed men."

It
is
said by the Nene Freje Presse that the King
of Saxony will not be allowed to take any part in
the ne;-_otiations for the formation of the North
German ConftAeration. If this be true, all we can
eay is that it is a very hard measure, and quite in-
compatible with the terms of the treaty, which
promised to give Saxony some advantages. It
will be, however, quite in keeping with
the course pursued by the Berlin Government ever
since they started on their late dangerous plan of
annexation. A meeting was held at Hadersteben,
attended by persons from North Schleswig,at which
it was declared that any division was undesirable,
4" a Complete incorporation with Prussia was ad-

vocated. How much reliance may be placed upon
this we know by this time, for experience has shown
us how determined the Prussians are to ameliorate
the movements of those whose views are in their
favour, and how zealous are their efforts to retard
the course of those who may presume to differ in
opinion. The Venetia question is not yet settled,
but it is said that Prussia has declared the
line taken by Austria to be most faulty, and
that the difficulties she has interposed place in jeo-
pardy the execution of the Treaty of Prague.
Perhaps nothing more forcibly brings before one's
mind the great changes that are taking place in
Continental matters than the various addresses
which meet the eye, and which tell of old things
passing away, and of new things supervening with
amazing rapidity. 'The farewell of the Duke of
Nassau to his army is melancholy and impressive,
and all must sympathise with his sorrow and respect
his self-control. He is in one of the most trying posi-
tions in which a man can 'be placed, and yet he con-
tinues so to express himself as to maintain his own
dignity, and yet to say nothing that may incite those
whom he addresses to continue a useless struggle. In
exhorting his troops to return to their homes, and not
to combat their destiny, he exhibits a sense and
discernment which do him credit. It is well to
continue the struggle while it is possible, but when
the moment for action has gone by, it is idle to
prolong a strife that wastes valuables lives, and
causes distress and loss in various ways. The
Princes of the various German States have,
on the whole, exhibited great moderation
in their demeanour during the trying
position in which they have been placed ; but while
we admire their fortitude, we cannot but condemn
in strong language the unfeeling conduct that has
been shown by their conquerors. The tone in
which the King of PRUSSIA has deemed it advisable
to reply to the various deputations and addresses he
has received is indeed most unbecoming to one in
his high position. It would be far more suitab:e
for King WILLIAM to declare openly that he deemed
it advisable for the interests of Prussia to do as he
has done than to persist in saying, as he does,
that he was forced into the war when he wished
for nothing but peace, and desired no change. That
self-preservation necessitated the annexation of all
these places is quite absurd, and, in point of fact, it
is an insult to all parties for him to say so. There
is much to regret in the close that has fallen upon
these lesser German States ; but if they are to per-
sist, let them not be mocked in their hour of tribu-
lation, and let not their ruthless destroyers add in-
sult to injury by imputing to them the blame of the
misfortune that has befallen them. Such disgrace.
ful language can answer no end that we can see but
that of exhibiting the utter recklessness that pre-
vails among them.

The official inquiry into the circumstances at-
tending the late fatal collision off Aldborough was
brought to a conclusion on Saturday last. The
evidence on both sides, including the important tes-
timony of the independent witnesses on board the
Grenadier, the vessel which passed between the
Bruiser and the llaswell shortly before the collision,
was closed on Friday, but on Saturday the Court
was occupied in hearing the officers in charge of the
respective vessels, each making a statement in his
own behalf. It had been a matter of doubt whe-
ther the solicitors, who appeared for the owners of
the two ships, would advise the making of these
statements, but it was finally decided that the men
should speak each for themselves, and this was cer-
tainly the best way of obtaining a full and accurate
account. The officer in charge of the Haswell was
completely exonerated by the evidence, and he
seems to have done all in his power to avert the col-

