Star.
London, England, 1820-08-02 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

A Meeting of the Proprietors of this concern took
place yesterday, in the Saloon of the Theatre, for the
purpose of auditing the accounts for the last year.
and electing six Directors to serve in the room of six
Gentlemen who go out by rotation.
Mr. CALcRAFT, M.P. having been unanimously
called to the Chair, Mr. WARD read the Advertise-
Ment calling the Meeting.
Mr. CALCRAFT, after some prefatory remarks, ex-
pressed himself to the following effect :—He felt that
he had-little to do more than to give to the Proprietors
an account of what the Committee had done. It was
well known that the Committee had found the Theatre
oppressed by a debt of upwards of £92,000, but which
was now reduced to £39,000; and, having shewn the
great•reduction that had taken place With respect to
the claims against theTheatreAe proceeded to reca-
pitulate the progressive march towards the solvency
of the concern. In the first place, it might be neces-
sary to state, that the whole of the subscriptions had
not been received ;--but notwithstanding, this falling
off (E 400)- the Committee had, maugre all the acci-
dents, which usually attended subscriptions, been
able to do more than they had held out hopes of ac-
co.iiplishing. He could not suffer the present oppor-
tunity to pass without expressing the great gratitude
he, and he felt convinced all concerned must feel, for
the most gracious patronage of his Majesty—(icar,
hear, and great applanse).—lf his Majesty had •not
come forward as he had done, all the exertions that
might have been Made on their parts would have
proved abortive. It was not the liberal subscription
of £lOOO he looked at; it was the paironage of his
Majesty, which had been so liberally bestowed, and
which alone had placed them in the gratifying situa-
tion in which the Proprietors then stood. He then
noticed the great reduction in the claims of their
tradesmen that had taken place, and the punctuality
with which Mr. Elliston had fulfilled everything he
had undertaken : as also the fact of that Gentleman
having laid out, over and above his rental, a sum of
£4OOO in decorations, &c. Ile expressed his convic-
tion, that, were the contract with Mr. Elliston to be
closed, utter ruin must ensue to the Proprietors; and
proceeded to notice the great increase of money re-
ceived at the doors during the last season, compared
with that of the three preceding ones. The fund in
the hands of the Bankers had not been suffered to
lay idle; it had been pot out at interest, and there
was £4565 to be appited to the reduction of the re-
maining debt. This sum he suggested the propriety
of appropriating to the payment of the remaining
demands of the trxidesmen, and thus expunge from
tfieir books that claim.

A Member asked. if the debt alluded to was the
old one? and was.answered in the;af lirmat

