TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6187, 15 March 1888, Page 2

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

♦ ■ • tFroni tlie "Star's" London Correspondent.) THE BURNING OF THE GKAND THEATfiB, AT ISLINGTON. , THE OVERCROWDING DANGER. RIVALRY IN PANTOMIME. The most not&ble facts in connectioa with the burning of the Grand Theatre at Islington are (1) that the mischief originated, as usual, in the flies, and (2) that afthough constructed entirely of fire^propf material and on the latest approved principles, the building burnt as fast and fiercely as though made of lath and plaster. Two hours earlier the house was filled from floor to ceiling with an audience numbering more than 3000. What would have occurred had an alarm been given then, one hesitates to think. My own impression is it will never be possible to make a large theatre absolutely safe. Drury Lane has exits innumerable, but if a scare broke out during pantomime time nothing could prevent a proportion of the thousands jammed in the pit and gallery, or even dress circle or etails, being crushed to death. The other evening, when we were there four out of the five principal aisles in the stalls were cholced with chairs. The authorities take endless pains, re extra doors, &c, yet seem to close their eyes to overcrowding. No doubt it ia a ticklish difficulty to tackle. The Grand '.I heatre wa> burnt dowu before when known as the Philharmonic. The preseat lessee did not carry it on very extensively, yet 300 parsons are thrown out of employment by the stoppage of the pantomime. I am told that if anything happened to the big show at Drury Lane, close upon 2000 persons would suffer. Mr Augustus Harris is not having things all his owa way this year. I have not seen ib yet, but I hear " Jack and the Beanstalk" at Co vent Garden runß a dead heat with " Puss in Boots," even if it is not superior to that somewhat over-gorgeous production. The funny " panto." of the season is, as often happens, across the water at the old-fashioned Surrey Theatre. THOROUGHBREDS AND THEIR OWNERS. ■ This is the time of the year when the owner of a racing stud, with a view to coming entries, tries the youngatera for whom he gave so uiauy hnadreds' oi thousands at auction last summer. Needless to say it often proves a season of moat doleful fcurpriaes. One hears, for -example* that a batch of Mr Abington's yearlings, for which he gave an aggregate of 7000 guineas, were, shortly before Christmas, easily beaten by a second-rate selling plater that was conceding them 23t. Of course this is very bad. Yet some of those youngsters may, and probably will win races next autumn. All the trials may mean is that they won't come on early. Reports from Newmarket concerning recent yearling trials are, however, generally bad, and such rich stakes as the Brocklesby at Ascot and the Hyde Park Plate should not take much winning. To showhow poor early two-year-old form usually is, I may mention that the principal winner at Lincoln last spring had been beaten at home by a selling plater, which was sold at auction at the same meeting for .£l2O. The highest known trial of a yearling is that of Ecossuis, who startled Tom Jennings in November by doin g a good thing with Blenheim (I think it was) then almost King of the T.T.O. Unfortunately, illness prevented the colfc's appearance till Ascot, when it smothered a big field for the New Stakes. M. Lefevre thought he had the classic racea of 1874 in his pocket, but the colt proved to be only a five furlonger. This Bard was highly tried as a yearling, but Ormonde failed when asked a question about; the came time. Hence the Jatter'a late ddbut. Betting is at a standstill, and will continue so until tho middle of January, when the weights for the Spring Handicaps are due. MISS BRADDON'S NEW NOVEL. Miss Braddon'B new novel is entitled "The Fatal Three," and contains* I am told, au incident in the first chapter sufficiently exciting to stimulate the interest of even the most languid reader. It commenced to run serially through papers in Great Britain, the States, and India last Saturday. MR BLACK'S " HOUSEBOAT." On the same day Mr William Black's long- promised " Str inge Adventures of a Houseboat," was started in the Illustrated London News. In this story we are again to see much of the delightful "Qaeea Titania " of " Strange Adventures of a Phaeton." Two arMsts have been engaged for some months past making sk'etches C> on the Thames to work up into illustrations, and everything possible will be done to make the tale the author's chef d'oeuvre. MAGAZINE STORIES. Of the new serial stories in the January magazines, Mr W. E. Norris' " Chris" ia Macmillan's. and Mica FothergiU's " Ftom Moor Isles," in Temple Jiar, promise bestt The latter, a3 at present conducted, is a most admirable collection of mixed reading. Macmillan's, by the way, contains a whimsical little story by Mr F. Anstey, in which the troubles of a noted ghost-collector'a heir are amusingly set forth. There is also a really powerful short tale called "The Statement of Gabriel Foote, Highwayman," by Q (the author of " Dead Man's Lock") in Longman's for January. Chambers,' Journal contains the final instalment of " Richard Cable, Lightshipmai," the most eccentric and least successful of the three novels Mr Baring Gould wrote lant year. Mr Grant Allen will supply Chambers' with fiction during '88. • His new story is entitled " This Mortal Coil." A great surprise has been occasioned by the discovery that; the remarkable novel known as "The New Antigone" is by an obscure Roman Catholic priest. Recall the plot, and you will easily understand what I mean. . NEW NOVELS AND NEW EDITIONS. Tfce only new books I need mention at proeut are William West-garfch's '■* A Fair Crusader," which goes in for whitewashing or raiher glorifying, the Salvation Army; and an American "shocker," " Who is John Noman ?" I have not read the latter, but. the Athcnaum speaks well of it. To gi^e a fillip to the sale of " King Solomon's Mines," an illustrated edition is baing issued. Up to the present 56,000 copies of this work have been dispoß*d of. Some of you may not; be aware (though yo'» ■will recognise the truth of the foot the instant I mention it) that a popular educational book is the most profitable literary property an author or publisher can possess. Of Todhunter's Algebra alone no fewerthan 120,000 copies aresoldperannuin, and what Dr Win. Smith's roja'ltie3 amount to I shouldn't like to say. Occasionally authors of the scholastic type <.•«» wofully done by their publishers. I heard only the other day of a poor French master who sold for £25 a conversation manual, which turns in the publisher a steady £300 a year. When the little became a success he made an ad miscricor* diam appeal for bettor terms. After much demur the publisher conceded Knottier J125. Different this to the action of Cassells, who after paying Rider Higgard a thumping sum, conceded a substantial royalty oa every copy of his book sold.