lision and to save life after the disaster had taken
place. The Court, finding no reason to attach
any blame to him, restored his certificate, but can-
celled that of JOHN Sc orr, chief mate of the Bruiser
with whom the fault unmistakably lay. So clearly
and decisively did the evidence point against him
that the solicitors for the owners did not attempt to
exonerate him from blame, and only attempted
pleading in mitigation of his offence. He urged
the Bench to consider that there was no gross negli-
gence, but an error in judgment, and appealed for
as much leniency as they could consistently show.
Certainly, considering the serious nature of the
catastrophe, and the loss of life consequent on one
man's carelessness, recklessness, or indifference, the
public will not be inclined to accuse the Court of
excessive severity. It may very well be doubted
whether the punishment which they inflicted in can-
celling his certificate was at all commensurate with
the nature of the offence. No doubt he acted
from an error in judgment, as was contended
on his behalf, but an error in judgment
may have very serious consequences when it is com-
tnitted by a man who is responsible for the lives and
safety of others. No one can suppose that officers
in charge of ships are desirous to destroy their ves-
sels and drown their passengers any more than the
stokers and engine drivers, whose recklessness or
mismanagement is the cause of untold suffering,
intend to bring about a railway accident. In the
latter case the men in charge of the train are usually
the chief sufferers, and it is no uncommon thing for
them to be frightfully injured when others escape
comparatively unhurt. Yet it has long Leen thought
necessary to hold them individually responsible for
the disasters they have occasioned directly or indi-
rectly, and long terms of imprisonment are often in-
flicted upon them. It may seem hard that one man
shouldimpi,aity ;
suffer for a fault which many commit with
so far from a
but experience has amptly proved that
responsible and dangerous position
securing caution it usually produces recklessness.
Men forget that the risk to which familiarity has
made them indifferent may beless agreeable to others
than themselves, and unless they are made to feel
that in any case of accident arising from carelessness
or negligence they will be personally punished by the
law, there is not much chance of their taking due
care of the lives of their passengers. It is very
much the same thing in regard to those colli-
sions at sea, of which we have
professional lately had
far too many. A point
eti-
quette, the humour of the moment, an
unyielding temper, a few minutes neglect of duty,
man may deplore
bring about consequences that a
all his life long but cannot mend. He cannot, how-
ever much he may repent his negligence, restore
the dead to life, give back the husband to the wife,
the mother to her bereaved little ones, the child to
the sorrowing parent. A few moments of neglect
or fully may take the light from a happy household
and shadow the memories of years. They may bring
ruin and misery in their train, and affect the whole
future lives of the survivors. Men in charge of
vessels or of trains think lightly of such matters,

if they think at all ; but the consequences
of their actions are patent to the looker-
on. No doubt, JOHN SCOTT, who began his
career before the mast, and has served the company
faithfully for 22 years, rising through the succes-
sive gradations to the post of chief mate, which
he has held for eight years, is deeply pained
at the catastrophe which was due to his mistake.
At the same time the public have a right to de-
mand that the officers in charge of vessels should
be held responsible for any mistake, error, or negli-
gence. The sea is surely -wide enoug to avoid all

TEE SUN, LO )1

possibility of a collision. Why not have given the
Haswell such a wide berth that there could have
been no chance of a disaster ? These accidents are
growing much too frequent, and are totally inex-
cusable. We repeat that we fear they will continue
to occur until the authorities decide upon punishing
with severity every person who through rashness
or negligence has imperilled the lives entrusted to
his care.

A letter from " A London Incumbent," in the
columns of a contemporary, gives us a very good
idea of the manner which our cholera preserves are kept
up, and, unfortunately, any one who has had much
experience of the dwellings of the London poor can
amply endorse all that he says. Two or three
rooms, with the staircase running up from the
corner of the lower room, no passage, yard, or
office of any sort, windows that do not open at the
top, and bed-rooms with the ceilings very
low, are so common that they would be hardly
noticed by a casual visitor, while the custom of
keeping the water in water-butts or cisterns is very
general throughout the poorer houses. There is
often, in rows of these kind of houses, a total ab-
sence of all domestic accommodation. It seems as
if the landlords undertook no more than to give
the bare shelter of walls and roofs--the latter, even
in tolerably decent houses, often anything but
intact. In the case referred to in the letter we
have mentioned there are fourteen houses, and there
arc two cesspools as the only attempt at drainage.'
Under these circumstances it is not very surprising
that repeated cases of diarrhoea have occurred and
are occurring among the inhabitants. And yet
what can the poor do ? They must live somewhere,
and cannot afford to be too particular. The land-
lords have might, if not right, on their side, and if
the tenants complain, it is only too easy to get
others. Until those who destroy the houses of the
poor are compelled to provide others, we shall never
get this evil redressed, and it must be remembered
that the sufferers are too ignorant to know half
their own danger. The question has been left in
abeyance too long already.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Sunday Evening.

