The Theatres.

THE THEATRES .

The Comedy re-opened for the autumn season on Saturday , with " Boccacio , " Miss Violet Cameron still sustaining her old character . Rro . Lionel Brough is , as before , Lambertnccio , but we miss Aliss Kate Munroe and Aliss Carlingford from the cast . This opera will go on until the production of M . Planquett's "Rip Van ' Winkle . " 'The composer has come over from France to conduct the rehearsals himself .

"Little Robin Hood , " produced at the Gaiety last ( Friday ) night , will be noticed in our issue of next week . Miss Lily Clay is going to open the Opera Comique , with an opera , the characters of which are all to he represented by ladies ; but she does not stop here , for the chorus , attendants , and even the orchestra , are all to be of the same sex . The music is by Bui . Meyer Lutz , the story by Air . Reece .

* * * "Far from the Madding Crowd , " recently played at the Globe , and for some time past in the provinces , will be produced on Monday at the Standard . * * « Miss Fanny Davenport , a famous American actress , made her debut on the London stage , on Saturday last , and vvas well received .

* * * Bro . Augustus Harris and Mr . Gye have arranged that at Drury Lane opera shall not be played next summer , nor at Covent Garden will there be a pantomime this Christmas . These houses will not now be in competition .

Mrs . Langtry to night ( Saturday ) opens the Imperial Theatre for twelve nights only , commencing with the late Bro . Tom Taylor ' s comedy , "TheUnequal Match . " Bro . J . G . Taylor plays Blcnkinsop , and Airs . Langtry Hester Grasebrook . She sails for America in a few weeks . * * *

" The Merry War" is the title of the opera to follow " Babil and Bijou , " at the Alhambra , but it is not likely there will be any alteration as long as the house fills so well as it is doing at present . It may , or may not be , a subject of regret that a spectacular display novv-a-days draws more people than the legitimate drama . It is a fact .

To prove the power the Press , or as it is frequently termed the fourth estate of the r ^ alm , wields , we may mention that within the last year a play was brought out which had cost its author 10 years' labour and £ 2000 . The first night people rushed to see it . Of course the critics

were there , and next morning when their critiques appeared in the morning papers , no less than one hundred stalls booked for the piece were cancelled , and the receipts in a few days fell to £ iG . This closed the house and the piece . It is clear that the public read criticisms and are guided by them .

Music

MUSIC

The " popular" programme of Saturday evening last vvas excellent , as usual . Part I . included overture to Nicolai ' s " Merry Wives of Windsor , " the andante con moto from Beethoven ' s Fifth Symphony , Mr . Crowe's " Light o'Love , " waltz , selections from " Un Ballo " and

" lannhauser , " Koenig's " Post Horn Galop , " & c . Miss Ella Lemmans made her second appearance , and was rapturously applauded for her contributions—the "Jewel Song" from Gounod's "Faust , " and Cowcn ' s "Singing " —while a similarly hearty welcome vvas accorded to Signor Foli , whose first appearance at these concerts took place the Thursday previous .

* * * It is with great pleasure we announce that this week Miss Elly Warnots entered on a re-engagement with the spirited manager , Mr . Crowe ; that the programme of Thursday , last including the " Toy" and "Farewell " Symphonies and the British Army Quadrilles , vvas set down for repetition on the 14 th inst . ; and that Madame Patcy is an . nounced as one of the principal vocalists for this ( Saturday ) evening .

* * * The appearance of a Javanese Gamelan or troupe , consisting of eighteen performers , four female and fourteen male , constituted the leading feature of last Wednesday ' s programme at the Royal Aquarium , Westminster , and as they are said to be the first troupe that has ever performed out of that country , and as the

instruments they play upon are strange , the exhibition is likel y to prove most interesting . Their instruments are almost all of them of the percussion order , and the entertainment throughout is musical , with the exception of some dancing by the females , their movements bearing a close resemblance to those of the Nautch girls of India . The party are handsomely and picturesquely arrayed . #

* * The Bristol Musical Festival is fixed for Tuesday , N je 17 th October and three following days . Mr . Charles Hall ( j will be the conductor , and the programme will include Elijah . " "The Redemption , " " Moses in Egypt , " "The Messiah , " Haydn's " Spring , " and Beethoven ' s Alass in u - The band and chorus will together number close on Son performers .

