The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-26 00:00:00

completed, and shortly to be occupied. No, gen-
tlemen, I am proud and happy to say we are
prudent, domestic, social, charitable, and very
respectable. There is scarcely an actor in the Hay-
market company, that besides his lodging in Lon-
don, in order to be near his duties, but owns his
little box in the country, while some of them are free-
holders, and with a stake in the State. Is not this
respectability ? And also, as a body, we can boast
that we are unstained with crime, although at
Sheffield the other day the spirit moved a certain
Quaker to attack the actors and the theatres, and
which attack I read in that excellent dramatic paper
the Era—to be sure his arguments were totally
demolished in that journal, by an intelligent per-
former in the Sheffield company ; yet it would be
curious to know how this Quaker obtained his pe-
culiar notions of a theatre—whether he reduced the
brim of his hat, fastened a collar on his coat, and
paid to the gallery—or whether he had never en-
tered a theatre at all, but derived his deduction
from the intolerant and pig-headed ideas of the sec-
tarians. But be this as it may, we can truly and
honestly tell broadbrim that no member cf the dra-
matic art was ever hung at Newgate—(laughter)—
and which is more than the Society of Friends can
say of their demure body. Another erroneous no-
tion appears to be entertained by a bigoted portion
of the public, that behind the scenes of a theatre
must be a sort of a pandemonium. (Hear, hear.)
How often have I beheld the awkward astonish-
ment of a visitor, who has never been there before,
to find it quite a scene of decorum, with the actors
and actresses only anxious about their duties, and
even looking upon the stranger as an intruder. See
him introduced to the green-room, where, if he has
not done so on entering it, he is politely told he
must take off his hat, that being an ancient piece
of etiquette, and which is observed to this day in
all respectable and legitimate establishments. I
once introduced a clergyman behind the scenes—
(roars of laughter)---he had evidently made.up his
mind that his sense of propriety was to be very
much shocked, still he wanted just to have a peep,
for once, only for o:nce ; but he found everything so
quiet, so orderly, so all that was businesslike and
correct, that he told me when he went away
he was so mistaken in tho opinion he had
formed of what he should see, that really he did
not care to come again. (Laughter.) I have ad•
vanccd these refutations of ignorant ideas respect-
ing us, to prove to you if possible that, when you
are disposed to be generous towards the actor
as I know you will be to-night—(applause)—that
your generosity will be bestowed upon worthy ob-
jects—upon those who have been industrious and
careful in youth—upon those who, should they in
old age require their annuities, will only have to
thank their own prudence for their independence,
combined with a grateful feeling towards you who
have helped them to it. (Applause.) I have now,
gentlemen, to inform you that our beloved Queen
has sent us her annual donation of one hundred
guineas—(cheers)—while I am sure,' not only from
the encouragement she so continually bestows upon
our art, but from the ancient loyalty of the players,
there is no class of her subjects who more deeply
sympathise with her in her recent domestic afflic-
tion than the English actors. (Hear, hear.) Now,
gentlemen, I hope you will be liberal to-night, if
only to emulate our generous and enterprising
chairman. Some of you, like him, have, I dare say,
many irons in the fire ; but we ask you to draw one
red hot, to warm us up this evening. And while
again referring to our chairman, I certainly con-
fess to have been one amongst others who opposed
his obtaining a music and dancing license for the
Alhambra, because we considered the rights and
privileges of the theatres were being encroached
upon, and by establishments under no control. But
that has nothing to do with the cause for which
we meet here to-night. I—(as Mr. Box says to
Mr. Cox)—may say to him " I have no animosity
against you"—(laughter)---while he, as Mr. Cox,
may reply, " And I have no rooted antipathy to
you." "Very well." (Laughter.) It was Mrs.
Bouncer's fault that we came into collision. Mrs.
Bouncer meaning an embodiment of the Middlesex
magistrates. Gentlemen, I conclude with leaving
our cause in your hands, and calling upon the
stewards to act to-night with double diligence, to
leave no purse unopened, no cheque unfilled, when
I have no doubt the donations of this evening will
equal, if not exceed, those on any other occasion.
Mr. Buckstone resumed his seat amid loud and
enthustie applause.

