The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-01 00:00:00

OLYMPIC THEATRE.

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On Saturday evening a performance took place at
this pretty theatre in aid of the Metropolitan Typo-
graphical Widow and Orphan Fund—a society
worthy of the utmost support of the printing trade. The
entertainments commenced with Tobin's admired
comedy of the Honeymoon. To what high rank
Tobin might have attained under happy auspices, is a
question impoisible to decide, and melancholy to con-
template. The fine sensibilities of his genius were ill
calculated to contend with the coldness and neglect
he met with. It has been objected, that Tobin is not an
original writer. What, since the days of Dryden,
Wycherley, and Congreve, is original ? Gibber and
Fielding's comedies are most certainly " taken from
the French." Those of Murphy are precisely in the
same situation ; and even Garrick and the elder
Colman were very liberal borrowers. Is Sheridan
original ? We think not. Of the authors of our
own times the far greater number illustrate a remark
which Sheridan took from Churchill—they have
stolen the thoughts of others, and, as gipsies do
children, disfigured them to make them pass for their
own. Shakspere's Taming the Shrew, Much Ado
about Nothing, and Twelfth Night furnished Tobin
with the plot of the Honeymoon, and also with some
of its principal characters : for instance, Juliana and
the Duke are, with some variations, Katherine
and Petruchio ' • Rolando and Volante bear some re-
semblance to Benedick and Beatrice ; and Zamora
is a decided transcript of Viola in the last of the
comedies above-mentioned ; but to return to the per-
formance we witnessed last Saturday night. It is
not usual in amateur performances to pick out pas-
sages here and there, or to particularize the acting of
this or that would-be actor, but in such a perform-
ance as the one we are speaking of, we will in a great
measure step out of the usual course, and make a few
remarks on those gentlemen who we think deserved,
and richly, too, the applause they met with. The
Duke Aranz I was very ably sustained by Mr. Dor-
rington, his reading and acting of the part was really
excellent. Mr. 11. Thomas made a very spirited
Rolando; he rattled through the part with the ease
of an old stager. Mr. Ross, as Jacques, the mock-
duke, was irresistibly comic, with his droll visage and
peculiar walk. Mr. Bustin was the Count Moutal-
ban, and Mr. Pringle made an excellent Balthazar;
his make-up was exceedingly good. The part of
Juliana, the proud high-soaring lady, was given with
great truth and beauty by Miss E. Clayton. The
cottage scene in which the Duke, her husband, calls
for chairs for himself and friend, was true acting.
Of the Volante of Miss J. Coleman, the expecta-
tions we had formed were not disappointed. We
never saw this young lady act with greater taste
and vivacity; the manner in which she acquitted her-
self won the admiration of the audience completely ;
the merry ringing laugh of the light-hearted
happy girl was given in a manner that was
quite refreshing. She was much applauded, and
exhibited throughout the play very superior his-
trionic powers. Miss Moss made a very interesting
Zamora. Mrs. 11. Thomas was very excellent as the
Hostess. The principal ladies and gentlemen were
called for at the conclusion of the comedy. After
the first piece we had a variety of singing and danc-
ing. Mr. Smith and Miss Rose gave a very grace-
ful pas, and Miss Louisa Coleman also gave us one of
her prettiest hornpipes in capital style —it was
honoured with an encore. The evening's amuse-
ments terminated at a late hour with The First
Champagne. The house was crowded.

NARROW EscApv.—A horse and cart, the property
of Mr. Blythe, butcher, were left standing fur a short time
against the foundry on the Nottingham road, in Mansfield,
on Tuesday morning last, when from some cause the horse
started off towards the town, passing along the Nottingham-
road, Cock-pit, and Marhet-sireet, at a terrific speed.
On its arrival in the market-place, a person stood on the
road, and by bellowing and waving his hat succeeded in
turning it round the corner of the Bentinck monument.
where it immediately afterwards made another sharp turn
towards West Gate. The horse was stopped in the lawn
without doing any damage, although there were several very
narrow escapes. Immediately after the above occurrence, a
boy who was gathering manure in Leeming-street, only just
saved himself from being :run over by the Worksop coach,
by throwing himself down, and rolling towards the pavement.
—Nottingham Journal.

Upon these points my Lords rely on the committee
obtaining all the evidence in their power ; and the
committee are hereby authorised to call jbefore them
any officers, or others, whose testimony in such mat-
ters they may think likely to be of value ; and any
papers or reports on the above subject which the com-
mittee may desire to see will be furnished to them on
your application.
A list of the officers of whom the committee is to
consist is herewith added, and my Lords would be
glad, if their convenience admitted of it, if they were
to assemble at this office on Tuesday, the sth proximo,
at twelve o'clock, to take these matters into their
consideration, and to report to me, for their Lord-
ships' information, their joint opinions and observa-
tions thereon.

