Punch: Punch (91.1886)

November 20, 1886.]

PUNCH, OE THE LONDON CHAEIVAEI.

243

CHAMBERLAIN PASHA; OR, THE SULTAN OF TURKEY'S LATEST CONVERT.

UNDER WATER AND ABOVE BOARD.

"Witt should not the recent alleged secret
interference of aHigh Official in Her Maj esty's
Navy, that has induced the Admiralty to
appoint a commission to effect some immense
saving in the pay of eighteen-pence an hour
accorded to seamen-divers, when on duty,
lead to a further inquiry with a view to
substantial and palpable economical reform ?
It may have already occurred to H.R.H. the
D-ke of Ed-nb-rgh,—but if not, the
suggestion now offered may be thought
worthy of attention,—that there must be
many snug berths immediately connected
with the Board itself where a little judicious
cutting down of salary could do no harm.
Then there are the various perquisites that
fall to the lucky ones of the Service. These
olfer a fine field for investigation. Then,
again, there is the pay of the Admiral him-
self in command of the Fleet, that might be
taken into active consideration. "Why, for
instance, shouldhe notbe mulcted, say £210s.
a day, when he goes on shore? Cannot a
considerable saving, say to the extent of a
ha' porth, be made in the amount of pitch
and tar ordinarily used ? In the interests of
the country, and of sobriety, the grog might
be watered to the extent of one third. In
fact the Duke, of whom the noble city from
which he takes his title may well be proud,
does well to remember, and to act upon, the
old Scotch proverb, "Many a mickle makes
a muckle;" only don't make too great a
muekle of it.

The latest addition to the Messrs. Rotjt-
lebge's Perfect Pocket Library Series is
Chables Dickens's Chimes, with the origi-
nal illustrations. The Chimes, thus got
up, is a specimen of Belles Lettres.

ough,to be remarkable ™nv ^ ^ ^

rZ them gSf° Punch confesses he saw nothing to justify the
irom mem. Jf-'• , , u.-,trj0I1ic qualifications m the subordinate
presumption of natural ta.tno i ^ exceptions;

people. actors chorus or supers^ i had'better ^ g0

only, if so M. Maieb, ag • london audience ^ not

exceptional a company espec , however
support an unsupported star,uldn,t do in the case of jENNT
excellent they may be. auj m and g and th hayell>t
Lind, they wouldnt do it Kr go ^ ag

done it for Path, .^.."^ging an Italian Opera on Madame
warrant an tmpresano m sla s gaid v

Patti's own terms. Still, aUrecommend everyone who
MAX, and Mr. not to lose the chance of seeing and hear-

cares for this style of opera not.i ^ of Corneville.

mg this lady as ^erp^tte. bt^i , „ ^ ^ FuncKi friend from
The Oracle has spoken wfour buriesque actresses had to be cast
the Sister Isle ? "^^Belles, whose name would you select ? "
for the belle of the ™^ad time to anticipate the answer and

Y^"^^Xo^X^-^^ of Mr. Rae's
At the Opera Comique O«r ^ ^

English version of «^original. The scenery (especially that
respects better■than ^ r^ & Cairo) ia infini/ely B*,perio{ and
of the Second Act showing a vi then * l ^

S»tft Jf™Lment of Josephine at the Bouffes is weak.
Tht Enriish book by Mr. C. M. Rae is a skilful adaptation,
£ £ IW«™;tw the Scriptural parodies that would have justly
7t&ha nUv-oers (elen if they had succeeded in escaping

^ll™2"Our W" ^ would have ^en.highly
the Licenser, Mr. r of the French original,

improbable) F^^^Ton the whole, has the advantage of
t^^JC'S 0™ 8.* Josephine, or rather
xonaoii. j. u , ^ ^ jg jar more p^easmg jn appear-

Car0^}fJ,Trench counterpart; but Miss Minnie MabshIli, as
«et rR!lIS ou ft other hand, is not a patch upon the
1^ The PmL is much better played in the theatre in

SL^than in'sSfand. If Mr. Wyaxx.Uo appears in the

character at the Opera Comique, has not seen the Bouffes version, he
had better run over to Paris with a note-book. In the meanwhile he
might curb his tendency to indulge in "gag," especially when the
habit takes the shape of giving an unpleasant illustration of hic-
coughs. The Concierge of Madame Amabi was also inferior to the
original, and a second visitor to Paris might be added to the first.
Nowadays the journey is made so rapidly between the two capitals,
that it ought to be within the resources of civilisation to afford the
lady and gentleman referred to an opportunity of foreign study, by
giving them "their Sunday out," which would obviate removing
them even for a single night from the playbill. It would be worth the
trouble, as there is considerable room for improvement in Our Diva.

Mr. Frank Celli, as actor and singer, is better than the French
original, and Mr. Beaumont, as Abdullah, is superior to the gentleman
who filled in Paris the role of Potiphar. If Mr. Babkeb, who "pro-
duced " " Our Diva," has seen Josephine, and refers to his notes, he
will find that the business might be in many places improved. For
instance, the advance of the Concierge with Caroline and Fifine, fol-
lowed subsequently by the rest of her daughters in the finale of the
Second Act, is quite spoilt (it is a great effect in Paris) by the feeble-
hearted manner in which it is undertaken over here. The principals
should stride right across the stage, and then stop—the same business
being repeated by the chorus. The idea is the advance of infantry
supported by the reserve, and when properly done, is decidedly funny;
and if the "business " is improved on the stage, business in front of
the house will improve also. A.t present Mr. Punch is glad to report
that the Diva appears to be doing as well as can be expected.

Mr. Punch compliments Miss Fanny Davies (of the Principality,
he supposes) on her charming rendering of two short pieces by
Schumann at the Monday Pops, of the 8th instant.

Sir Arthue's Golden Legend will, ere this appears, have been
heard at the Albert Hall. Mr. Punch reserves his golden opinion
for its performance at the St. James's on the 23rd, Consule Novello.

A Legai Difficulty. Vice-Chancellor Bacon has retired at the
early age of ninety. He objected to hirsute barristers, and rightly
refused to be bearded in his own Court. So witty and mercilessly
caustic was he as a Judge, that every Junior was anxious to get on
the right side of Bacon. His loss is great, but not irreparable. Among
all the wit and talent of the English Bench and Bar, is there no one
to take the place of Bacon ? Oh, Gammon!