Mr. ARCEDECKNE proposed in appropriate terms
" The Drama," which was responded to by Mr. B.
Webster, Mr. Brougham, and Mr. Fechter.
Mr. Sergeant BALLANTINE gave the " Health of
the Chairman," eulogising his private, public, an('
professional character.

The CHAIRMAN returned thanks, and doing so
said that his love for theatricals and the drama
commenced with his earliest youth, for his father
was the friend ofDibdin, of Elliston, and the Barry-
mores. In referring to the allusion of Mr. Buck-
stone to his having so many irons in the fire, he
said that if he had not known his friend Buckstone
so well he should have supposed from his allusion
that he was an old washerwoman. (Laughter.)
There were many sorts of irons, but he (the chair-
man) had avoided flat irons, although he must con-
fess that the Italian irons he had occasion to use
were rather hot to the fingers—(laughter)—and
scorched him not a little.

The toast of " The Bar" was proposed by Mr.
HUGGINS, and responded to by Dr. SPINCKS.
Mr. CULLENFORD read the list of donations.
Amongst them were the Queen £lO5, E. T. Smith
£lolos, Baron Rothschild £lolos, Mr. Tite, M.P.,
£lO lOs ; the total sum announced exceeded £4OO.

COLLISION AND SINKING OF THE
AMERICAN SHIP JUNIATA.

LAMENTABLE LOSS OF LIFE.

Yesterday the Board of Trade received from the
receiver of wrecks at Liverpool a report of the
total loss of the Juniata, outward bound from that
port for Baltimore, resulting from collision with
the ship Joseph Fish, also from Liverpool, bound
for Key West, which took place off the Irish coast
on the morning of the 16th inst. ; and it is inferred
that her captain, first officer, and ten of her crew,
met with a watery grave.
The report contains the sworn deposition of
Captain Young, master of the ship Joseph Fish,
from which the subjoined particulars of the melan-
choly catastrophe are obtained.
The Joseph Fish, 1,119 tons, sailed from Liver-
pool on the 14th inst., with a cargo of salt, shipped
by Messrs. Boult, English, & Co., for St. John's,
New Brunswick. Everything went on well till
Saturday, the 16th. It was about 12.25 a.m., very
hazy weather, and the wind blowing fresh from
wAW. The ship was under canvas, steering S.
by W., when Captain Young observed a ship
standing towards him on the port tack. She
proved to be the American ship Juniata, Captain
Wilson, from Liverpool for Baltimore! Observing
this, he ordered the helm of the Joseph Fish to be
put hard to port, but almost immediately the
ships came in contact, the Juniata striking
the Joseph Fish en the port bow, He had
previously seen the lights of the ship for at
least 20 minutes before the collision, and, being
on the port tack, he expected she would hare kept
away; but finding, as she approached, no attempt
was made to do so, he called out to his men to put
the helm aport, which brought the Joseph Fish's
head to wind, and the force with which she was
struck by the Juniata canted her head to the north-
ward, and he saw the Juniata founder in about five
minutes afterwards. This occurred about ten miles
S.E. of the Tuskai Light. The crew of the sink-
ing ship cut away the boats and launched them, but
only one survived. This came alongside, and on its
people getting on board he ordered three of his men
to go in search of the missing boat, which they did,
and after being away one hour and a half returned,
being unable to find any trace of it. He then put
back to Liverpool to repair the damage the ship
had sustained.

The receiver of wrecks states in his report that
the collision might have been avoided had proper
attention been paid to the rules laid down, as the
lights of both ships were visible twenty minutes
before the collision.
The survivors consist of the second officer of the
Juniata and twelve others, among whom is Capt.
John S. Milbourne and a boy named Wm. N. Young,
who were passengers home to Baltimore, their ship
having been lost about six weeks since. Capt. Mil-
bourne appears to have first got into the boat that
is missing; but finding it stove and fast filling with
water, he jumped overboard and swam to the other
boat, which picked him up.
The sufferers in the first boat were the captain,
the chief mate, and ten seamen, Captain Young,
of the Joseph Fish, recollects seeing the boat afloat
before the Juniata sank ; but soon afterwards it
disappeared, and he supposes it to have gone down,
and that all in it were lost.

The loss of the ship is reported to be about
£lO,OOO.

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