I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient humble servant,
(Signed) J. PARKER.
Sir Thomas Byam Martin, G.C.8.,
Admiral of the Fleet.
P.S.—My Lords have made the necessary commu-
nicatio❑s to the undermentioned officers, who, with
yourself, will constitute the committee :
Committee—Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Thomas B.
Martin, chairman ; Admiral Sir Charles Adam,
K.C.8.; Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas J. Cochrane,
K.C.8.; Rear-Admiral Sir George Seymour, C. 8.,
G.C.H.; Captain B iward Collier. C. 8.; Captain
Armar L. Corry ; Captain Sir Thomas Herbert,
K.C.8.; Captain Henry D. Chads, C.B. ; Captain Sir
Charles tiotham, K.C.8.; Captain William H. Hen-
derson, C.B. ; Captain John Kingcome.
REPORT.
Committee Room, Adafiralty, March 18, 1850.

Sir,—l. In compliance with the directions of the
Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, signified in
your letter to the Admiral of the Fleet, dated 30th of
January last, we, the undersigned flag officers and
captains, have fully considered the several points re-
ferred to us, namely ;
" Ist. The expediency of reducing the daily ration
of spirits.

"2d. The equivalent to be paid to the seamen for
such reduction.

"3d. The expediency of adopting the calendar-in-
stead of the lunar month in the payment of wages."
2. And we have now to request you will lay before
their Lordships the ollowing observation!, and report
thereupon.

3. The concurrent testimony of all whom we have
examined on the subject of drunkenness in the navy
proves the necessity of some remedial measures, and
we consider the step now contemplated with a view
to its prevention, not only expedient, but imperatively
called for, as well for the safety as the credit of her
Majesty's fleet.
__

4. To those familiar with the naval service it is un-
necessary to state the risks and dangers attendant on
drunkenness in a ship ; but to others, not conversant
with the subject, it may be proper to point out some
of its effects.

5. Accidents, frequently fatal, are the consequences
of men, under the influence of liquor, having to per-
form duties aloft. The lives of boats' crews are often
risked, and sometimes sacrificed, in the attempt to
save drunken men who have fallen overboard.
6. Fire, under the most awful circumstances, is
another of the dangers to be apprehended ; but still
more serious would be the consequences of drunken
men being called suddenly into battle at night time
amidst lighted lanterns and gunpowder.
7. To guard against dangers of such magnitude, as
well as to repress the insubordination which generally
attends drunkenness, severity has sometimes been
necessary. Rut no dread of punishment seems to
overcome the propensity.

8. It is, threfore, better to seek preventive mea-
sures than continue an ineffectual effort to suppress
the crime by the ordinary resources of discipline.
9. No man was ever more alive to the danger of
drunkenness in a ship than Lard Nelson. His hu-
mane and generous feeling for the welfare of the sea-
men was as conspicuous as the other noble qualities
which render his memory so precious to the service
and so dear to his country. But his sense of public
duty overruled every other consideration, and made
him feel the necessity of having recourse to rigorous
measures in dealing with this dangerous habit.
10. Lord Nelson's captain, Sir Thomas Hardy,
with the same feeling, and anxious desire for the good
of the service, strove by every means to suppress the
vice ; for we find that between the Ist of August,
1803, and 31st of October, 1804, very many corporal
punishments for drunkenness took place on board the
Victory, his Lordship's flag-ship, but it would seem
without diminution of the crime.

11. No greater proof can be given of the danger
with which drunkenness is to be regarded than the
efforts made, under the authority of these great and
exemplary men, fur its suppression.
12. Nor can any better test be produced of the
value of the Pleasure now contemplated by their
Lordships as a remedy, than the opinion generally
expressed by the officers of the navy as to the advan-
tages to be derived from its adoption.
13. Sir James. Graham, Lord Minto, and Sir
George Cockburn, whose experience at the Board of
Admiralty has made them well acquainted with the
amount of this crime, its causes, and consequences,
have likewise expressed their full concurrence in the
proposed measure._ _

- 14. We have also found reason to believe that the
respectable part of the seamen (happily the great ma-
jority of a ship's crew) will gladly welcome any ar-
rangement which will abate a nuisance tending so
much to their discomfort.

