New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-12
BRITISH TOPICS.
IMPORTANT ELECTION AT LIsKEARD.

ATTENTION DIRECTED TO THE LONDON THEA
TIERS BY TIE BROOKLYN CALAMITY-CAPr. SHAW
ON THE CONDITIONS OF SAFETY - HERBERT
sPENCER's NEW VOLUME.
lFRoN THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT THE TErBUNE.l
LONDON. Dec. 23-1he election of Mr.. Leonard
Courtney yesterday for Liskeard is matter for hearty
congratulation, for two reasons. IL IL one more
proof that the boroughs against the Government
in its Turkish policy, and it brings into Parlla-
mentary life one of the very abest of the younger
English Liberals. The recent Tory defeat at PRONE
"A borough which. after having had the honor OF
being represented by Mr. Thomas Hughes, rated and
went over to the Tories in the general collapse OF
1s74--was well understood to indicate a strong
mddle-class dissatisfaction with the line the Gov
eminent was taxing.
The case of Iiskeard is different for Liskeard is
Cornish constituency overwhelmingly Liberal
that no Tory has chance of winning. and no Tory
candidate can be got to stand. Not for any such
reason as that. however, do the Tories stay their
hands or keep aloof from the election. Their policy
is to divide the Liberal vOte-to secure the nonlna-
ton of two Liberals, and throw casting vote for
the less Liberal OF the two In this they are aided
by the powerful local influence of the TrelawnyS,
under whose patronage Col. Sterling the son-in-aw
Of Sir John Trclawny, went down to contest the
borough. The last representative was Mr.. Hors-
Courtney in 1874 by five votes. SIR. Courtney has
now defeated Col. Sterling man of high personal
character and though Liberal a supporter of Lord
BcgconsGeli's views on the Eastern question, by l0I
majority in total poll of ESQ., the largest vote ever
cast in the borough. The Eastern question was a
direct issue from the beginning. Mr. Courtney
dealt with il in his first address TO the electors with
plainness that left nothing to be desired denoHnc-
ing Lord Beaconsfields GuIldhal harangue as an
act of infamy. lie was equally emphatic on other
questions of grave aguiicancc-declaring, for
instance i'm respect to the diScStahshinent OF the
Church Of England, that, t''lrh ihc time for 1t had
not yet come he should he foT It WHEN II came, ana
probably before IT, is for making the Agricultural
Holdings act compulsory, for remodaliHe the county
franchise. and for nou-sectariaa education. Ia
short N.Y. Courtuey's election is triumph all along
the Radical line though he i, himself man far too
independent and selfrcant to be classcd rs one OF
any particular clique III the Liberal party
II was well said Of Mr.. Courtney not long since
that If signed articles were the rra in English Jour
naism his name would re one OF the best known IN
Europe lie is lcader-Vriler on The Ijac', winch
has no stronger than he. HIS age Is Il, and a nam
WHO in ENGLAND at i has made an opening for HIM
self in public life has done WELL always provided
he he not the son or protcC6 of a great nohicnan
Mr. Courtney was Second WTangler at Cambridge in
1855: and that is an honor which secures man q
career III this country where hgh academic dstinc-
ton means more, and counts for morc-tar more
than in America. He was likewise Smith. Prize
man: was elected Fellow of his college, ~. Johns;
called to the bar in 1913 and appointed Professor Of
Political Economy AT University College III 1e72-a
post which he resigned last year in order to make
that tour of India which is now rcck0ned essential
or desirable for every young Englshman with
future before him. He has visited the United states
and studied American politics and finance; and q
paper of his the latter subject, which was pub
hshcd in the journal OF the Statistical Society
might be studied with profit by llr. Logan, should
that eminent Senator ever find another fortnight %
devote t. economical reading. The article on BANK
inc in the new "Encycop9dia Britannica" is also
Mr.. Courtneys, Writings on such subjects aa he-'',
together with his steady wOF, in The Tine Oh etG-
cal topics--among which the remarkable -aries OF
articles on the Irish Church and Irish Land bills
NAV perhaps DO mentioned without 100 great indis-
crction-indicate decided bent in favor Of scientific
studies. But Mr. Cour.lcy's friends are aware that
he has also wide knowledge and 5ngulally good
judgment OF Art. TO most minds wcrth knowing
about there are more sides than The public Is always
permitted to know. Mr.. Glatistouos passion for
ceramics las indeed long been celebrated, bat how
many people have heard that more admirable ora
tor than lie reaxes his mind with saddieryf
The burning OF tie Brooklyn Ineatei has served
TO rouse public apprehension once more about the
condition of the theattrs III London. The alarm ha,
even extended TO thc Office of Lord Chamberlain.
the ccnsor OF theatcrs, and circular on thc sub
iect addressed by tins great iunctlonaU to tho man
ayers appeared yesterday. II IS uicr0usiy made
auate -Four specific rules, previously laid down
but not enforced are rcStaed, VIZ: !. All
doors and barriers to open outward, or to be fixed
! ba IL 70 .ft
the thoater 2. All gangways. passages, and stair
cases intended for the exit Of the audience to be
kent eutIely free from Instructions, whether per
mancnt or temporary 3. No part of the audit Drum
TO bo without, at least, two means Of exit in ease
of need. a. All doors not habitualy used for exit.
but available as additional means OF escape III case
of alarm. TO he indicated by printed placards IN
nlain characters These are all well enough as far
AS they 90 but anybody who has ever been inside
of certain London thcaters knows that if all these
rules were as rcciOusly observed as they are bit
ually violated they would not insure the safely OF
| any considerable portion Of tie audience. Take
such building rs the s0-callcd Opera Comlque III
the Strand All the exits from stalls, boxes balcony,
and first circle issue INFO one single corridor about
feet wide and some 90 feet long, at the end OF
which YOU turn sharp corner into another passage,
Which takes Won ND stairs and down stairs beneath
a street and blOc, of houses. aud up stairs again
to the narrow door which co! sttutoS the main en-
france On an ordinary night you are 10 minutes
in going from end TO the other, so slowly does
mass of people perfectly free from alarm oozc
through this horrible tunnel. What would happen
in it If a panic, grounded or eroundless, arose
What proportion Of the audience would have
chance of escape There is believe, another exit
into another street but often as have been in tie
tbeater do not know where it is, and don't sup
pose other people are better informed. What docs
A. 7 al C,bor,borIain uroDgSp tn do obOut surh a