Star.
London, England, 1810-04-27 00:00:00

DRURr-LANE,•THEATRE.

TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.
The HUMBLE PETITION of the PROPRjETORS of the late Thea.
tre-Royal, Drury-lane, in behalf of themselves, and others,
greatly interested in there-establishment of the-Property,
and the rebuilding of the said Theatre : •

SllEWErit—That the late Theatre-Royal was erected in the
year 1793, by means of Subscription Shares, amounting to the
sum of af 150,000, one moiety of which was applicable to the ex-
tinction of the existing incumbrances upon the old Theatre, and
the other to the rebuilding of the Theatre.
That the application of the whole was placed in the !Ands of
three Trustees, namely, Sir. Richard Ford, Thomas HammerslY,
and Albany. Wallis, Esqts after proper deeds of trust had been
prepared and executed, under the direction and authority of Sir
Arthur Piggott, John Haddocks, and J. Bernard, Esgra.
That the estimate of the expense of re-building the Theatre,
was stated by Mr. Holland, the architect employed, at £80,000;
towhich estimate he signed his name, at the head of tb.: deed,
which contained the signatures of the Subscribers.

That owing to various and unforeseen circumstances, the
itlficulty of forming a lust estimate of the extent of expellee of so
~novel im undertaking, as the building of a Theatre,
of impree.dented magnitude and grandeur, and to the Inexpe-
rience of Mr. Holland, in the accomplishment of such an object,
but without attributing the slighest unfair conduct to him, the al-
! lett,d suns of .080,000 was expended, and the '1 hextre opened in
the beginning of the yea? 11'94, in a very incomplete stare, with
the inteuded surrounding buildings, comprised in the plan and
estimate, not even begun, and a debt, exceeding .41G1,000, left
.utiprovided for.

That under these circumstances, the Proprietors took the liqui-
clazion of this debt upon themselves, although nu personal respon-
sibility could attach to them.
That great difficulties and embarrassments, however, followed
their endeavours to enable the Infatre to bear this load, until,
in the year non, a fair, amicable, anti most satisfactory settle-
ment was made, order the immediate direction and authority of
the Lord•Chancelior, Lord Eldon, without the exertion of whose
penetrating mind, salutary suggestions, and the peculiar attention
which •his Lordship condescended to bestow on the subject, the
Theatre property, with the demands of all its creditors, must
have been irretrievably lost arid extinguished.
That the Ruies and Regulations established, in consequence,
became an order of the Court of Chancery in the tame year, the
Proprietors making over, for•the benefit of the Creditors, all in-
terests and profits in the concert:, ruserving only an annual allow•
ance, at the rate of 300 guineas for each quarter share, allotted to
them by the Lord Chancellor.

That from that time the most perfect regularity prevailed in the
payments, according to that order, and the Lord Chance Hoes ar-
rangements and intentions were strictly attended to and fulfilled;
the cons,geence WAF, although the serictest necessary ceecnonly
did not prevail in the manage-• •^t, a gradual reduction of the tit.bt
existing in the year 1 F 302 ; Ada reasonable hope of ultima'ely
satisfying every just demaLd up an the property.
That the property, thus eireumwanced, with the means of dis-
charging the debt prorreseively increasing, the whole was dc-stroyed
by the calamity of fire, in the month of February, 1809.
That the whole of the property, owing to the exorbitant. terms
deniztol dby the Insurance Ofliccs, had been insured to the amount
only of XS 5,0Ct0.

That since that nsisfartune, affecting even the livelihood of so
large a community, the attention of the Proprietors wag directed
principally to the Reeving together the Drury-Lane Company, re-
linquishing every part of the allowance allotted to themselves,
while proper measures were proceeded on for the establishment
of the former Theatre and property ; and this endeavour, under
the candid protection of the Lord Chamberlain, has happily suc-
ceeded; so that the Company, and the various persons employed
in the undertaking, can scarcely be said to have been at all suffer-
ers in rite calamity of the fire. And the public as certainty has
not been deprived of the acccmmolttion of two Theatres for the
temporary supporters of the drama.

That, while thus circumstanced, and while the Proprietors were
succeisfully proceeding in the necessary preliminary measures to
the re-building of the Theatre, and of making a just and honour.
able settlement with all the different cla;sts of claimants en the
destroyed property, your Petitimers heard with astonishment,
and, indeed, for some time with incredulity, that a plan was in
agitation for taking advantage of the stilted* misfortune in which
the Drury-lane interests were involved,to establish a third Th eatre,
and thereby intercept the means, and destroy the possibility of
re-buildiriz the Theatre of Drury-lane ; and in which a property,
much. exceeding the sum of X 300,000, had been embarked.

That your Petitioners upon the whole submit, that the plea
urged by the Petitioners for the new project," That the increase
of the size and population of the metropolis requires a Theatre,"
is not proved.

But your Petitioners further contend, that if a third regular
establithed Theatre should indeed be deemed necessary, and
called for by the Public, the Proprietors of Drury-lane The ere
have a-third reserved Patent, which has been purchased at a con-
siderable price by the Trustees of the said Theatre, and which
they are willing should be applied to the attainment of the above
object, instead• of allowing new speculations to interfere with their
just rights.

That your Petitioners-by no means purpose to contend, that it
might not he better for the general interests of the drama, and the
purposes for which it has so long been considered as a fir object of
legislative protection, that the existing monopoly should he
wholly destroyed, and. the right of theatrical exhibition entirely
open. Your Petitioners' conviction, that the immediate destruc-
tion of the ri'vect and utility of the Stage would be the conse-
quence, they entirely pass by.; but.your Petitioners humbly insist
that there is no instance, since the reign of Charles the Second,
wherein patent rights, Isowever doubtful. in the purpose and dia.
raster of their giant and origin, have been reclaimed from their
inheritors or purchasers, without due comprissation made to those
who have relied.on the security, or emirarised their nseany upon
the faiths of such monopoly.

That ouch has been the acknowledged construction and admis-
sion of the patent right of the established Theatres, during the
whole- course of the reign of our present most gracious Sovereign,
your•petitioners assert, and are ready. to prove, before your most
Honourable Committee of Privy Council. Upon all these ac-
counts, your petitioners have onlyhumbly•to requost,, that they
may be allowed to be heard, by themselves-or counsel, in respect
to the whole of the case, and with regard' to the superior title,
which your petitioners.claim on the part of the proprietors, ren-
ters, and cretlitors.of the late Drury-lane Theatre, to the protec-
tion of a charter of incorporation, which has always been in the
contemplation of year petitioners; as.the-only practicable mode
of rebuilding the. Theatre, and making a just•and honourable ar-
rangement with the numerous and ri•spectable persons interested
in its .prosperity.--And your petitioners; as in duty bound, &c.
Mr. Sheridan was heard accordingly beforethe Council, as Mr.
Adam, Mr. R. Jack3on, Mr. Leach, Mr. Adolphus, and Mr.
Brougham had been en different pytitiona before. The opinion
of the Council ugainst the application for a third Theatre, under,
any new authority was, we urtderstand,unanimous.

••..k separate petition, entering more at large into the question.
of the patent right, and very ably.tirewn.i was sent in by Mrs.
iticb:crdson.

The Public will, please to observe that the'only.l
person in partnership with the late Sir.l: IfittiNscome,
at the time that Firm shared and sold the Grand!l ,
Prize of One Thousand Tickets, .w.hich produced,'
£24,765 ( intlast April .Lottei y ) w.ae Et-'o, who
is now rernoved.to Na Cornhill,i•ueer the' MAnsion
House.