15. The importance of the subject has made us
desirous of hearing what could be urged by persons of
every class, and especially by the seamen themselves,
for or against a reduction of the ration of spirits, with
a liberal compensation in money.
16. We have therefore called before us 10 cap-
tains, 2 commanders, 2 lieutenants, 4 surgeons,
Royal Navy ; 1 major, 1 captain, Royal Marines ; 3
shipowners and masters of merchantmen, 1 chief
engineer, employed afloat, 1 quartermaster of Scotch
Fusilier Guards, 2 clerks of Wages'-office, a warrant
officer, 17 first-class petty officers and able seamen, 3
sergeants of marines, 1 American merchant captain,
who, being on the point of sailing, give written
answers to the questions • Dr. Carpenter, M.D., a
Professor of University College.
17. The seamen, without one exception, admit in
their evidence that drunkenness is the prevailing
crime an board her M;ijesty's ships, and they ac-
knowledge with equal frankness that drunkenness is
the cause of almost every punishment.
18. With such evidence from the seamen them-
selves, it would be superfluous to seek further proof
of the necessity of some measure which may put au
end to a state of things so destructive to discipline
and injurious to health.

19. The facts, as ilbt forth in the evidence attached
to this report, warrant us in saying that drunken-
ness mutt be put down ; it cannot be any longer per-
mitted, consistently with what is due to the efficiency
of the fleet.

20. The question, therefore, which we have had to
consider, and upon which their Lordships will have
to decide is, what remedy will be most effectual and,
at the same time, most satisfactory and beneficial to
the seamen.
21. But on entering upon this part of their Lord-

30. The evidence before us clearly proves that the
evening grog is the source of those evils which render
discipline irksome, and give to the naval service a
character for harshness which it does not deserve.
31. Tea, introduced into the navy in 1824, as a
part of the substitute for the diminished allowance of
rum, is served at the same time as the evening grog ;
and men, who prefer the tea, sell their allowance of
grog to others, of less temperate habits. This is one
source of drunkenness.
32. Another is—the men who are expert in mak-
ing clothes, or other articles, very frequently receive
payment for their work in liquor.
33. 'lt appears, also, by the evidence of the seamen,
that a custom prevails, more or less, in every ship
which enables at least one man in each mess to get
drunk every night ; namely, that the cook of the
mess for the day has, by consent of his messmatee, a
large proportion, and, in many messes, the whole of
tha evening grog of the mess for his own use or dis-
posal ; and in the latter case he has the power to make
many others drunk as well as himself.
34. Th.) existence of these practices, which it does
not appear can be effectually checked by the police of
a ship, as at present constituted, induces us to recom-
mend to their Lordships' consideration the establish-
ment of a corps of higher qualified and better paid
persons—men of proved steadiness, activity, and in-
telligence; so that, on first commissioning of a ship,
a master-at-arms 'and ships' corporals would at once
be sent to her from the dockyard, where such an
establishmen', when not afloat, may be usefully em-
ployed in helping to check the depredation of stores,
&c., which there is reason to believe takes place to a
considerable extent.
35. At present it is a matter of chance whether a
captain may find men qualified for duties upon which
the good orders of a ship so much depends; and we
cannot too strongly press the necessity of some im-
provement in this respect upon their Lorships' at-
tention.

36. This proposal respecting the police will be in-,
,complete unless measures be adopted for preventing
the clandestine introduction of spirits which now
takes place to a very great extent when ships are in
port. We therefore recommend that the command-
ing officers of her Majesty's ships be armed with au-
thority to search, and .seize, shore boats, hovering
about the ship with spirits, and to send the offenders
before a magistrate, to be dealt with according to a
law which it is desirable should be enacted for that
purpose.

S 7. We come now to the consideration of the best
means of preventing a misuse cf the allowance of
grog. •
08. Some of the men in their evidence have said
that "if a man drinks no more than his allowance it
will not hurt the old seamen ;" but there is sufficient
evidence to show that it has a different effect on the
younger sailor ; and he it is who most needs to be
guarded from the dangerous temptation.
S 9. The observation of the men, however, means to
attribute drunkenness more to the vicious practices
we have mentioned than to the actual quantity of
spirits allowed.
40. In the American navy the men drink their
grog at the tub, in the presence of an officer. In
our service this plan has been known only as a punish-
ment for drunkards, until recently adopted on broard
her Majesty's ship Constance, with a complement of
500 men.

