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THE STAGE AND THE RING.

THE RAGE FOR FOREIGN ACTORS

LUCK OF ENGLISH AND AMERICAN STARS

The Wild West Show–Buffalo Bill's Big Time–Crowned Heads Among the Cowboys–A Princess in the Indian Males.

[Special Correspondance of Baltimore Sun.]

LONDON, Aug. 14.–It would be rather a difficult task to calculate how many thousands, or millions of dollars for that matter, English and continental singers, players and literal[?] have picked up in the United States in the last thirty or forty years. It has appeared to be only necessary for a reader, a lecturer, a singer or an actor to hail from this side of the Atlantic to be saluted with a golden shower when appearing on the stage in any city of importance in America. Now and then some of those who have landed on our shores filled with anticipations of dramatic, histrionic or musical triumphs have been disappointed, but these few exceptions do not in the least invalidate the rule. English "professionals" in particular have most always met with a warm reception in America, have pocketed out dollars and have been made social lions. To be "English, quite English, you know," has been the "open sessme" to American hearts and American purses. Our artists have generally had a different experience on this side, and it is only a small portion of those who, having achieved deserved fame and success at home, and who, coming here from fresh triumphs, have met with the reception to which their talents justly entitle them. It is a matter current in theatrical circles that more than one American star has lost in a disastrous English campaign the money accumulated at home, and it is asserted that a liberal estimate would not give to more than one in two of those who have made ventures in the old world a return sufficient to pay expenses. This reason, however, an American venture of this character has achieved a success both in a social and pecuniary degree which is absolutely unparalleled in either Europe or America. The "show," for it can properly be called by no other name, which has this distinction has made the tour of the United States I do not know how many times, and while it probably always attracted average "paying" houses, it was never considered "swell," and one would not meet there the kind of an audience that would be seen on an opera night. Here this "show" has "caught on" in the full meaning of the term, and at its performances the attendance has rivaled if not exceeded in point of fashion, elegance and distinction the combined attendance during the same period at all the principal theatres of London.

THE WILD WEST SHOW.

Buffalo Bill and his company were brought here merely as an adjunct to the American Exhibition, but it is the most remarkable case of the tail wagging the dog that was ever known. This American Exhibition was heralded in advance with a great blowing of trumpets in both hemispheres, and President Cleveland was announced to open it by Atlantic cable. The auspices under which it was conducted are said to be entirely proper and respectable; and there seems to be nothing that is not strictly legitimate about it, but somehow or other it was not enthusiastically taken hold of in the United States, and the President, after reflection, declined to have any official connection with it. The exhibition is not much. It puts one in mind of the old Maryland Institute fairs. It is, however, in a most eligible location. The grounds, which are very large, are the joint property of seven railroad corporations. These corporations gave the grounds free of charge, and through their branches, underground and otherwise, they are getting pretty well paid for their liberality, as they have conveyed passengers by the hundred thousand. The grounds are very tastily arranged and adorned, and at night, with the display of electric lights, gas, Chinese lanterns, etc. the effect is quite inspiring. But, as I have quite intimated, the exhibition is really "very thin," and there is not much loitering around the "chestnuts," which have done duty[?] at one and another town and county fair in the United States for lo![?] these many years. One glance is given, and the visitor then hurries on to get a seat in the vast amphitheatre where Buffalo Bill and his company prance around and burn powder. The character of this performance seems to have taken a deep hold of the British mind as furnishing a type of American life. If it was realized that such scenes and customs as are depicted are really as unfamiliar to nine-tenths of the American people as to themselves, it is altogether probable that the English would not take so much interest in them. Be this as it may, the fact remains that Buffalo Bill has taken all England by storm, from loyalty and nobility down. Frequent intimations of this have been sent to the United States by cable and letter, but I was totally unprepared for what I find to be the case by actual observation. Buffalo Bill commenced his performances on May 9, more than three months ago. He has given two performances every day since that time, Sundays only excepted. I saw both the afternoon and the night performance of yesterday, and at the two there could not have been less than thirty thousand people. Yesterday was damp and chilly, and the attendance was much under the average, which is 60,000 per day. The daily attendance at times has gone up to 80,000.