Mr. CALcnArr theri ptfteederto state, that ac-
cording to the Resolutions come to by the Commit-
tee, any tradesman (including actors, &c.) who might
have any demand, as before stated, might apply oar
Wednesday anti Thursday this week, and Tuesday,
Wednesday, and Thursday, in the ensuing week,-be=
tureen the hours of ten and three, when' his demand
would be paid. This course, which would now be
pursued, would reduce die debt against the Theatre,
$0 as in three years to wholly abolish it, and their the
new renters and bond‘holders Would come in; as al-'
[ready slated.
A Proprietor wished to know whether WEllies,
bill had been paid?
NT.CALCEArT said, that had been paid out of their
(the Corrimittee's) own pockets.
The Proprietor a ho had put this question thought
this money ought to be refunded. 6
Mr. CA t.caArr jocosely said, he had no objection
to receive it back; hut he thought' they had better •
leave that until the Proprietory grew richer, when,
in all probabiity, those who advanced the money
would get it returned. As far as they bad hitherto
gone, there was every cause to expect a realization
' of ail that had been promised ; and, in fact, the Gem-
rr;•tee had ri,:w in their, hands complete means to
enable them to keep pace with their expenditure.—
One important point he wished to call their attention
:o, naniely, that it was the intention of the Commit-
tee, in the event of its meeting the approbation of the
Meeting, to appropi ii.te the proceeds of the first sixty
ni!;:ltS 1.. f the ensuing season to the payment of the
interest on the last loan. It might-be necesary to
state, that another cla;rn had been made agaihst the
property, but which it Dad been thought more for its
interc'st to accommodate, than proceed to a trial at
I.kw, since the :' gloric t.s uncertainty of the law was a
dangerous experiment I"—(Laughter).—Fte then pro-
ceeded to notice the solidity on which the new claim-
ants stood, and the advantage which justly accrued
to the old claimants over the new ones; and alio the
advantage to be derived therefrenity the new renters,
the value of whose property must rise in proportion
to that of the old claimants. He then noticed the
- great rise in the market on the price of shares, ten
per cent. and congratulated the Meeting on their
situation. He passed a high encomium on the Gen-
tlemen composing the Committee, and concluded by
moving that the accounts, &c. be confirmed. •
B. OAKLEY, Esq. was appointed Auditor; Mr.
CALCZAiT, Lord YARMOUTH, Sir THOMAS TURTON,
Alderman Cox, and • Mr. GEORGE LAMB, were re-
elected as the first names drawn for the General
Committee; as were Mr. ROBINS, Mr. SOANE, and
Mr. Roan:son, on the Sub• Committee.
Mr. CALCRAIPT intimated that the payments to the
tradesmen could not commence paying before Thurs-
day, as ihe accounts were not made out.
Mr. ROBINS could not allow the present Meeting
to separate without saying a few Words. Ile would
have been more happy to have seen the • Meeting
more fully attended, but when he recollected the an-
swer of their worthy Chairman to an observation of 1
his previous to going into the present business, he
was almost induced to say, -that his opinion had al-
tered. That Gentleman's 'answer was, that the thin-
ness of the Meeting gave him no uneasiness, as it was
a proof of the confidence the Proprietors had in the
Committer. lie recalled to their recollection his
conduct four years ago, and the pleasing contrast of
the present situation of the concern with that under
Mr. Peter Moore. When he saw this, he could not
help taking to himself a little creditas being the 'first
proposer of the Course that was no'v followed ; and,
having gone through a numerical statehrent of the
present situation of the concern, contrasted with that
of the former period ; attd having passed a high and
well-merited encomium to the eaittions thd ability

evinced by Mr. Elliston, be concluded by congratue
lating the Meeting on their improved situation.
After some further observations, and an explana-
tion from Mr. Roams; that he did, not mean to say
the former Committee had not done as much as any
other body of Gentlemen could have done, a vote of
thanks was passed to Mr. ELLISTOW.
Mr. ELLIsTow, in. returning thanks, expressed v..
high satisfaction he felt at the honour that had been
paid to him. That they (the Meeting) had expressed
their conviction of his endeavours to render them sa-
tisfaction, was to him the happiest moment of his
life, and he trusted that he should ever render them
that satisfaction which he might feel, but which he
',could not express, and that he should ever, be found
an honest man, and the steady servant of the Public
--(Hear, hear, applause, and bravo). When he found.
be could not conduct the establishment' to the satis-
faction of the Public and the' interest' of the Proprie-
tors, he would immediately resign it—(Applause).
. Thanks were then voted to the Chairman.aud the
respective Committees, and the Meeting broke up,
Isighly satisfied with the account they had received
of the improved condition of their affaits.

LAW INTELLIgENCE.

COURT OF CHANCERY, AUGUST 1.

the

The Lonu CH A NCELLOR came into Court at a
quarter before eleven o'clock.

LIJNATiC PETITIONS.

Die LORD Cu ANCEZ LOR directed notice to be given
that he would hear Lunatic Petitions on the mornings
of Thursday and Friday next, between the hours of
nine and ten.
VICF-ctiANcELLoit's COURIVAUGUST 1.
THE EARL OF SfiAFTESBURY AND OTHERS U. THE