41. Punishments having been found unavailing to
check the drunkenness that prevailed in that ship,
Captain Courtenay repeatedly warned his men that
he would be obliged to make them drink their grog
at the tub ; and he accordingly did so.
42. The beneficial effect of this experiment is well
described by the surgeon of the Constance in his me-
dical journal, in which he lays great stress on the im-
proved health and discipline of the ship in conse-
quence of greater sobriety.
43. But a system so contrary to the habits of our
service, though followed by some other nations, con-
tains difficulties which it is not necessary to discuss
in this report. In deciding, however, not to recom-
mend it as a general measure, we entirely approve of
its being left, at the discretion of the captain, to have
recourse to it in the event of drunkenness being
found generally to prevail, but especially as relates to
the evening serving, so long as that practice continues
in force.

44. Another plan has been put before us by Captain
Michael Seymour, whose attention to this subject
gives weight to his opinions ; he proposes-
-Ist. That no ration of spirits shall be issued, but a
compensation in lieu of it given to the men.
2d. That such tnen as wish to do so may draw the
reduced allowance of grog from the purser; the same
being charged against their wages as is now dune with
slop clothing, tobacco, soap, &c.
45. Captain Seymour considers his plan " will
iv e support to those persons who would rather put
the value, of their allowance in their pockets than
drink it ; and will give a chance to a lad who enters
the navy not to become a grog-drinker ; in fact, to
take temptation out of his way."
46. Though we think Captain Seymour's plan well
worthy of being kept in recollection, we are not pre-
pared to recommend its adoption at the present time.
47. We come now to the method which we think
best calculated to bring the issue of spirits within
such limits as will effect the object their Lordships
have in view.

Ist. We propose that the ration of spirits or wine
be reduced one-half, continuing the dinner allowance
as it has been since 1826, and to do away altogether
the evening grog.
21. That no raw spirits shall be issued as a daily
ration to any one, but that the allowance be mixed
with three times its quantity of water, except at the
discretion of the captain, under special circum-
stances ; and that an allowance which shall be omitted
to be drawn on one day shall not be taken up on any
subsequent day.
3d. That no allowance be issued to the midship-
men, master's assistants, clerk's assistants, or first
class boys, except by the special direction of the cap-
tain, and that compensation be granted as hereinafter
provided.
Ch. That the allowance to cadets and second-class
boys be wholly taken away, and that compensation be
given as hereinafter mentioned.

sth. Troops, when (=barked, to receive the sun:,
allowance of spirits or wine as seamen.
48. ThiA brings us to the consideration of their
Lordships' second question, viz., " The equivalent to
lie paid for such reduction."

49. Admirals, captains, and ward-room officers
having the same rations the men, will, of course, be
subject to the same reduction, but we do not think it
necessary to include them in the scale of compensa-
tion, as they have, when afloat, their wine and gro-
ceries duty free.
50. But apart from this view of the subject, we
cordially concur in the opinion expressed by the com-
mittee, of which Lord Exmouth was chairman, that
the " fllg and other officers will consider themselves
amply rewarded by the great improvement which will
evidently arise in the general health of the seamen,
and the discipline and good order of her njesty's fleet."
51. We believe that the officers will cheerfully as-
sent to any sacrifice that can be proposed with a view
to the success of a scheme promising such advantages
to the service.

52. We propose that mates, assistant surgeons,
second masters, midshipmen, master's assistant, clerks,
clerk's assistants, naval cadets, and boys of both

66. Taking the vote at 39,000 men, and abating
5,000 marines at head quarters, and the officers and
boys not included in the compensation, leaves 26,000
to receive the proposed allowance, which, giving—
To warrant officers, petty officers, and
non-commissioned officers of ma-
rines, able and ordinary seamen, and
marines afloat, per man, per calen-
dar month .
2d class ordinary seamen and landsmen. 2s. 6d.
Will be about £55,000
Deduct contract value of spirits, about lO,OOO