* . * * The Bri ghton Musical Festival will open on luesday , the 7 th November , and will be continued to the Saturday following inclusive . Gounod's " Redemption , " Sullivan ' s " . Martyr of Antioch , " and Cowen's " Scandinavian" symphony vvill be included in the performance , » na a new orchestra / work by Air . F . Corder is also announced .

Music

MIt is said that Bro . Sir Michael Costa , P . G . W ., P . G . O ., has heen invited by the Committee of the Birmingham Festival . Choral Society to conduct a performance of his oratorio " Eli , " on Thursday , the 12 th October next , and that Sir Michael has accepted the invitiation . * * *

Mr . Charles Halle , the founder ot the Manchester Orchestral Concerts , will preside at the forthcoming or twenty-fifth season , when it is said he will mark the anniversary by producing only familiar works . # e #

Bro . Carl Rosa ' s opera company are playing at Liverpool . Among the performances given has been that of Bouldieu's opera "La Dame Blanche , " and among the artistes Miss Georgina Burns , Miss Clara Perry , Air . Henry Pope . Aladame Alarie Roze has also made her appearance as the heroine in " Kidelio . "

Madame Worral , wife of our respected Bro . \ V . Worral , P . M ., announces that her annual evening concert vvill take plaee on Wednesday , the , ; th October prox ., at the Brixton Hall .

* * * Madame Christine Nilsson will make her last appearance in this country , previous to her departure for America , at her and Mr . Sims Reeves ' s benefit concert , which is fixed to take place at the Royal Albert Hall , on Thursdaj ' , 12 th October . The principal artistes will be Alesdames Nilsson ^ and Trebelli , Mr . Sims Reeves , and Bro . Santley .

# * * At a meeting held in Glasgow , on Wednesday fast , of the Council of the Scottish Musical Society , the well-known and popular composer , Air . F . H . Cowen , was unanimously chosen Principal of the Scottish Academy of Alusic about to be established in the metropolis of Scotland , and which , it is expected , will be started next spring . #

* * ' A meeting was held at Portsmouth , on Friday last , under the presidency of the Mayor , in aid of the Royal College of Alusic . A letter from Bro . H . R . H . the Duke of Albany was read , in which His Royal Highness expressed regret at his inability to be present , but he hoped to have some future opportunity of expressing his sentiments on the subject . Several subscriptions to the fund were announced , among them being one of £ 150 from the Alayor . #

* * Among the artistes engaged for Mr . George Watts ' s eighth series of Philharmonic Concerts , at the Dome , Brighton , commencing on the 4 th October , are Alesdames Nilsson , Albani , Trebelli , Patey , Sterling , Hersee , Alessrs . Sims Reeves , Lloyd , and Maas , Signor Foli , Messrs . Engel , Hollman , Coenen , and others . # #

* Music has formed a prominent feature in the Preston Guild celebration , to say nothing of the miscellaneous concerts on VVednesday afternoon and Thursday evening , and a brass band contest on Saturday evening . There was alsoa grand performance on Thursday afternoon in the public hall , of Alendelssohn ' s " Hymn of Praise , " and Rossini ' s "Stabat Mater , " under the conductorship of Air . Charles

Halle , the chorus being provided by the Preston Guild Society , , and Air . Halle's band contributing . The choral vocalists were Alesdames Albani and Patey , Miss Alary Davies , Aliss Adela Vernon , Mr . F . King , Mr . E . Lloyd , Air . Joseph Alaas and Air . R . Hilton . Later the same afternoon there was an organ recital in the same hall by Air . Pyne , organist of Manchester Cathedral . On Friday a grand performance of Berlioz ' s " Faust " vvas given in the presence of a large audience , who highly appreciated the music . * * «

