Evenings Abroad.

Evenings Abroad .

Circus shoAvs are always attractive at Christmas time : in London Ave have now grown to expect them at this season , and 1 am of opinion that certain youngsters of my acquaintance would as lief be without their puddings , nay , even without the vacation itself , as go without their oircus . Therefore , the establishment of Hcngler ' s , now to be seen at the Covent Garden Theatre instead of at Regent

Circus , has been ' one of the principal institutions this year , and it Avell deserves the extensive patronage it has been accorded . Looking around the house one day last Aveek , one could scarcely see a vacant seat and I think the laughter and applause from the enthusiastic crowd of visitors may be said to have fairly shaken the theatre and the temporary seats which occupy the stage side of the arena .

The principal items of the lengthy programme can only be mentioned hero ; but I can honestly advise all those Avho can appreciate a good circus to pay a visit to Covent Garden before the season is over . Juggling on horseback by Mr . H . Boswell and juggling on the floor by Mr . John Le Clair , will show all spectators how it is done , and , when they have seen all that they can see , they can go home and perforin

the feats , or at any rate they can try to . Madame Algeria , Senorita Encarnacion . Signorita Clotilde , and Mdle . A irginie give splendid exhibitions with their highly-trained horses : while Messrs . Tom Yelding , Alfred Clarke , and Albert Hengler rival each other with the novelties they introduce . Mr . Geo . Lockhart ' s performing elephants , and ' ¦ Caviar , " the equestrian bear , must be seen to be

believed ; Avhile Mona and Karl on the triple horizontal bars , Senorita Pilar Jacques on the balancing trapeze , and the three Pierrots , as represented by Signorita Teresina , Eulalia , and Encarnacion , represent the highest possible perfection in their difficult arts . The fun of the clowns , Little Friskey and AVhimsical AA alker , is calculated to make anyone laugh immoderately ; and the dashing riding of young Ernest , a boy apparently Avithout fear , is simply

' tip top . Having thus enumerated some of the leading items of Hengler ' s Circus , I think I haA e proved the justness of my recommendation to all to patronize it . An addition to the programme is now to be seen in the shape of a pony which has been trained to perforin the Baldwin-esque feat of descending from the roof of the theatre . This is even more startling than the " BaldAvin monkey " at the Aquarium .

J hat Doctor ( upid , " fantastic comedy" by Robert Buchanan , produced at a matinee at the Vaudeville Theatre on the 14 th inst ., now occupies the evening bill at this house . The piece , though remarkably bright and amusing , is not up to the standard of this author ' s previous adaptations of "Tom Jones" and "Joseph AndreAvs . " Indeed , it is more suggestive in its mixture of the

superhuman and the natural , of opera bouffe than of comedy pure and simple . The leading idea is strongly reminiscent of Faust , the Dr . in the present instance being our old friend Eros . The author ' s cleverness , however , cannot for one moment be gainsaid , and he has produced a work of gre . at and original merit . The chief interest lies in the interpretation ; and I must specially compliment

Miss AVinifred Emery , Miss Marian Lee , Miss Drummond and Miss Robertson , while equal praise is merited by Messrs . Tom Thorne , Fred Thorne , Cyril Maude , wonderfully clever in an eccentric part , and Frank Gillmore . All the other parts are acted by real artists , so the piece is thoroughly well played . The scenery and costumes are likeAvise excellent .

Mr . Irving was able only on Saturday night last to resume his impersonation of Macbeth . Rest and sea air have done him much good , and his representation of the Avicked Thane is now stronger than it was . Mr . Hermann A ' ezin has certainly earned the popular manager ' s gratitude in coming forAvard at the moment and in so ably filling the vacant place .

Sorry indeed am I to record the demise of Miss Selina Dolaro , a charming little lady on the stage and one Avhose impersonations I shall always remember . Her Carmen was an ideal representation ; her Clairette , her Pcrichole , her Rose Duf ard , and many other of her parts , Avere distinguished by true genius and Avere first-class . Illhealth forced her retirement some time since , and she devoted her

energies to literature . I have never seen any of her dramatic Avork , which has not been over successful ; yet , it is stated , that the Kendals have got a play by the deceased lady in hand for production . For this I cannot vouch ; but I was so informed some time ago . ^___

April Shoirers is a clever piece , produced at Terry ' s Theatre on Thursday last . The comedy is bright but Aveak , but it will doubtless be a boon to amateurs . The representation by Misses Maud Millett . and Rose Norreys , Mrs . Edmund Phelps , Messrs . Lewis AValler , John Beauchamp , AValter Everard and Albert Chevalier was highly satisfactory .

Ihe Begum s Diamonds , produced on Tuesday last at the Avenue Theatre , is a disappointing piece . It begins so well and ends so Aveakly ; the author has started Avith an excellent idea , the value of which he apparently does not appreciate , for he fritters aAvay all his opportunities , and in the end he produces an unsatisfactory result . Still , The Begum ' s Diamonds is not hopeless ; alterations

can , and probably will , be made in it Avhich will render the piece far more acceptable . The actors and actresses engaged in the production Avorked Avith the utmost loyalty , and the author , Mr . J . P . Hurst , is doubtless very grateful to them . Messrs . Yorke Stephens , Lewis AValler , AV . F . Hawtrey , Sidney Brough , Eric Lewis , and Hamilton Knight , and Misses Florence AVest , Rose Norreys , Violet Vanbrugh , and Ethel Hope supported the play admirably .

