The Sun.
London, England, 1819-06-07 00:00:00

DitUitY-LA N HEATILE.

On Saturday a General Meeting of the Pro-
prietors of this Theatre was hell in the Saloon.
J. CALCRAFT, EN., NI. P , t,wo! the Chair at a
guar. er before two o'clork. The Hon. Gentle-
man commenced by observing, that he was igno-
rant of the narticular objects of the meting, but
whate.'er they %vete, he would dischartte his duty
to the best of his power. lie hoped that, what-
ever variety of opinion might prevail, every Gen-
tleman would be allowed a fair and impartial
hearing.

Mr. WARD, the Secretary, proceeded to read
the Report of the Sub-Committee, as sent in and
quoted by the General Committee. The Soh-
Committee expressed their regret at being obliged
to state, that this season had terminated as the
previous one bad done, by adding to the debt of
the property. They did not mean to shrink from
the responsibility of the measures adopted by
them. as. however unsuccessful, their efforts bad
Peen used to promote the interests of the esta-
blishment, The expetiment of reducing the
price of admission had totally failed, butt it
was expected that the plan of raising the price,
recently adopted, would be productive of pro.
•fir, the number of persons visiting the Theatre
being in both instances the same. The Sub.
Committee were of opinion that the publication
of the financial state of the Theatre, and the oh-
servatious made upon the talents of the performers,
tended to lower it in public estimation. Having
found that the expenditure of the Theatre exceed-
ed the receipts, the Committee would have pro-
posed its bring closed, were it not for the propo-
sal of Ntr. Ironmonger to advance a sum sufficient
to pay the contract debts at the rate of 6s.Sd.
in the pound. This propos,l had, however,
withdl'awn, on the ground rho the propose#t secu-
rity was not, in the opinion of Mr. ironmonger's
legal adviser, suffix lent to secure an advance of
12,000/.

A letter from Mr. Ironmonger, one of the Sob-
Committee, was next read. It stated, that that
Gent!emin had wititdrawn his proposal of advanc-
ing 12,0001., not only on the ground of the se-
curOy bring defective, but also from a knowledge
that this snot would be insufficient to answer the
end in view: Early next year there would be a
debt of i 0,3•101. owing by the establ;slonent,
without any expectation of being able to compro-
mise with the creditors. lie was still anxious to
follow up his offer, it any ineanscoulu be devised
of effecting a practical relief.
Mr. WARD proceeded to read an account of
the Revenue and E%pendi/ tire; of the last season,
from which it appe..red, that irp to the sth of May
the receipts were 35,996/., and the exnendmre
37,2931. 125., making a deficiency of 1,297/. Ns.
'rite debt last year was MOO/. ; this year it was.,
90,9221. 7s. 1 Id. But in the charge of Ibis year•
there was a sum of 16,2281. for judgments en—
tered up, or to persons whose claims were in a
train of legal adjudication. This was included in
,the whole debt. •

Mr. S. KRNIZIA said, that during the last season
the receipts- had been sufficient. to cover the cur-
rent expenditure_ of the Theatre ; with the debts
otherwise contracted be had nothing to do. -
Mr.-COCKER observed, that there had been all
increase of 6,0001. of debt this year, without any
dividend -haring been made.

Roinks expressed his regret that Mr. Iron-
monger was .not present. That Gentleman had
Seen the Resohnions of the Committee, and might
haie'opposed them if he pleased. - Fie (Mr. Iron-
anottget) hail made s magnificent offer; and it was
eagerly accepted ; 'hut he now withdrew it, on,
the ground that there was ati outstanding debt,
whiCh he had not foieseen. But that Gentleman,
was fully acquainted whit the state of the Ties-
.sury, and must have known of its debts, as well
as of its means of meeting them. off,.r had
injured the proprietors, inasmuch as it prevented
them, in a great degree, from calling on the Sub-
Committee to make good their offer of advancing
30001. or 40001. each, to extricate the establish--
mein from its difficulties. After some observa-
tions on the management of the Sub-Committee,'
Mr. Robins observed, that the time was now
come to set their slronlders to the wheel, or else
the establishMent ninst sink althgether. Mr. Ar-
nold 11;1(1 a proposal in. view, which was not yet
hilly digested ; the ground of it was, that if he
got the ibeatie he would" require but .a very small
salary at first, but that should increase with the
increasing profits of the house.
Mr. S. KEMBLE said, he was authorised by Mr.
Kean to state, that he (Mr. Kean) would take
the Theatre at a rent of 8,0001. a year. If this
proposal were accepted, it 'would, he was sure;
satisfy both,the public and the performers. He
was nut authorized to go farther, but he was con-
vinced, that it Mr. Kean were allowed a lease of.
ten years, he would narrow the stage and bring
forward, Abe boxes, imprOvethents which were
very much wattling. Ile would also decorate the
Theatre in a proper manner.
. PERKY expressed his approbation of the
handsome offer of Mr. Kean: if there was any plan
by which the ~!,stablishmeut could be relieved from
its present difficulties, it was this. lie (Mr.
Perry) had 5 years ago opposed the proposition of
Mr. Whitbread to let the Theatre, on the ground
that a public establishment of the kind ought not
to bemaole,subservient to the views of any indivi-
()nal speculator ; and because he conceived that
the arts would be better protected and encouraged
by adopting a public-spirited and general princi-
ple of management.—(llear, bear !) lie should
move, that it was the opinion of the Meeting the
Subscribers might to make an advance of d-
on thtir shares, in order that the present ineunt-
brances might be' cleared off ; that for the sous so
advanced there should be given such securities as
the establishment afforded ; and that those ad-
vances should be repaid before any dividend was
Made to the Proprietors. _

Mr.MottRICE seconded this resolution.
Mr. S. KEMBLE 1131 d, he had omitted to men-
tion, that Mr• Kean had the promise of the sup-
port of the greatest authors and poets of the age,
in the event of his obtaining the Theatre.
Mr. CALCRAFT suggested the. propriety of re-
ferring the various documents to a. Committee.
After a few observations from Sir T. Turaozi

"' :Air. Pe; y's it esolution was pi t
and carried nnaniinoliFiv.

Mr. ROBINSON said, tit as Mr. Cossli) bad
obtained a verdict again,t the neatte, it Ivoui4l
be necessary ra request a lithe breathing ,1412 from
him, or else he:might come esi:h an ex.:eqtiott.
it was then inured and carried, that a Cont.
mittee of ten be appointed to consider the st,,te of
the Theatre, and to reeds e all proposals for renting
or conducting it. The tollowing„Gentleruen were
then appointed,,riz. Calctaft, M.P., 1,-)rd
Yarmouth, Sir T. Turmn, Mr. Grentell, M.P.,
Mr. Alderman Wood, -Mr. Perry, Mr. Robins,
Mr. Hosier, Mr. J. Ellis, and Mr. Followfield.
The Sob-Committee were added to the above
names, and the Committee were ordered to re-
port their proceedings at a Meeting to be held on
Sevorday, the 12111 inst.

thaido having been voted to the Hon. Chair-
man, the Alerting, which was numerously, an:l
most re,pretanly amended, adjourned till Satur-
day next.

Theatre closes to-mot row, when Mr. S.
Kemble totikes, for the last time, his appearance
in ,his two-fold capacity of Manager and APtor.
lie is to speak the usual rirewell Address, and
to act the part of Fa/staff in the play of King
Henry the Fourth.