The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-11-03 00:00:00

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4.k • • aftinti• ROOMS..
• • Teiterday the claim.. of Mr. Slade, .peripaear of
the Argyle Rosins.. upon the Commissioners of the
New Street. were brought before a Jury, at the
-Guildhall, Westminster. The Deputy Bailiff pre.
sided.
Serjeaut Beat, Serjesnt Copley, and Mr. Chifflt4
wet* retuned ow the part. of the Plaintiff; the AN'
tg.rney •Gerteral, Mr. Gurney, and Mr. Sttepherd;
by the Coormissinerra.
Mr. Serjeaut Blot stated the case, and claimed
for his Client a compensation amounting to near
30.0001. First, seventeen veers purchase, at a rent
of 11501. a yea', making 19,5501.; secondly, three
' years clear profit, at 25001. a year, amounting to
75001. To leis was to be added 22001. for losses by
site and removal of property, together with other
,anantior memo.
Join, White. serveyor„ was the first witness fulled
,en the part of the Claimant. He knew the Argyle
Rooms, and considered them worth from 11001. to
12001. a year, allowing a sum of 1101. for outgoings.
•The cellar* he estimated at 501. a year, and. the
coach-houses also would let for tiro same sum. The
freehold, at seventeen years purchase, be thought
• Worth 18,t051. Ile knew that Mr. Greville espended
Atterrosiderable sum of money upon the premises be-
. 40,0 Mr. Slade took them.
• •fifir. Squibb knew the Argyle Rooms. There were
-no premise, in that part of the town so fit for the
,Isimpose. He tboeght any change of situation would
be highly injurious to Mr. Slade's business, and that
-sp less than 19,5501. would be so adequate compen-
rnsion for the freehold property.
Mr. Dawson, another starveyor, estimated it at
:10,9001. The scenery, decorations, and wardrobe,
wrewe worth to Mr. Slade, 5,3281. It was much less
costhim. They would not fetch, if sold, more
alliebt,622l. Perhaps not so much. In his estimate
of compensation, he added 1001. for losses, by re-
Wont of property, and 501. for removal of wines. There
-tees a large stack of them, and very valuable. It
isnevald be difficult for M. Slade to procure any place
that coeld nosier his purpose so well, and even
• though be might obtain the ground, such rooms could
riot he completely fitted up in less, than two years.
William Creswell estimated the freenold property,
•t 20,4501. without taking the good wiN into accoetit.
(t. Hicks well, at 19,8001.
it Henry Slade, the Claimant's son.seid, he was as-
sistant folds father in the management of the rooms.
lialtept the accounts, and was well acquainted with
the prt fi!s which, on an average of three years,
for tent, there would remain a sum of 7,2091. 13s. 4d.
amoonted to 10,3001. 13s. 41. Deducting 3,0001.,
or 2,4631. is Id. anneal profit. The Philharmonic
ftwoievy paid 1741. a-year.
Mr. Sequin was manager of the Assemblies at the
Argyle Rooms, and was well acquainted with the re-
di" In the year 1816 there were 26 assembly
slights, and 4,0361. was the amount of receipts. In
1,817, 20 nights' receipts 3,3081. In 1818, 21 nights'
receipts 8,1011.
Mr. Ward, confectioner, believed that from three
to four hundred was the average number of persons
Ipresent at Masquerades in the Argyle [Looms.
Mr7lsNuiti being again examined, said, that the

espeuces of the musical depaetmeut for three years
amounted to 15001.
The door-keeper said, that he sometimes received
• from 1001. to 2001. iu stoney at the doers upon Mae-
.
querade nights.
Here the case closed upon the pert of the Claim-
ant, and the ATTORNEY•PENESAL having addressed
the Jury at considerable length upon tare exorbitance
of the compensation required, and uprin the injustice
that would result to the Public horn *green% .to such
a demand,
Mr. Thompson was called on the part of the Com-
missioners of the New Street. lie was employed, he
said, by the Commisiotters as a Surveyor (ruder the
New Street Act, end knew the Argyle Rooms for
long time. Colonel Gteville purchased them about
15 years bark, he did not know exactly for what
sum, and in 1812 or 1813 the Colonel told them to
Mr. Slade. Witness did not know how much money
Colonel Greville laid out upon them. lie might'
bete fooled away a great dee', hut it did not amount
to so large • sum as 1(1,0001. Mr. Slade expended
perhaps from 20001. to 30001. upon the premises,
rind it would be very difficult for him to get such a
situation in the West-end of the town, except in the
itew line of street, the plan of which would not en.
Creech upon the orchestra of the Irgyln
lit 'would, merely cut of the stores in which the
acenery and other things were kept. He was not
sufficient judge of music to know whether the effect
Would he injured by having the orchestra immediote.
ly adjnititng a public street. lie felt no.doubt. how.
ever, that say incoovetrieners suing from this cir.
Cumstence might be easily obviated. The orchestra
of the Hanover-square Rooms cut the street, sod I
be sass not aware that it injured the music. The
snots, y laid out by, Mr. Slade was principally ex-
pended upon that part of the goonis which he knew
the Commissioners would want. Several effers were
*de to him, 'bet* he relected them all. Que was,.
Olt he should build. up the orchestra with a new
front, the 'silences et, which would be refunded by
the CommissioneM:.Xlieiiluition of the orcbesara
. it present abuts sis,l4 public street, the carrion°.
Eavement coming !.'tides five feet Igoe inches of the
.momss
Mr. Lethbridge,. Machinist to Drury-lane Theatre,
bad been in that:4(46mi for about eight years,--
Sirw-duat, hair,. or cloths, placed between the wall
and au inside costing of boards would, its his opinion,
effectually prevent the music in a. Theatre frow.heing.
injured by any noise in the streets. He would un-
dertake upon any spot of ground ready cleared, to fit•
ap and build such premises as the Argyle Rooms in
trine months.
Mr. Eyre bid, he was Manager of the Philharmo-
nic Concettl'et the Argyle Rooms. They were not,
serb much'ettenrled until the Cencerte commenced
fivers. opinion they were the, principal, means'
nP reneferipg the rooms fashironsble. Their forme/
situation was • bad one. 1.1 wosthi its an aileantelte
to have them ',heed in the line ebe largretlifteets on*
would rather improve than injore.the effechof, the or.
chest's. Ile paid Mr. Slade by, the, yeas foe. the lie.
berry of giving his Concerts 13 t4O noorass,aisdp.llll