The Emperor is still at St. Cloud, and presided
at a Council of Ministers yesterday, although it
was generally expected that he would leave for
Biarritz on Thursday. Some of the papers specu-
late on the reasons for delay in his Majesty's de-
parture, but I believe that no one knows the real
cause of it. The Austrian fleet (says the Honiteur)
has left the roads of Muggia, where it had been
stationed for a month, to return to Fasana, where
its disarmament will be immediately proceeded with.
The Siecle, in its weekly political review, says :
" Thanks to her ingenious military mechanism,
Prussia has just proved that she can put on foot a
million of soldiers. It is, then, certain that all the
efforts of the Powers of the first order will tend—iu
order not to be annihilated—to be able to be on an
equality, should it be necessary, with an exorbitant
amount of men. It will be in vain to say to Aus-
tria, to England, to France, disarm. They will
reply that they are hardly armed at all in comparison
with the much greater armament of Prussia, and
that they wish to be more armed. It is an heroic
course to take, but how is this course to be avoided ?
It is no longer a question of ambition or domina-
tion—it is a question of beingion a level. "To be
or to appear." L'Epoque has an article upon the
Prussian army, in which it shows that Prussia, by
her skilful and cunning policy, contrived to deceive
the first Napoleon in regard to the amount of her
military forces. In 1806 she engaged not to have
an army ready for the field to the extent of more
than 40,000 men, but a few years afterwards she
had more than double that number of picked soldiers
who could begin a battle at any moment. Some
years later Prussia had more than 120,000 men to
oppose France, and in five years after she had an
army of 300,000 men.

M. Leon Gozlan, a very prolific writer, died sud-
denly yesterday in his 69th year. his wife on enter-
ing the room that morning found him dead. He
was one time a writer for Figaro and the Corsaire,
and wrote articles for the reviews, the Revue des
Deux Mondes, the Revue de Paris, and the Revue
Britannique. A great many romances were written
by him. He was also the author of a play called
" La Main Droit et la Main Gauche," the first
representation of which was ouite an event of the
day. As to his romances, their name is Legion.
Perhaps the most remarkable were, " Le Medecin
du Pech," " Aristide Froissard," and "Les Nuits
du Pere Lachaise."

Madame Capelle, sister to the Baron Capelle,
who was Minister of Marine in the times of Charles
the Tenth, died on Friday at the age of 93, at her
chateau of Charguagnieu, in the department of
Irene.

On Friday morning an earthquake shock was
experienced at Sevres, Chaville, Ville d'Avray,
Versailles, and other places in that direction. It
does not appear to have been so much felt at Paris.
The shock took place exactly at five o'clock a.m.,
and from the concurrent testimony of several per-
sons who have written to the newspapers, although
it was not very violent, the phenomenon had a
marked and rather violent effect, and the oscillation
which was from west to cast, shook the furniture in
some of the rooms. The shock was felt at Tours
and Saumur, -but it was manifested with more
violence in the departments of the haute Vienne
and Sarthe. Its course there was in the same
direction. A French writer notices that Homer
speaks of earthquakes, and attributed them to
Neptune, the god of the seas, to whom he applied
the epithet of "shaker of the earth." Seneca
also speaks of earthquakes and says that maritime
countries are the most subject to them. It was in 1755
that the city of Lisbon was nearly destroyed by an
earthquake,and in 1783 thousands of persons perished
from an earthquake in the Two Sicilies. The de-
struction of Pompeii by an earthquake is alluded to
by Seneca. The following is the account furnished
by the Observatory :—" This morning (Friday), at
10 minutes past 5 a.m., several persons living in the
Quartier St. Sulpice (experienced shocks of an earth-
quake. The fact cannot be doubted, as there is
concurrent testimony. The movement was oscilla-
tory. The beds, which seemed to rock, experienced
from four to fourteen oscillations in the direction
from north to south and vice versa. At the same
hour shocks were felt in the Quartier de la Made-
leine. In the Rue du Battoir, at nine minutes past
five, there was a powerful oscillation or earthquake.
After displacing a bust which was on the mantel-
piece, the movement was in the direction from the
soprofahusettthh
fi-ei envahteseat to
labegi
violent
the
trai
telegraphic
linhabitants
no
cot
fe
lines
t arh
t house
eoc
sus
states
at
e.
k e T
that
nearh e
was
fAe at
tt
Auteuil
etaeutdirector-generall
SaumurmNvienrue tseos.
alarmed that they ran out, and the house was so
shaken that it will be necessary to shore it up with-
out delay."

