The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-26 00:00:00

Mind Vint

czt,
LONDON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1850

. The unfortunate difference between the engine-
drivers and directors of the London and North-Wes-
tern ltailvvay still continues, although there has been
as yet no overt act of hesillity to increase the difficul-
ties of the case, and perhaps render an amicable ar-
rangement impossible. Matters still wear a very
menacing aspect, and there is but too much reason to
fear that the public may be seriously inconvenience d
by the withdrawal of some of the existing facilities
for traffic on that important line. The men have not,
it is true, sent in any notices to quit the company's
service, but it is more than hinted that they
may altogether dispense with that form, and
withdraw simultaneously, without giving any
previous intimation of their intention, and at a
time when it would be almost impossible to
provide competent substitutes, leaving the company
to seek its remedy as it best could.
.The drivers on
the southern diyision, although having no personal

SUN,

Several of our cotemporaries have directed the at-
ention of the public to the necessity of being pre-
pared to afford all requisite accommodation in the
shape of lodgings and restawrante to the host of
foreigners who may be expected to visit London
during the Exhibition of 1851, but none of them have
as yet considered the necessity of providing for the
foreigner that which to him is almost a necessary of
life—amusement. Whoever has sojourned on the
continent knows that to the Frenchman, the German,
and the Italian, the spectacle is an absolute necessity,
a large portion of every evening of his life is passed in
the theatre, and we hope that the benefits which
our own theatres cannot but derive from the presence
of these foreigners will tend greatly to the resusci-
tation of the drama, not only by an increased flow of
specie into the treasury of the managers, but by in-
ducing a large and wholesome reform into our whole
system of theatrical management, without which,
although a foreigner may visit an English theatre
Once, he will assuredly not go there a second time.
The generality of educated foreigners admire and un-
derstand SHAXSPERE and our elder dramatists, and to
the theatres in which SUARSPERE is properly represented
they will flcck, while those theatres which content
themselves with producing bad translations of foreign
dramatic productions will be deserted; no foreigner
who had seen the original of a play would think of
seeicg the translation. This, by rendering the trade
of the mere translator an unprofitable one, cat not
but render an immense service to the cause of the
English drama. Our managers must, if they wish
to attract foreigners, adopt stringent measures to
prevent the extortions of box-keepers and of bill-
sellers, and pursue in that respect a plan similar to
that adopted at the Olympic at the commencement of
the season of last year. But, above all, they must do
away with that which has been the ruin of
the drama—the " star" system. As we have
before said, educated foreigners admire and
understand SHASESPERE. In germany literal
translations of SHAKSPERE are constantly performed,
and in France the Barbare of VOLTAIRE has become
the model of VICTOR HUGO ; but they will not tolerate
such a rechauffee as the star system renders ab-
solutely necessary ; they would be disgusted.were they
told that, to suit the purposes of one actor
not only was every other actor sacrificed, but the
drama itself truncated. They who love the drama
for itself consider, and properly consider, that the
actor is the mere exponent of the author, and should
make his love of display, or even his genius subordi-
nate to the perfect representation of the piece. On the
continent the star system is happily unknown,
and there the drama flourishes as it used to flourish
here before the star system was introduced, and as it
will flourish again when the star system shall be
destroyed. It is not so much the inordinate salary
paid to the star, thus rendering it impossible for mana-
gers to engage other actors of talent, which does the
mischief, as the necessity which this system imposes
on dramatic authors to write monologues fur the
star, instead of tragedies or comedies for the company,
and the insuperable difficulty which it places in the
way of the formation of a dramatic training school.
In the sister art of painting the greatest genius that
ever lived la ould fail to become a great artist
if he changed his drawing-master once a fort-
night ; and for the same reason no actor,
however great may be his genius, can be-
come a great artist if he is acting with a dif-
ferent star every week. Let us look at the working
of the system, and we shall find that the star system
has ended in the ruin of every management that
has adopted it, whilst those who have eschewed
it have been as uniformly successful; as a proof

