New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-12

The retirement of Mr.. Justice Stephen is a
real loss to the English Bench. lie was, In
Some important respects, the ablest man on 1t.
lie was. for instance. not merely good lawyer,
but Jurist, and English jurists are rare lie
had systematizing mind, a conception of law as
science, and wholesome contempt for legal
empiricism. There are judges Of less learning and
less ability who have been better liked by the
Bar and by suitors there are none whose reputa-
tion for courage and capacity stood higher. III
health oblges him to resign. There las been
some clamor against him for staying too long.
1t was unjust, much Of it partisan--for politics
are unhappily beginning TO play part in judicial
administration There are Radicals who wish
the judges salaries TO be voted yearly by Parlia-
ment in order that their conduct on the Bench
may be criticised in the House of Commons.
Mr.. Justice Stephen took leave Of tie Bench
Tuesday. The Lord Chief Justices court was
throneed The scene was impressive. The At
torney- General, in behalf Of tho Bar Of which he
is the head expressed the regret of the profession
The Judge replied in brief address manly and
pathetic, Which affected his hearers and impressed
the public Then everybody began wondering
who would succeed Mr.. Justice Stephen as one of
the Justices of the High Court There were
several candidates. There always are. Some Of
them were eminent; none pre-eminent The
Lord Chanccllor's choice. for il, this singular
country it is practically the Lord Chancellor who
appoints tie Judges. fell on Mr.. Hem Collins.
He has the advantage of being Irishman,
though he belongs neither to the Parnellite nor
10 the Anti-Parnellite faction, a circumstance
which reminds forgetful persons that there Is
third Ireland, entirely outside those two divisions
He is Queen's Counsel. Dencher of his Inn,
member of the Bar Committee. favorite with
attorneys who have given him for years past
large and lucrative business; and passes with
both branches Of the legal profession for being an
able and sound lawyer with none of that genius
of which the public and the profession alike have
q secret fear.
Strikers, past present and TO come, are dis
turbed by the sentence Of six weeks imprisonment
bestowed by the Recorder of Cardiff on Mr. Will
son, secretary Of the Seamens and flremehs
Union Mr. Wilson is n mischievous busyDody
who has led his followers into various scrapes, lie
himself keeping hitherto within the law. But at
Cardiff he miscalculated the forbearance OF the
authorities in organizing a strike lie organized
a riot, led attacks on tile boarding-houseS where
non-unionists staying and intimldated men
willing to work lie was indicted for unlawful
assembly The jury found him guilty The Re
corder in passing sentence, told him that he was
fortunate in not having been indicted for riot.
Strikers Socialists Anarchists and partisans of
disorder in general are holding indignation meet
ings, but Mr.. Wilson remains comfortably in jail
Mr. Barnum's death eXcites a kind of interest
which would have extremely gratifed the old
man. Every leading paper in London ard many
elsewhere have long editorials on him, most OF
them kindly and sympathetic That there was
an element of humbug in some of his perfornances
they admit as freely as Mr.. Barnum himself ad-
mitted it. lie was redeemed by the real merit
and interest of the shows which he provided for
the public They recognize his claim to be con-
sidered the greatest Snowman the world ever saw,
and they agree that TO be the greatest in any
thing is a title TO fame Mr. Barnum, moreover,
had made himself popular with the British public
and liked by many persons of position in England
They knew his weak points, but they liked the
man, and he is regretted.
The American primo donna, Miss Eames, made
her first appearance at Covcnt Garden this week
as Margaret in Faust" The reputation of her
success at the Grand Opera in Paris had preceded
her, but the English like Americans. prefer to
Judge for themselves and success elsewhere is no
guarantee that dcbutantc will be well received
in London Miss Eames was thought TO be
slightly nervous on Tuesday, but nevertheless
pleased her audience and the critics. Her voice
her musical training. her presence. her acting, are
all praised 1t is the verdict Of one of the least
enthusiastic of these critical gentlemen that Lon
don has new favorite, and that Miss EamcS
may look forward TO q London season Of popularity
and of applause
Mrs langtry is not fortunate in her plays
Lady Barter" by Mr.. Coghlan, had to be with
drawn after a few nights and Linda Grey, by
the late Sir Charles Young, produced on Wednes-
day at the Prncess's Theatre, gives little promise
of longer life. The piece is not worth acting
or analyzing. 1t is an old-fashioned melodrama oil
the penny-dreadful" type. The author borrowed
from VI. Belot, an author whom even All English
playwright must be hard-up indeed to borrow
from. NJ Belot is ffth-rate novelist and
tenth-rate dramatist. The theme and the treat
ment are alike haCHneyed and stale. Mrs. Lang
try played the purely comedy portions of this
piece with distinction and good effect When she
does not force the note she is excellent; but the
effort TO extract good effects from weak and false
situations was too much for her. The difficulty
of her task was increased by the feeblenesS of
the company, which would have seemed more at
home at the East End of London, in the re-
moter provinces The audience was brilliant and
indulgent
There are some curious proofs of the interest
which the American Copyright act eycites 1t has
been reprinted in many papers and periodicals,
especially those having to do with literature or
books; but that does not secure for it all tie
publicity that is wanted The Society of Authors
has now sent out TO all its members and to Others
a COPY of the act with some sections. clauses
and phrases in italics. Those who receive 1t are
invited TO communicate to the society any sng-
gestions as to the action which should be taken
by authors or any remarks on the future work
ing of the act which may occur to them. Lord
Monkswell's bill receives some support, and vari-
GUS schemes of retaliation against the protection
of American printers are mooted. None seem
vary serious G. w. ).
REBEL SUCCESSES IN CHILL