A splendid aurora borealis was observed over the
heights of Monttnartre on Friday night. The sky
was illuminated as if there had been a tremendous
fire in that direction.

There have been some remarkable meteorological
phenomena. The telegraphic lines and the compass
and barometer have been much affected. On
Friday
morning, during a heavy shower of rain, flakes of
snow fell for about two minutes. Yesterday morn-
ing and this morning the fields, at a distance of
seven or eight miles to the south of Paris, were
covered with frost; violent winds prevailed through-
out the day, accompanied occasionally by rain. Be-
fore the rain fell the masses of dust gave the idea
that you were looking through a veil. In some
localities the wind has nearly stripped the trees of
their leaves.

The Chassepot gun, which will in future be the
gun in use in the French army, has a range of 500
metres, but it may be made to reach a distance of
1,000 metres, and it can be fired 230 times without
being cleAued, During some experiments just made

with this gun, it was fired from 1,000 to 12,000
times without any apparent effect upon the barrel.
The gun was fired 12 times in a minute, when the
person who fired had the cartridges at hand upon a
table. It remains to be seen whether the new gun
all made of iron, which it is said M. Dreyse has
submitted to the Prussian Government,:will prove
to be a more formidable and destructive weapon.
A house is in coarse of construction near the
Faubourg St. Ilonore, which will have 'a
remarkable
characteristic. It will be without a staircase. in-
cluding the cellars, the house will have 11 storeys.
An apparatus will be constructed, which will con-
tinually ascend and descend, and will safely and
comfortably take residents or visitors to the floor to
which they may desire to go. They will be seated
on a sufa. Contrary to the usual custom, the upper
floors will be the dearest, it being considered that
they will be tbe most airy and agreeable.

There are more cases of poisoning from supposed
mushrooms. A man and his wife living at Bor-
deaux partook of an esculent gathered in the wood
at Merignac. The family of a neighbour, consisting
of five persons, also ate some of the vegetable. The
man died in a few hours, and his wife was taken to
the hospital in a dangerous state. The members of
the other family have suffered excruciating pain,
and some are expected to die from the effects of the
poison.

Among some old worm-eaten documents sold last
week at the auction mart in the Auction Mart, was a
placard containing some regulations issued by the
Paris police on the Ist of September, 1609. They
refer to the performances at the theatre of the Hotel
d'Argent, near the Helle, in a street now in course
of demolition. The document is interesting as
illustrative of the different customs which prevailed
two centuries ago. It is as follows :
" Upon the complaint made by the Procureur-
General of the King that the comedians of the
Hotel d' Argent finish their comedies at unseason-
able hours and inconvenient in the winter time, and
that, without permission, they extort from the
people excessive sums, and it being necessary to fix
a moderate price, we have made and make an ex-
press prohibition to the said comedians from the
day of St. Martin (the 11th of November) to the
15th of February to play after half-past four o'clock
in the afternoon at the latest. With this view we
enjoin them to commence the performance for such
persons as may be present at two o'clock in the
afternoon, and that the door may be opened at one
o'clock precisely. We forbid the comedians to take
a larger sum from the inhabitants and other persons
than five sous for the pit and ten sous to the boxes
and galleries; and should they have any piece to
perform which may entail extra expenses, we will
provide for them should they make the request."

L A TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

FRANCE.

IMPORTANT FRENCH CIRCULAR NOTE.
PARIS, Sept. 17.

The Marquis de Lavalette has addressed to the
French diplomatic agents in foreign parts a circular
dated the 16th inst., which is very pacific in tone.

After showing that the recent changes in Europe
are favourable to France, the circular proceeds :

" The coalition of the three Northern Courts is
broken up. The new principle ruling in Europe is
the liberty of alliances. Aggrandised Prussia secures
the independence of Germany. France will not
feel disposed to oppose or to regret the work of
assimilation which has just been accomplished, and
to subordinate to feelings of jealousy the principles
of nationalities which represent and profess regard
for the peoples. By imitating France, G ermany has
taken a step which draws her nearer to us.

