The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-28 00:00:00

THAMES.

A DETESTABLE SCOUNDREL.—Edward Johnson,
aged 30, and described as a lighterman, was
brought before Mr. Paget, charged with uttering
counterfeit shillings, at the Royal Sovereign public•
house, in Bluegate-fields, Shadwell.
The prisoner uttered two base shillings at the
house through the means of two young girls named
Mary Miller and Mary Ann Quick. He gave each of
them a counterfeit shilling, and directed each to fetch
a half-quartern of gin from the Royal Sovereign.
The base coin was received by Ann Jones and
Jane Jones, daughters of the landlady, without
suspicion, and each child received 9id. change,
which was given to the prisoner. He gave a half-
penny to each child, and netted a profit of is. 6d.
and a quartern of gin. He sent a third girl with
another spurious shilling to the same house, and
with the same bottle, for another half quartern
of gin. In this instance the piece was examined,
and the imposition discovered. The child wt
followed to where the prisoner was waiting for
her, and he was given into custody. The two
young women named Jones said the only tivo.
shillings in the till were those received by them 01
the girls Miller and Quick.
Mr. Paget said this was a proper case to repot
to the Mint Solicitor, and remanded the prisoner
till Tuesday next, when Mr. Pollard, clerk to the
Solicitor to the Treasury, will attend to prosecute
the prisoner.

THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE.—A general
meeting of the renters or debenture holders was held on
Wednesday in the saloon of the theatre for the purpose 0"
receiving the usual official reports and statement of B°'
counts for the past year. Dr. Beaman presided. Tho
financial statement submitted by the trustees showed:4
balance brought forward from former account of kit"
9s. 2d.; interest on deposit account, £l4 3s. 10d.;
received from the committee of proprietors, £2,250: toy
£2,327 13s. From that a dividend has been declared of
£7 ss. per debenture, or £2,175; and deducting secretall''l
salary and disbursements for the year— £62 10s. 6d.---;
balance of £9O 2s. 6d. is carried to next account. The re;
port stated that proposals have been made for sub-letau°
the theatre for the purposes of an Italian opera, and
th
negotiations are still proceeding. Additional precautieenli,
measures are about to be taken against fire, including it
telegraphic communication with the fire stations. 1,,
was explained that the additional cost would be
for another fireman. A proprietor having referre,4
to the public statement that Mr. Mapleson
about to join Mr. Gye at the Royal Italian OPuc,''',o
asked what were the actual prospects of her Maies*o
Theatre company coming to this house ? The chailln.oo
said the negotiations were still pending, but the questleo
had not been finally settled. A certain sum had b
paid by way of deposit, and he thought there were g°
prospects of the opera coming to Drury-lane. Some lu:oa
rid
riment was caused by the reading of the prospectus ',co
share list of a proposed company to establish au 013,0
elsewhere, and the chairman repeated that there ' to
every probability that Mr. Mapleson would eon's the
Drury-lane. The committee was ro-elected
with
eO-
- of Mr. James Bowyer, and the usual cornPlw"
tart' votes were passed. /g. 011
ECCLESIASTICAL TITLES BILL.—Mr. WEVOY as-
consists of one short clause. After a brief preamble
ro,
daring it to be expedient to repeal certain laws,
as
rog
poses to enact as follows :—" From and after the Po
of this Act the Act of 14 and 15 Victoria, cap- shall b
,
section 24 of the Act of 10th George lv., cap. Act°
and are hereby repealed." The former of these tws,!eci is
the Ecclesiastical Titles Assumption Act, Passioo
consequence of what was termed the Papal aggresof
1850 ; and section 24 of the Emancipation Act..e, risea
not a" .'ff
imposes a penalty of £lOO on any person
by law assuming the title of archbishop or bishoP,l;e„d
province or bishopric, or dean of any deanery ill Eve
or Ireland.