Which leaves about .. £45,000
•to be provided for.
61. Though this is a large sum, we feel sure that
the Parliament and the country will readily apply it
to the attainment of the great objects this plan has in
view—namely, the efficiency of the fleet, the diminu •
tion of crime, and its consequences, and the comfort
and the happiness of all on board.
62. The third and last question proposed to us is—
"the expediency,of adopting the calendar instead of
the lunar month in the payment of wages."
63. We have on this subject, as desired, referred to
the report of the committee of officers assembled in
February, 1847, and we quite agree with them, that
in comparing the wages of our seamen spread over
thirteen months, and the wages in the merchant ser-
vice, and in the American navy, calculated for twelve
months, an undue impression is sometimes made to
our advantage. We, therefore, think the calendar
month may very properly be adopted, and the pay-
ments proposed carried out on the second plan recom-
mended by the accountant-general, and shown in the
appendix.
64. In the American navy an able seaman has 12
dollars per calendar month, which, at 4s. 2d. per dol-
lar, gives 50s. per month.
65. An able seaman in the English navy, reckoning
by the lunar month, has 345., while for the calendar
month of 31 days it is (omitting fractions) 375. 7d.,
and now, with the compensation for the reduced al-
lowance of grog, will be about 41s. per month.
66. The disparity in the actual amount of money
payment is doubtless considerable ; but, prospectively,
the advantage is with the British sailor, Greenwich
Hospital affording a noble asylum to our decayed
seamen, whilst the generosity of Parliament gives to
all others of long and good service pensions sufficient
to support their declining years.
67. These are benefits which in their extent are
unknown to tha seamen of foreign countries, perhaps
not al ways kept in sufficient recollection by our own.
68. Having now answered all tho questions pro-
posed to us, we beg to offer for their Lordships' con-
sideration some incidental observations which oc-
curred in the progress of our examinations.
69. Some considerable experience has been had of
the results of the issue of the monthly allowance to
the men out of their growing wages, and there can
be no doubt it is more than sufficient for their wants.
70. The seamen, in their examinations, are gene-
rally of that opinion, and admit that it is desirable to
bring such advances within narrower limits.
71. We believe this over-abundance of money has
very much conduced to the facility of purchasing
spirits and grog.
72. We recommend that the scale stated in the
second line of the printed naval instructions be
adopted as the guide in future, by which the maxi-
mum advance to an able seaman will reach to 12s.
per month.
73. Seamen who wish to increase the allotment for
the maintenance of their families should be at liberty
to add to their present allotment a sum equal to the
compensation allowance, making it 11. ls. 63. per
month for an able seaman.

74. In the evidence which has been taken,
our attention as been drawn to certain articles of pro-
visionr, the proportion of which requires attention,
with reference to their Lordships' circular of the 21st
of July, 1846, which directs that no additional allow-
ance of meat shall be issued, unless the shrinkage in
boiling amounts to one-half. This shrinkage has
been found particularly to occur as regards pork,
thereby often depriving the men of sutlioient food for
dinner and supper.

75. A larger quAntity of tea appears to be issued
than is now roquired, while the sugar is represented
as insufficient; this, if found correct, will, of course,
admit of easy and inexpensive adjustment; but
when the evening serving of grog is done away with,
it may be found that the present quantity of tea is not
too much.

76. We suggest whether it may not be desirable to
direct the captains of her Majesty's ships to give
particular attention to these subjects, and after due
consideration, to report such alterations as they may
consider necessary.

77. There remains a material question on which it
is proper we should offer an opinion ; whether the
measure we have recommended shall be prospective,
or immediately introduced as the general rule of the
service.

78. We are of opinion that, with so liberal a scale
of compensation as that we have proposed, there can
be no reason to doubt that it will he received with
thankfulness by most of the good and valuable men
in the service; and, as it is their interest we have in
view, as well as the good order and discipline of the
flPet, we recommend that the change take immediate
effect as regards all officers and all future entries.
And as many of the ships now in commission will
have completed their customary periods of service in
the course of the present year, the committee consider
it would be advantageous to the service if their Lord-
ships were to fix a convenient day for carrying the
proposed reduction into general effect; and that in
the meantime it should be left optional to the crews
of her Majesty's ships to accept the advantages held
out by the proposed measure.
79. We beg to add the following summary of what
is proposed in this report.
1. That the present allowance of spirits or wine be
reduced one-half.

2. That the remaining portion be issued at dinner
me.

3. That a imirals, captains, and ward-room officers
shall not receive any payment for the half ration of spirits
taken from them.

4. That mate, second masters, surgeons, assistants,
and clerks shall receive compensation at the present
savings price for the half allowance of the spirits to
be reduced.

5. That midshipmen, cadets, and bop who do not
receive a ration of spirits, be paid a compensation
equal to the " savings price" of the present whole
all.wanco.

6. That warrant officers, working petty officers, able
and ordinary seamen, and non-commissioned officers and
privates of mariner, shall receive for their half allowance
a compensation payment in money of 3s. Gd. per man,
per calendar month.

- 7. That second-class ordinary seamen and landimen be
allowed 2F. 61 per man, per calendar month.
8. That men wishing to give up the reduced allow-
ance shall receive a further compensation, equal to
the savings price fur such period as they may think
proper.

9. That no raw spirits be issued to any one, except
under special circumstances, at th© discretion of the
captain.

That in cases of persisting drunkenness, a deduc-
on, or discontinuance be made fora time in the compen-

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