" Notwithstanding unreflecting susceptibilities,
Italy has equally drawn nearer to us in ideas, prin-
ciples, and interests. The September Convention,
which secures the Pontifical interests, will be loyally
carried out.

" Second class naval forces are arising in the
Baltic and the Mediterranean which assure the
liberty of those seas. Austria, relieved of two
Italian and German leanings, and no longer employ-
ing her forces in barren rivalries, but concentrating
them upon the East of Europe, still represents 35
million souls whom no hostile interests separate
from France.

" By what singular reaction of the past upon the
future shall public opinion see, not the allies, but
the ene.nies of France, in nations liberated from a
past that was hostile to us, and now called to enter
upon a new existence, guided by principles which
are our own, and animated by the sentiments of
progress which form the pacific link of society ?
"An Europe more strongly constituted, and more
homogeneous by better defined territorial divisions,
is a guarantee for the peace of the Continent, and
is neither a peril nor an injury to our nation."
The circular proceeds to demonstrate that the
the part of mediator.
On Emperortlle was
sright in ac
contrary, he would n
have disregarded his
high responsibility, if, violating the neutrality ceiAig
pro-
mised and proclaimed, he had suddenly
plunged into the risk of a great war—
one of those wars which arouse the hatred of race,
and in which whole nations meet in conflict. " The
Government," continues the circular, " compre-
hends annexations dictated by the absolute neces-
sity of uniting country populations having the same
manners and the same national spirit. It can only
desire those territorial aggrandisements which would
not affect its powerful cohesion, but must always
labour for its moral and political aggrandisement,
using its influence on behalf of the great interests
of civilisation.

" Nevertheless, the results of the late war teach
an important lesson, and show the necessity which
exists for the defence of our territory, and for per-
fecting without delay our military organisation.
The nation will not fail in this duty, which cannot
be regarded as a threat by any."
In conclusion, the circular considers the political
horizon to be free from any threatening contin-
gencies, and expresses belief in a lasting peace.
BOURSE, Sept. 15.—Two o'clock.—This being
the day for the half monthly reponse des primes
(option), a little more animation has been exhibited,
but the tendency of the market continues down-
ward, more especially in Italian Fives. The follow-
ing rates were declared for the reponse :—ltalian
Fives at 56f. 30c. Mobilier, 662 f. 50c. Lyons,
888 f. 75c. French Threes were done at 69f. 75e.,
or 15c. lower ; Italian Fives at 56f. 40c., or a loss
of 70c. ; Mobilier at 666 f. 25c. or a fall of 2f. 50c. ;
Credit Foncier at 1,365 f., or 2f. lower. Comptoir
d'Escompte at 910 f., unchanged. The railway
market is also declining. Three o'clock.—The
market has been rather firmer, the closing prices
being as follows :

4i per Cents 96 75
Do. end month

Bank Shares 3578 75
Italian Loan 56 20
Do. end month 56 50
Mexican Loan —
Do. Bonds —
Spanish Threes
Home Debt —
Deferred
A' &YE!.

3 per Cents.
Do. end month 69 85

Credit Mobilier 667 50
Do. end month 665
Credit Foncier

Do. cud month 1360

itAIL

Lyons and liediterranean For Account.
Orleans
Northern ....... :
890
Southern
Western
Eastern ................................................
Sardinian.
Austrian
Lombard 415
North of Spain lO7 50
Saragossa
Ditto to Barcelona
R0man.......,--_ ........ --

512 50

65 ---

WESTMINSTER ABBEY.—With the permission and
approbation of Dr. Stanley, the Dean of Westminster, the
Abbey is to be bested iu the winter. Preparations are now
being actively carried on for the reception of the necessary
hot water apparatus for so doing. Four boilers are in
ma, of COligruction,

IHE A.TRE ROYAL LYCEUM.

Dion Boucicault's "Long Strike."