Ni ghtly crowded houses testify to the solid popularity of the Promenade Concerts under Mr . Gwyllym Crowe ' s auspices . Indeed , it may be questioned if any previous season has been so successful as the present one . On VVednesday last the classical programme included , in the first part , the overture to Rossini ' s "Siegeof Corinth , " " The Valse des Sylphes , " by Berlioz , and Spohr ' s

wellknown Symphony , " The Power of sound . " The second part included Air . Crowe's selections from Verdi ' s "Stiffelio , " arranged for the combined bands of the orchestra and Coldstream Guards , Weber ' s " Invitation a la Oan .-e , " etc . The evening was further distinguished by the very successful "debut" of Aliss Ella Lemmens , daughter of Madame Lemmens-Sherrington , who was loudly applauded

for her rendering , in the first part , of Rode's Air , with variations , and , in the second , for her singing of " Aly long hair is braided with mountain daisies gay , " from Wallace ' s " Amber Witch . " Madame Enriquez and Mr . Redfern Hollins were the other solo vocalists , while Miss Florence contributed Schumann ' s Pianoforte Concerto in A minor , and Air . Radcliff , Pratten ' s Concertstiick for flute .

Science And Art.

SCIENCE AND ART .

New premises have been recently acquired in Alargaret-street , Cavendish-square , by the Council of the Parkes Museum , and as soon as the necessary alterations and additions , now in progress , are completed , the Museum will be removed thither from University College . #

* * That gas as an illuminator has not been extinguished by the electric light , is shown by the fact that the Bri g hton Town Council have determined on making an experiment on a large scale , with a view to improving street lighting , by using a better class of burneis , consuming a larger quantity of gas per hour . The experiment will involve an additional outlay , but it is believed it will prove successful .

On the other hand , Mr . Edison ' s system of providing an incandescent electric light for domestic use has been satisfactorily tested in New York , the district included in the experiment occupying an area of nearly a square mile . There is only one source of supply , which furnishes illuminating power for 16 , 000 lamps , the electric current passing through eighteen miles of mains .

Science And Art.

The Town Council of Portsmouth have accepted the offer of the Edison Electric Light Company to light the district for six months at the cost of "as * * * " The North-Fast Coast Marine Exhibition was opened in the Aquarium , Tynemouth , on Wednesday last by Bro . the Earl of Ravensworth , among those present on the occasion being the Duke of Northumberland , Bro the Earl Percy , M . P ., P . G . AI . Northumberland , Sir VV . Armstrong , with the Mayors and members of the Corporations ol tynemouth , Gateshead , Newcastle , and South Shields .

I he meeting at Cambridge of the Librarian Association of the United Kingdom , which commencedon Tuesday last , was continued on Wednesday , and Thursday , and brii ay , papers bemg read on the first two days , while on the last Sir James Picton , Chairman of the Free Libraries Committee , Liverpool , was elected president for 1 SS 3

The Pope has decided to found a library for the use of Catholic Scientific Institutes , and particularly for the I ontihcal Academy of the Lincei , and to this end several private collections have been acquired , among them being that or I rolessor 1 'ehciani , which contains a rich and varied collection of works on surgery , and has heen purchased for 25 , 000 francs . 1 he library -A ill be installed at the Altemps Palace . r

« # # The Hammond Company Flectricnl Engineering College , at 2 , Red Lion-square , was opened on VVednesday last , after an address by Air . Robert Hammond . There are already twenty-live pupils , and Air . H . E . Harrison , li . Sc , is the principal .

* * * Bro . B . Samuelson , M . P ., and Mr . Philip Magnus have been spending some time in Ireland , in connection with the Royal Commission on Technical Education , with a view of ascertaining the possibility of improving the condition of the labouring classes in that country , bv establishing trade and technical schools and introducing new means of livelihood among the poorer agriculturists

It is understood that the Treasury have decided to secure the " li . li . " Caricatures for the British Museum , at a cost of £ 1000 . ¦ : ; * * From the report of the Anthropometric Committee of the British Association , as presented by Sir Kawson Ravyson , it appears that the average stature of the acotcn is

people - 05 , 71 inches ; of the Irish , 67-90 inches : 01 the English , 67- 36 inches ; ot the Welsh , 60-06 inches - giving an average stature for the whole of the United Kingdom of G 7 'GG inches , or 5 feet 7 J inches . It appears from observations made by Dr . Baxter and others in America , that the stature of our cousins in the States is about the same as ours .

