Star.
London, England, 1810-03-20 00:00:00

NEW THEATRE.

Sit JAMES SHAW brought up the Report of the
Committee on the Petition of Mr. Cumberland, Mr.
Curword, and others, stating, that the petitioners had
subscribed £200,000, by transferable shares, for the
erection of a New Theatre, and the business was now
before the Privy Council; as the parties had petitioned
far a licence to erect the same, and as the time had
expired for the presenting primate bills, he moved that
the petitioners have until this day three weeks to pre-
page their Bill._ _ _

- Mr. SHERIDAN observed, that the parties had
neglected the time to make out their case, and he con-
sidered the present the most extraordinary application
that had'ever been made to the House of Commons.
They had now come, at the last hour of the last day 1
far receiving private bills, to have the time enlarged
for preparing their Bill, without giving any notice to
himself or any other person having an opposite inte-
rest, which he considered an unfair and unjustifiable
proceeding. The petition was presented on the Bth
day of February, and they had since that time to
bring forward their Bail, if they thought fit to carry
into effect what he conceived to be an act of flagrant
injustice. What was stated in the Report was untrue.
The Privy Council was not applied to for a licence ;
it was an appeal to it from the petitioners against the
report of the Attorney and Solicitor General, who
stated that it would be an act of high injustice to grant
the prayer of the petition. The parties in fact wished
to have two strings to their bow, and appealed at the
same time to the Privy Council and the House of
Commons. He wished the parties had acted with a
more gentlemanly sincerity, and not have introduced
the. Lord. Mayor and Corporation of the City of Lon-
don into the business ; —they were not interested in
the concern by any means, as there was no intention
of erecting a Theatre in the City. If such a line of
cOnduct as they wished to pursue were sanctioned by
the Le&islature, the Charter of the City of London
itself might be shaken. The petitioners in fact wanted
to be incorporated to the injury of those who had suf-
fered by the conflagration of Drury-lane Theatre. It
was stated by theta, that the Stage was immoral, and
they wished 'to reform it. Mr. Cumberland wished
the 'Theatre no longer to be a place of idle amuse-
ment, he wished to make it a sort of substitute for
church or chapel. A charge of immorality came ra-
ther aukwardly from Mr. Cumberland. How far the
Stage had profited by his productions, the public
would decide.

Sir J. SHAW said, with respect to his using finesse
he assured the Right Honourable Gentleman that he
thought it his duty to bring forward the petition, but
he had neither share nor interest whatever in the pro-
posed Theatre.
Mr. SHERIDAN said he did not attribute I.ny
thing of finesse to the Hon. Baronet.
Mr. A. BROWNE vindicated the measure from
the severity of the Right Honourable Gentleman's
')ed it as one of public expediency,
the existing circumstances of the
t to be expected from the Right
:man's mind, whatever might be
:don to tha original" proposition,
cterize a measure supported by
ity of the present petitioners, as
nd oppression. _
.N explained.
then put and agreed to.
IER F.N EX PEIN TI ON.
,TR UTH E R moved, that a copy
•Sir Home Popham to Lord Cha-
9th of March, 1810, and relative
'Committee, be raid before the

ations from the SPEAKER and
R of the EXCHEQUER, the
Committee to receive the letter.

LOCAL PA; LI rjA.

resumed,
'DER moved, that the 48th and
..zing to the LQcal Militia, shoul4
.e accordingly read, pro forma, by

YDER said, he rose in pursuaece
I given to nicive fdr lea,' to bring
the L. cal Militia Acts. His ob-

' remark, and describe
and essential under t
Theatre. It was not
Honourable Gentlerr
his grounds of object
that-he should charm
the great respectabilii
an act of hkinstice am
Mr. SHERIDAN
The question was 1
WA T.CI 1
Sir 'JOHN ANSI'
of a Letter from Sir
than), dated the 19th
to the Walcheren
House.
After some observ:
the CHANCELLOI
House weiit into a C
Lo.
The House being
Mr. Secretary RY:
49th of the King,
„pl.,
le read ; Iyhiclx were
the Clerk.
6r. Secretary RY.
of the notice he hid
in tail; to amend Llb
. .