On Saturday caning Mr. Fechter's new season
was inaugurated. As usual, the house was densely
' crowded throughout. And—again as usual—the
audience showed themselves delighted, at times
even enthusiastic in their welcome of the opening
night's performance. This, moreover, it should
be observed,, although that same performance
partook very; much indeed of the proverbial
character of the play of Hamlet, with the part
of Hamlet left out. For the manager himself
only once made his appearance during the night—
after the entertainment was all over, when the
curtain had finally fallen upon the last act of the new
drama--and appeared then only (in answer to the
delighted summons of the house) in propria persona,
and purely and simply in his character as manager.
As all the London playgoers very well knew
for some time previously, ,the opening night at
the Lyceum was to be in the general character
of it something wholly exceptional. And it was
so. The event hasfulfilled the expectation. The
long announced new play in four acts, a drama
entitled " The Long Strike," struck home to the
hearts of the audience, and already gives fair pro-
mise of enjoying a long run, to the great benefit of
the Lyceum Exchequer. For the play as a play, the
public are once more indebted to one of the most pro-
lific and successful of living dramatists, the author,
among a multitude of other famous pieces, of
" Arrah-na-Pogue, " the " Colleen Bawn,"
and " London Assurance." For the play, as
a story, he, in his turn, it is true, is indebted
to the late Mrs. Gaskell, one of the homeliest and
most charming of recent novelists. The groundwork
of the whole plot of " The Long Strike " is taken
in fact from the first and perhaps the happiest of
all her literary performances, her homely, tragic
story of " Mary Barton." Through a parenthetical
announcement, indeed, upon his playbill the author
of this dramatic version of " Mary Barton" " ac-
knowledges his obligation to the descriptions of
Manchester life contained in the works of the
late Mrs. Gaskell." But obviously to all those
who have ever read that best among all
Mrs, Gaskell's writings, the tale but just now
referred to, it is from the fictitious narrative of
the loves and sorrows of Mary Barton that the
main interest of the " Long Strike" is derived.
The names are changed, the incidents are modified,
but the story, in each instance—here in the novel,
there in the drama—is to all intents and purposes
simply identical. Only, it should be added that
Mr. Boucicault uses the materials thus adroitly se-
lected by him for the fabrication of his new drama
—materials hitherto strangly overlooked by the
cultivators of the dramatic art—with all the
inimitable .skill, tact and discretion which were
only to be looked for from so complete a master of
stage effect as himself. As a dramatic version of
Mary Barton, " The Long Strike" is in its way a
masterpiece. It is worthy of the author of " Arrah-
na-Pogue." It does for the operatives of Manches-
ter what the latter play did in regard to the Irish
Peasantry. It brings the in completely and vividly
within the pale of our sympathies. And as
the hearts of the London Playgoers burned
within them almost as though they had
become for the time being those of Irish
rebels while listening to the Irish rebel song,
the " Wearing of the Green,"—so do they now
glow within them as they listen to the delegates
of the united working men and the ringleaders of
the " Long Strike" down at Manchester. Admir-
ably well acted and beautifully put upon the stage,
the cast being excellent throughout, and the new
scenery by Mr. Greive wonderfully effective—" The
Long Strike" went off to admiration—without even
one noticeable hitch—on Saturday, the firstnight of
its performance. In his impersonation of Johnny
Reilly, the Irish sailor (every inch of him a sailor) Mr.
Boucicault won the the hearts of his audience at the
Lyceum as completely as ever he did at the Pr in-
cess's in his impersonation of Shaun-the-Post.
And, in her turn too, his charming wife spoke and
looked and moved as gracefully upon the scene,
all through the four acts as the poor Factory Girl,Jane
Learoyd, as who that ever saw her in the part does
not remember her to have done in the character
and play (for they were synonymous) of Arrah-na-
pogue, or Arrah-of-the-Kiss. Three other imperson-
ations on Saturday night achieved for three members
of Mr. Fechter's company a brilliant, an exception-
ally brilliant success, two of the three more especially.
Mr. Emery as Noah Learoyd—Mrs. Gaskell's John
Barton as now dramatically realised by Dion Bouci-
cault—was the very incarnation of the Ringleader
of a Working-man's Strike, the very archetype of an
honest, homely enthusiast, with his brain all
aflame with sympathy for the wrongs and sufferings
of his fellow-workers. The make up was admirable,
the every movement of his limbs, the every glance
of his eye, the every tone of his voice, the very