* * * According to a statistical paper read at the recent meeting of the British Association , at Southampton , honour and property are safest in Ireland , while the person is safest in Great Britain . Drunkenness is worst in Ireland . Geographically , crime is least in the Northern , Midland , and and ooutn-hastern countiesnm ) ¦*¦ -,.- > t ,..,, :- » i , „ M . L — — 111 wic 1 1

, v \ , . .... , " -, fc ,. ~—« - ;> v . UIMWestern . 1 he number of persons committed for trial in England and Wales , in 1 SS 0 , was nineteen per cent , less than m Scotland , and fifty-three per cent , less than . in Ireland ; while deposits m Savings Banks were thirty per cent , more in the one case and seventy-three per cent , more in the other . * * „

Her Majesty s screw survey ship , Alert , 4 , Captain Maclear , now lying at Sheerness , has brought hoii . e a 1 arge number of curiosities and specimens , which have been securely packed , and are to be forwaided to the Hdvrographer s Department of the Admiralty , where they will be examined , and then oerhans distrihnrnl , i «™» m ,... r ! ... i

museums . I he results of the Alert's survey are considered to be second in importance only to those obtained by the Challenger Expedition , and many doubtful points to navigators in I orres Straits , the Amirante Islands , and the Straits of Alagellar , have been set at rest by the untiring efforts of the crew of the A ert . _ the charts that have been taken will

tie lodged at the Admiralty . % & Mr . Peacock , British Vice-Consul , at Batouni , „ £ ?„ £ " i < i Ve T , lnteresti "S report on mineral oils , obtained from the wells at Baku , in the Russian Caucasus from this it appears that since the term i nation of the monopoly m 1 S 73 , there has been an amazing increase in the production . Prev ous to that v „ n , ti , * ... „„„ .,. ¦ ¦ — —j ** kiiviu vvtiiuillv

. ^ »» -- . » . ; seventeen wells , from which the maximum annual quantity obtainedof crude parafhn vvas only 200 , 000 barrels . In 187 S this had risen to 2 , 500 , 000 barrels , and now nearly 4 , 000 , 000 barrels are obtained from 375 wells , while great quantities are wasted at the place of production owing to want of sufticient tank irmmmrvliiL o „ , i __ . __ *¦ _ c

transport . Unfortunately , the organization of the trade has not kept pace with this increase , and the oil is becoming almost unsaleable on the spot where it is produced , ^ " ? ' ' , ' . ' fr ' ' " from ei *> shillin S P ^ barrel in 1 & 72 , to about fourpence .

* * . ' n . general committee of the Great International t'lsheries Exhibition held a meeting on Thursday last at their offices 24 , Haymarket , under the presidency of the Earl of Ducie . The report of the executive committee , as read by Mr . Birkbeck , AI . P ., was on the motion of Mr . Causton , AI . P ., seconded bv Professor I . r-nnP l . „ u ;

unanimously accepted , Professor Levi , in his remarks refer ' - nng to the prize of £ 600 offered for the best lifeboat as one of the most important features of the exhibition . Air . Saul Samuel , C . M . G ., Agent-General for New South Wales , reported that the Government of the colony he represented had alread y made a grant of £ 500 , in order that it might be suitably represented . The Alarquis of Exeter , havsaiu

ing me Japanese Government would be exhibitors promised a prize ol £ 25 for the best system of life insurance for fisherm a n . It was stated in the course of the proceed-TT l , u n le All ? . " Cour" : il had placed the Royal Albert Hall at the disposal of the Exhibition for conferences , public meetings , or any ceremony connected with the opening , while the Council-room of the Royal Horticultural Gardens would be available for smaller meetines A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the meeting .