Evenings Abroad.

Evenings Abroad .

Tilings pantomimical have now settled down into quite a pleasant condition . All these heavy ¦ ' shows " now go with precision in every department and one can make a tour of inspection with the certainty of not experiencing musical performances where singer and accompaniment are by no means harmonious ; when actors and actresses ' stick " for want of knowing their words ; when scenery

does not work , when delays occur and the stage-manager has to come on to beg a few minutes' indulgence while things are got a little straight . No one will deny that these untoward circumstances , which are only to be expected at times , make the duty of the critic more difficult to perform , seeing that in forming a judgment

allowance must be made for - possibilities . At this interval of time possibilities have become actualities and every body and everything can be judged on their merits , and I am now going in part to fulfil my promise of noticing some of the pantomimes which I have been forced to leave for a week or two .

I think one of the best pantomimes in London is that at the Pavilion Theatre which is founded upon The Jl / ibes in the Wood . The average playgoer of the West End would be surprised if he would take the trouble to make a journey to the Whitechapel Road to see Mr . Morris Abrahams' Christmas pieces . It is not exaggerating at all when I say that the stage management would grace any

leading theatre , and , though the expenditure is not so lavish as at the National house , they do not stint any department at the Pavilion , and the dressing and stage decoration of the productions are truly brilliant . Mr . Isaac Cohen , the stage manager , whoso task has already been incidentally touched upon , is a most accomplished person ; his work is always most elaborately

executed , and the first performances at this house are proverbially as perfect as it is possible for them to be . Here is an exception to the rule which so often obtains as to unpreparedness . It is a fact that I have have seen the initial representation of a most elaborate pantomime at the Pavilion Theatre go as well and as perfectly as if it had been running a fortnight . This is the most potent argument

I can adduce in support of 1113- praise of Mr . Cohen ' s clever work . There is really a capital company at this house this year . Mr . Arthur Alexander is a host in himself ; he is truly comical , and he revels in the part of a villain of the deepest dye . His costumes , which are as numerous as varied , are delightfully absurd , and his

efforts to amuse are more than ordinarily successful . Mr . Geo . English and Mr . Fred . Lay are two excellent workers who give plenty of opportunities for hilarity ; while the Misses Louie Gilbert , Connie Melnotte and Ruby Lovell handsomely support the characters of Robin Hood and his two leading ' Merry Men . " The " Babes " are charmingly played by Miss Ada Reeve and Miss Violet Campbell ,

the former dancing with remarkable agility , and eacli of them giving some agreeable singing . I must praise Miss Lovell for a nice performance of a pretty serving maid ; and Miss Sadie Grossmith as the singing fairy gave her music with full effect . Of Miss Julia Kent I can only say that she is the most pleasing and dainty Maid Marion possible to imagine . Mr . Geoffrej' Thorn , the author , has provided a capital " book . "

Morris Abrahams having got his pantomime successfully launched , is now hard at work to get elected on the County Council . A good man for the position , and I trust to see him at the top of the poll . Over the Surrey side . at Mr . Conquest ' s theatre , The Forty ' Thieves has been employed by Messrs . Conquest and Spry , the authors , as

the pegs whereon there has been hung a series of most entertaining items . The good old story of the Arabian Nights is very elaborately put upon the stage and is extremely well acted . There is a plenteous supply of extremely grotesque fun , and the rough and tumble element is in excellent hands . All this , the usual concomitant of the pantomimes of our childhood , creates boundless laughter ; and ,

in addition to the splendid fooling of the Albert and Edmunds troupe , there is supplemented a mechanical trap scene , the like of which used to be a feature of the Grecian pantomimes in the good old days . The entry of the All Baba family on the donkey barrow , the proceedings in the shop , and the business in the robber ' s cave , are all full of the most rollickingly extravagant practical fun .

There is , in addition , an abundance of variety in this pantomime : good singing , ballets martial and ballets processional succeed each other , as do many scenes of beauty , which are practical joys while they are being displayed . For their share in the work the ballet master and the scene painters deserve , and now are accorded , very high praise . Mr . George Conquest , jun ., is wonderfully good

as Cogia Baba , and Mr . E . S . Vincent as Hassarac is most amusing . Mr . 'Johnny" Hanson is not very happy as Cassim , and Miss Jenny Lee , as Catza , has not a part worthy of her powers . The Albert and Edmunds troupe consists of Miss V . Edmunds , Messrs . J . and W . Albert , and Mr . II . M . Edmunds : these are artists of rare j ability ; and , as has been previously stated , they carry all

triumphantly before them . Trie bisters rreston are very tauing as __ oran and Hassim , while Miss Tyrrell and Miss Kate Fedora are each most excellent in her line . Miss Constance Moxon , as Abdallah , sang delightfully ; but I cannot praise her acting , which lacks <; go ;" she strives very hard to be sprightly and engaging , and by no means fails in her endeavours , though I would like to see greater evidence of spontaneity in her work , which is a trifle forced . Mr Conquest , pert ; the proprietor of the Surrey Theatre , may well be proud of his production this year . LAUNCELOT GOBBO .