clumping walk of the man clad in his threadbare
fustian and corduroy—everything was in cha-
racter. While, throughout the last scenes
of the drama, after the murder has been committed,
the crazed look of the care-worn face had in it a
world of tragic power that, in the mere remem-
brance of it, commands our admiration. Mr. Wid-
dicombe, again, as the eccentric and kind-hearted
attorney Moneypenny, we don't think we ever saw
to greater advantage. It was a good, sterling piece
of genuine acting—without one touch of buffoonery
in it. It went right home to the hearts of his•
audience, and roused them at the close of the third
act to• unmistakable enthusiasm. Almost upon a
par with these two as an impersonation was
the Jem Starkie of Mr. J. C. Cowper—who
looked and acted the part of Jane's lover, the honest
homely young foreman of engineers, admirably well
from first to last. As for the plot of the
story, it needs hardly to be recapitulated here.
To the readers of "Mary Barton," it has long
been familiar. And the leading incidents of the
novel are, for the most part, faithfully adhered to,
with very slight modifications here and there no-
ticeable—at any rate up to the very climax of the
story where, however, the crowning circumstance
of all, meaning the manner in which the evidence
of vital import has to be reclaimed, is not so much
simply modified as it is absolutely transformed.
Mary Barton, or we should rather say, Jane
Learoyd, does not go in quest of that evidence
herself as in the original story—the witness being
brought back (as the incidents of plot are here re-
arranged by the dramatist) by another and a totally
different agency —to wit that of the electric tele-
graph. The scene in the telegraph office in effect is
the great sensation scene of the drama. There—to
the click, click, click, click of the electric needles—
the true Spirit Rapping of this Age of Scientific
Miracles—the hearts of the audience beat with
sympathy for the loves and the griefs of poor Jane
Learoyd, the all but heartbroken factory girl, as
she—Jem's betrothed, Noah's daughter; Johnny
Reilly's sister-in-heart—is presented to our view by
Mrs. Dion Boucicault. Another strangely effective
scene before this one was the murder scene at the
back of the murdered man's villa in the suburbs of
Manchester, among the hedgerows and the meadow-
stiles, far away beyond which are visible the flam-
ing windows and flaring chimneys of the giant fac-
tories of Cottonopolis. The manufacturer Radley,
by the way, the man who is murdered, that is, it may
here be remarked, is impersonated effectivelyenough
during the first two acts by Mr. Fitzpatrick. One or
two trifling anomalies (or however we may like to
call them) in:the piece, it may be as well, perhaps,
in passing, to particularise. For example—it appears
to us that, when Noah Learoyd picks up the pistol
from Jane's tea table, and hurriedly loads it with
one of the bullets found by him in the saucer, he
would hardly regard the circumstance of their being
there ready to baud at the moment of his forming the
deadly design of taking Mr. Radley's life as so abso-
lutely a mere matter of course. He would evidence, at
any rate, some surprise at so extraordinary a coinci-
dence! Again—in the repeated " Withy Grove" scene
—both at its going off and at its coming on— could not
hat ridiculous Pump (so suggestive of Mr. Crumnales'
tag e property in " Nicholas Nickleby") could not
that very absurd Pump, instead of gliding off by
itself in one scene and gliding on in another, be
got rid of altogether? Finally—while we are tak-
ing these exceptions to the way in which the piece
is; put upon the stage (and Admixably put upon it

as a whole) at the Lyceum—we would add that
when the murder at length takes place immediately
before the fall of the drop scene, at the close
of the second act, it is quite a relief to us to see
two or three policemen come on to the stage to
take part in the tableau! For—hitherto —all through
those first two acts—thepoliceman Crankshaw alone
appears on the scene iu that capacity among all the
gatherings of the operatives in the streets and else-
where—as though there were only one policeman
in all Manchester ! As it is, however, the whole
drama, or, perhaps, we should rather say the drama
as a whole, is, with such masterly effect in the gene-
ral getting up of it, in the acting of it, and in its
scenery, put upon the stage of the Lyceum Theatre,
that mere passing little exceptions to it like
these, seem even to ourselves, iu the remembrance
of all this, very much, indeed, like hyper-
criticism. Altogether the play itself, and the
performance of it, must be pronounced to be a
brilliant and unmistakeable success, and one upon
which Mr. Fechter may be, as he is, hereby, very
heartily congratulated, our congratulations extend-
ing beyond , with Mr. Fechter as manager of the
Lyceum, to the author of " The Long Strike," to
the actor-dramatist, Dion Boucicault.