Atalauta at the Strand has endel her run , and Messrs . Charles AVyndham and AVilliam Duck are said to be in negociation to produce The Balloon there . Bob , in other Avords Miss Patti Rosa , is also negociating for this house .

Evenings Abroad.

Dear old " Granny " Stephens has retired from the stage . Those Avho can remember the thousand and one parts in which she shone , notably her Mrs . AVilloughby in The Ticket of Leave Man , will knoAV Avhat a thorough artiste the stage has lost . Dorcas will be the title of the comic opera at the Lyric , Avhich will follow Dorothy . To follow is to succeed . So mote it be .

Yet another new theatre in London ! This time for Mr . Augustus Harris , and just off the Strand . The responsibilities and reservations of the Drury Lane lease are said to be anything but acceptable to the great "Gus . " and he is going to end them by renting a theatre especially designed and constructed to suit his own views . LAUNCELOT GOBBO .

Our City Article.

Our City Article .

CAPEL COURT , JANUARY 30 TH , 1889 . The supply of money now is fairly equal to the requirements , and rates remain steady Avith , perhaps , rather a tendency towards hardening . In view of the general condition of the market , it is anticipated that the Bank minimum will shortly be reduced to 3 per cent .

Business for the past week has been checked by two causes , one the recurrence of the fortnightly settlement , and the other the election in Paris . Both these eA ents are now over , and a resumption of the previous activity may be expected . The remainder of the Railway dividends are looked for every day , and prices in this department are fairly Avell mainta i ned Avith the exception of the

Scotch division , where a certain amount of realisation has been accompanied by a sharp fall . This is as might have been expected , and I have before said that the prices to which Caledonian and North British was not warranted by the real position . Asa symptom of the tendencj r towards division of ordinary stocks , or , perhaps , in response to the cry for some such new deal ,

the Directors of the South AVestern Railway mention in their report that they intend to apply to parliament for power to allow their shareholders to convert into preferred and deferred stock . Hull and Barnsley have again been looked after on the assumption that an arrangement is really to come off now Avith the North Eastern , and for my part I think the stock may go higher .

I have before mentioned Furness Railway stock and do so again . In the foreign division there is now a little firmer tone . Boulanger is elected and Paris is still quiet , so that the timorous who sold in expectation of something like a panic on the Bourse are now hastening to buy back , but at the same time I do not counsel any purchases here as prices even now are quite as high as

they ought to be . No one seems to know why Tinto ' s are so depressed , but there has undoubtedly been some heavy selling from Paris , which coining on a market indisposed to take anything coming from that quarter , where they are supposed to know more of the inside Avorking of the copper gamble than Ave do , the price fell away quicker than it could be followed , consequently a rally of

over 1 } per share quickly followed . The IICAV Copper Trust is not yet out , although it is said that the Avhole capital has been under-Avritten . The gamble in South African mines is as active as ever , and every day sees some new counter thrown upon the table . The prices have been carried up so far , and upon such same premises that

many of the dealers are seeking to keep clear in case of a smash , so that more than the ordinary difficulty was experienced in canning over , the purchasers being required to take up shires , or rather to pass names for them ; but Avhether the sellers are in a position to deliver is another matter , which will be proved Avhen the limit of time allowed is reached . There is a renewed demand for some of

the Exploration Companies , and seeing the enormous development of mining properties in South Africa , there seems to be no limit to the profit to be expected from this class of venture . Nitrate properties are not yet re-established in public favour , although prices have improved somewhat . Because Colonel North had made money out of them , the possibilities of wealth Avere

apparently thought to be inexhaustible , and everything connected in the most remote degree with nitrate partook of the general colouring . The opening up of nitrate diggings , for they are hardly mines , in South Africa , must give a certain blow to South American produce , that is , of course , admitting that there is nitrate in Africa , and that it will pay to dig and carry to the port of

shipment . Speaking of Colonel North , I remember its being proudly said by one of his folloAvers , "the Colonel understands nitrates , and will never allow himself to be drawn into any other kind of investment . " Now , it appears that the gallant gentlemen understands banking , and the provision trade , to say nothing of coalswhich last adventure , in spite of the Colonel's name and

, " apt alliteration ' s artful aid , " hangs fire Avofully . He evidently does not understand coals . Amongst the AVitwatersrandt Mines I should choose the Royal at 6 , and for a cheap mine the AVolhunter Klerksdork at f , for a good speculation . CRAFTSMAN .

ANSWERS .

BROADSTAIRS . —The person named is not now a member of the Stock Exchange . Ask for further particulars . E . G . D . —( 1 ) Good to hold . ( 2 ) A settlement has been applied for but no day yet fixed . ( 3 ) The last dividend was declare 1 in October at 2 / 9 per share . FILO . —AA e think not . The ordinary shares Avere not offered for subscription . S . Y . —Have nothing to do Avith the firm , they are rank outsiders .