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

~i~V IQa~~7~Q ~7135C.

LONDON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1850.

The unfortunate difference between the engine-
drivers and directors of the London and North-Wes-
tern Railway still continues, although there has been
as yet no overt act of hostility 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 inconvenienced
by the withdrawal of some of the e xisting 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
way altogeth, r 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 Bogtbern dirlsiop, Altboligh 134vIng no pelagniii

grievances, nothing, in fact, on which to ground a
plausible complaint, have expressei 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 restored
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 casus 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 ne 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
is 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 ofcompelling 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 desires to make a bona
fide engagement with any other company, or who
shall propose to go abroad, or, in fact, shall wish
to leave the company's service for 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 magiitrate, 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.

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 restaurants to the host of
foreigners who may be expected to visit London
durieg 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 w ill 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 SHAKSPERE and our elder dramatists, and to
the theatres in which SHAKSPERE is properly represented
they will fleck, 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
seeing the translation. This, by rendering the trade
of the mere translator an unprofitable one, cannot
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 SHAKESPERE. 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 reclmffee as the star system renders ab-
solutely necessary ; they would be disgusted were they
told that, to suit the purposes of one actcr
not only was every other actor sacrificed, but the
drama itself truncated. They who love the drama
fur 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. Ou 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 for 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 would 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 ho 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 bye been us uniformly
.successfon as g proof

of the first portion of our proposition, we
would adduce the cases of Drury-lane and Covent-
garden, and of the second, those of the Adelphi and
Sadler's Wells. What is the secret of the great suc-
cess of the Adelphi pieces ? Why, that there are no
stars there, that the company has been a permanent
one for years, that the artistes are thoroughly
used to each other, and know exactly how
and when to play up to each other, so as to produce
the greatest possible effect with the least apparent
effort, results the attainment of which the star
system renders impossible. At Sadler's Wells, again,
we have had recently our old sterling playa re-
presented in their entirety, instead of in
" starry " fragments, and with a unity and com-
pleteness that gives much greater pleasure to the
man of cultivated taste than could the isolated efforts
of the most resplendent star in the dramatic firma-
ment. The approaching retirement of Mr. MACREADY
renders the success of an united effort on the part
of all managements to put down the star system
most hopeful ; and we trust they will unite, and,
once for all, effectually destroy a system which is
ruinous alike to manager and actor, to artist and
to art.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris journals of yesterday.
The trial of ALLAIS commenced on Tuesday at the
Police Correctionelle, and was likely to last several
days. It is made quite a party affair ; the judge con-
stantly interfering to bully the accused and the wit-
nesses, more especially M. YoN, the Commissary of
Police of the Assembly, who denounced to M. Dumr,
the Bonapartist plot (real or pretended) for his assas-
sination, which ALLAIS had revealed to him, whilst
M. Durex takes M. YoN under his protection, and by
his conduct shows that he at least believes in the truth
of the revelations of ALLAIS. This trial is the com-
mencement of the open contest between the PRESIDENT
of the Republic and the Assembly.
On Tuesday the Government narrowly escaped a
vote of censure for jobbing in the contract for cloth-
ing the army. The majority in favour of the order
of the day was 44 only, the numbers being 346 to 301.
The Constitutionnel has the following on the failure
of the negotiation for the loan :
" That the adjudication has not taken place is with-
out doubt to be regretted, but what is certain is that the
fault is not that of the Government. Every one, on the
contrary, was glad to see it fix its minimum at a rate in
proportion to the present quotation. The Bourse was
of that opinion, for after having fallen If. the quotations
began to rise before the end, and closed 80c. lower than
the last prices of Saturday. It is to be remarked, also,
that the strange incidents of Saturday's sitting in the
Assembly, and the apprehension of seeing a new conflict
arise between the two Powers relative to M. Yon,
reckoned for much in that fall. What will the Govern-
ment do ? We cannot say; but we do not think it to be
very uneasy concerning the further results of this matter.
The capitalists will not fail probably to admit themselves
that they have esteemed our credit a little too low.
Already, it is said, offers have been made to the Minister
to take the rentes at the price of his minimum. At
all events the Government can wait, as the Treasury has
never had more money in hand. It is besides well known
that the two millions of rentes were offered for sale less
on account of any present want, as to be prepared for
eventualities abroad. At present, seeing that the diffi-
culties which were apprehended have been in a great
measure removed, there is no hurry, and the Government
can take its time."

There was not much business transacted at the
Bourse on Tuesday, except in railroad shares, but Go-
vernment Stock was more firm than on Wednesday.
The Five per Cents. opened at 95f. 15c., fell to 951.
10c., rose subsequently to 95f. 60c., and closed at
951. 50c.; the Three per Cents. closed at 57f. 60c.
Orleans Railroad Shares, 860 f.; Rouen, 690 f.;
Havre, 272 f. 50c. ; Great Northern, 487 f. 50c. ;
Avignon, 1951.; Vierzon,4lof.; Basle, 1361. 25c. ' •
Bordeaux, 407 f. 50c.; Paris and Strasburgh, 3581.
75c. ; Tours and Nantes, 252 f. 50c. ; the New Pied-
montese Loan, 85f. 55c.

On Christmas-day the Bourse remained closed.
The Five per Cents., however, were done out of doors
at 95f. 60c.

PORTUGAL.

Intelligence has been received from Lisbon to the
19th inst.

There had been a falling off in the Customs receipts
of 50 contos in the month of November, 1850, as com-
pared with the corresponding month of the preceding
y ear.