grievances, nothing, in fact, on which to ground a
plausible complaint, have expressed their determina•
tion to make common cause with their northern
brethren ; so that if the latter should proceed t o
extremities, and refuse to perform the duties for
which they had contracted, the others would pursue
a similar course. The directors, on the other hand,
exhibit a calm and steady resolution, suited to the
emergency. They have issued notices to the effect
that in consequence of the threatened strike, it
is probable that a very considerable reduction
of passenger trains may be temporarily made on the
line, and requesting attention to the time bills which
will be issued in a few days. It is manifest
from this significant intimation, that there is a firm
determination on the part of the board not to yield
to the illegal demands that have been preferred; and
that if the warfare be once commenced, it will be
carried to the utmost extremity, so that no man who
has participated in the movement will ever be restortd
to the employment which he voluntarily abandoned,
and we are much mistaken if the directors of every
other line in the United Kingdom will not enter into
a similar resolution, and thus the misguided men will
find their names tabooed, so that they cannot hope
for other employments on this side of the Atlantic.
Let them, therefore, pause for a moment in their
reckless career, and hesitate before they involve
themselves and families in sufferings and privations,
of the intensity whereof they have at present no con-
ception.
And, first, let us ask, what is the real cases belli?
For what are they contending ? Is it worth the
formidable risks they must necessarily encounter in
the struggle for its attainment ? We believe that there
can be no difference of opinion among unprejudiced
persons on these points, and that even a majority of
the men themselves, if they ventured to express their
own views, would coincide with the public generally.
It is, however, one of the misfortunes incident
to all similar confederations, that the more turbu-
lent and unreasonable spirits obtain an ascendancy
over their more rational associates, and that mis-
chievous resolutions are carried, contrary to the wishes
of the great majority, simply because no members
are found with sufficient moral resolution to stand
forward and oppose the insane projects of those who
have usurped an authority to which they are by no
means entitled over their more moderate brethren.

There is, then, but one point really in dispute be-
tween the directors and enginemen, and that is what
i 3 termed the "three months' notice system." It is
true that four demands have been put forward by
the deputation, but three directly relate to the in-
creased notice required, and the fourth naturally
follows from the same cause, being framed for the pur-
pose of compelling the firemen, who in case of emergency
might discharge the duties of drivers, to join in the
confederacy and co-operate with the malcontents.
The temperate answer of the directors must have
completely removed all misapprehension, if any such
existed, as to their objects in introducing this new re-
gulation. They emphatically declared that the
system was not adopted "in order to bring about a
reduction of wages, but simply with a view to obviate
the acknowledged evil of a sudden stoppage of the
line, occasioned perhaps by some misunderstanding
between the enginemen and the locomotive superin-
tendent." They clearly show the propriety of this
new rule, which it must be borne in mind only
applies to candidates for appointments, none of the old
hands being required to enter into the undertaking ;
and even with respect to these persons the utmost
latitude is given, for it is expressly provided that
"for any engineman who dtsires to make a bond
fide engagement with any other company, or who
shall propose to go abroad, or, in fact, shall wish
to leave the company's service fur any valid reason
altogether unconnected with a general strike, the
usual fortnight's notice would be deemed suffi-
cient." The object of the enginemen must therefore
be to keep the directors and shareholders altogether
under the control of a select body of drivers, who
should have the power at any time to tyrannise over
their employers, and to deteriorate property of enor-
mous value at their mere will and pleasure—perhaps
we should rather say " caprice." Is this just or reason •
able ? Is it a matter in which they can reasonably look for
public sympathy or public support ; and without that
support what can they hope to achieve ? They may
be assured that if once they enter upon the contest
they must be defeated, and that the consequences to
themselves must inevitably be of a very serious
character. They must consider the stringent
nature of the laws against combinations,
and that if they leave their employment with-
cut giving the stipulated notice the directors
will not be restricted to a civil remedy, but that each
man so offending may be summarily punished, on
conviction before a magistrate, with three months'
imprisonment and hard labour. Let them ponder on
these matters before they enter upon a course of action
fraught with ruin to themselves and to those that
may be dearer than life itself.