The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-07-09
Theatrical Statistics ef France.

An Immense volume OIL STATISTICS, collected by
order OF tho Chamber of Commerce by spe
cal commission, under the superintendence OF
NJ. Horace Say, with view to ascertain the
state of trade and manufactures in the metro.
polls, furnishes-though it seems strange place
to look for such information some curious de-
tails respecting the state of theatricas, past and
present, in France The gentleman charged with
this part of the inquiry, M N. Rondot, has not, like
his colleagues, confined bis researches to Paris, but
extended them to the whole Of the country. The
number oftheatIes in tho 86 dopaEtmentss set down
at 361, 10 out of that number belonging to the
small department Of the Seine. The provincial
boards do not appear we'll supplied with performers
40 itinerant companies doing duty for no less than
2sO theatres ~ only being provided with stationary
tro,3cs. Three departments have no theatre what
ever all three being situated n the south -Lozere.
Bases Alpes, md Ardeche. III. Rondat concludes
his general statistics by stating that the number Of
actors aud actresses in France IS varousy estimated
at frvIn 5000 to 5000 Wo are then shown tho pro
gressive increase of theatres in Paris Under Louis
XIII. there WAS only one theatre in the capital, Coz
M. Rordot does not reckon as such the booths
of Gros Rene and Gautier-(turguc; under Louis
XIV. they increased to five there were six under
Louis XIV, and under his Inflated successor 10
theatres were in full play In 1871, all mcnorolies
having been abolished 81 theatres sprang up all az
once; but by the year 1907 we find them decreased
"a At this period privileges were re- established
and in the following year only nine were in exist
ence Paris enjoyed 10 theatres from 1910 to 1914,
II from 1914 to 1919, II from 1919 to $780, 10 in
1881, q in 1882. % in 1876 IS in 1919, and % 10
1851. These q theatres contain about $4,000
places. and the average number Of spectators every
night is calculated at 10000 Besides theatres there
are f5places Of amusement open in the capital and
its vicinity, principally during the summer season.
public has, such us Malflle's, cafe concerts, GUM
guettes, &c these establishments ara freauented
by, il is estimated, 2i0OO persons per diem, thus
carrying tho number Of pleasure seekers in Paris to
Al 000 daily Not the least interesting part of those
statistics is that which refers to the receipts OF the
metropolitan theatres, which have undergone many
variations, may be seen from the following &C.
oount.-- From 1907 TO ISL their average noary
5000, OOOf from 1922 to 1926 nearly 1000, 000f;
from 1887 to 1871 they averaged more than
5000 0GOf from 1912 20 1916 more than 10 900 eO0f
and in 1877 they rose to II, 900 ,000f. Hero NJ Ron
dot dscontinues his own figures and quotes the GO
67t7, f0Sf; 1919, ,570f; 1850, 9,959. 1857 !;
1851, 10, ,O00f. III. Rondot concludes his
return by 8 statement OF the number of Che
personnel employed in the Paris theatres, from
which it appears. commencing at the lower end &
the scale, that there upwards OF 400 x-keep
ers male and femaIe and $50 empioyss clerks, So,
IN the administrations whose aggregate salaries
amount 10 40 0c0f The dressplskers, carpenters,
seer eshifters, Sc are moro than 600 stro z, and
their average sulnres am0unt TO 600 ,00Of The
number of musicians in the various o ohestras Is
go. ard their aggregate income IL 900 ,65Ot. We
came to the performers, Of whom, according to
NJ RoDdot, there are ,ID2 men aud S9l women.
OF these 1913 arttsfes and the remainder cbors.
tels and igurantes. The emolumeD's of this nu-
merous 1~ sonnet average per aDnup,, 3 53t .s90f
At the time the statement rs drawn up. 1851, tue
highest salaries wore 45O0f., and the lowest OFF
per month"; startling difference. Formerly, in
l7l3, for instance the FIRST singer Mt fhe Grand
Opera only received ,bCcf per arnum; in t75S,
Madame st. Hubcrti's salary ouly 4.00of a
year; aud the celebrated da~se,a@, Mdiie Guinard,
Only received ASSOC How different ut present.
when 1T the same theatre dfftstss, scarcely Of first
rate excellence receive az much as 80 0O0f q year
-neuxly double The remuneration of the first mags
trate in Frsnce, tho President Of the High Court
of Cessation Among the reforms in progress,
both In England and France, is there no Mr., Hume
to rut stop 10 this tax the good natured folly
Of the too easy public r GotigNant