Our City Article.

Our City Article .

CAPEL COURT , JANUARY IGTH , 1889 . The Directors of the Bank of England could hardly delay the reduction in the rate to 4 per cent , when the outside market was so much lower , and even now there is a difference of 1 pe c ^ nt . At the fortnightly settlement commenced on Monday , the Contangos were very light and showed a disposition to go lower as the

settlement proceeded . Although there has been a considerable rise in the prices of most of the general stocks in the last two or three weeks , it would not appear that there has been any considerable buying , as the amounts to be carried over were by no means large . AVhat I mentioned only last week as to the dealers being in such a

hurry to put up prices in advance of the public , so as to reserve to themselves the full benefit of the rise , is made more than ever apparent , and dealings are c nsequently checked to the detriment of the legitimate business of the brokers . In fact , the jobbers are becoming more and more speculators on their own accounts , caring little whether they do real jobbing business or not .

If we look down the list of railway stocks and compare the making-tip prices of Monday with those of the previous account , the advance in prices becomes very noticeable ; Metropolitan and Districts being almost the only exceptions , the greatest gains being in the heavy lines . North Staffordshires and Great Northern " A " are 3 better , and North Western , North Easternsand Midlands

, nearly as much . The relapse in Metropolitan and District was brought about by the announcement of the dividend upon the former at the same rate as at the corresponding period of List year , although the large increase in the traffic receipts gave rise to expectations of a better return . Another dividend was announced

yesterday , viz ., the Brighton , at S-J per cent , for the half-year , with a somewhat larger amount carried forward than before . This is exactly what had been anticipated , so that there was no move in the price when it was made known . Prices have now advanced far enough for the present , and I should be tempted to leave this market alone for a time .

I do not see my way in Foreign Stocks ; they are fairly steady , but the Paris market is by no means strong . The depression in Rio Tinto ' s may be purposely brought about by the syndicate in order to catch the bears ; at all events , I should not like to sell at the present price .

I have so often spoken of the uncertain movements of Grand Trunks that the sudden rise can be no surprise , and I am of opinion that they will go still higher . The Mexican railway return this week was a good one , but , as it doubtless includes the " sweepings " of the end of the year , it must not be estimated too highly . Their report comes out so late that there is plenty of t me to make a

pretty accurate estimate of the amount to be divided , the unknown element being always that payment may be received from the Government . The reports , however , of the enormous improvement in the prosperity of the country naturally lead to more hopeful views being formed than the half year ' s working and the recent accident warrant .

In the American market the bulls have had no reason to complain , even if there has not been as much doing as was expected . For some reason or other the New York brokers are not busy , and seem disposed to take very small profits , and this coining upon a lazy market , soon disposes of a good proportion of the previous advance . At the same time the tendency is distinctly upwards , nor do there appear to be any indications of further troubles to come in the immediate future .

There is to be noticed a decided weakness amongst the Nitrates group , which is probably to be traced to nothing more than a natural reaction , caused by some of the bull party taking profits . Col . North has either left England for South America , or is about to start , and this market is more dependent on this gentleman than it would like to acknowledge . My own opinion is that prices are much too high in some of the sharesand will not be supported by

, the dividends earned . Lately , shares have hung heavily , and one of the new issues quoted a few days ago at a substantial premium is now at a discount . The Nitrates Trust I mentioned some days ago has not yet been announced , but evidently something of the kind is wanted if prices are to be kept up .

The excitement in South African mines is not so great just now , but this may be owing to the attention of the dealers being given to the settlement which , I may remark , has so far passed off without any difficulties , and also there is a more general distribution of favours . St . Augustine ' s have been largely bought , and from what

I can see the buyers know what they are about , and will be able to hand them back to the public at a considerably advanced price before long . A new territory in South Africa will shortly be opened up to mining operations , as a powerful syndicate has obtained a concession of the rich , and hitherto closed , district of Pondoland , and will doubtless be offered to the public before long .

Indian Mines are looking up and the current talk is that Mysores will soon pass their previous record . There are so many new ventures being floated just now , that one has hardly time to consider which are the good and which the bad , but certainly there are some exceedingly bad ; in fact , they are cases in which the profit

must necessarily fall to others rather than the shareholders . Generally avoid all " Trusts " and also companies where there are reserved any ' Founders' shares " which are to take half the profits after a small sum has been set aside for the ordinary shareholders who have contributed the funds necessary to carry out tire enterprise . CBAJPTSMAM .