The Press. — London, England, 1854-03-18 00:00:00

1 I! 250 THE NEW STOCK EXCHANGE was opened to the mem bers on Thursday. It has a very unpretending interior, and the exterior, or principal front in Threadneedle straet, is not yet completed. A NEW CHURCH is to be erected at the western ex tremity of Victoria-street, Westrnins ter, the foundation atone of which will be laid shortly after Easter. IT appears from the census of religious wors hip that of the 14,077 churches in England and Wales there are no less than 4,740 which are open only once on a Sunday—more than a third of the whole number. These are mostly in the rural districts. Inadequate endowments will hardly account for this deficiency, for there are but 1,354 incumbents who have not above 2001. a year. In all England and Wales there are only 732 churches that are open three times on a Sunday. MANCHESTER ADVICES state the suspension of Messrs. Gladstone, Bond, and Co., general brokers in that city. The firm was of ten or twelve years' standing, and its liabilities are estimated at 80,0001. The immediate cause of the stoppage is said to have been a loss by the failure of a Manchester house a short time back. The suspension has likewise been announced of Mr. T. M‘Gregor, woollen warehouse man in Cheapside, for about 50,0001. or 60,0001.; which has been followed by that of Messrs. Warwick, Harrison, and Co., also of Cheapside, shawl and silk manufacturers, for about 15,0001. THE STATE OF THE WEATHES in the Baltic, and the prospects of the reopening of the navigation which has been closed during the winter, are just now of much more than ordinary interest. Letters received from various ports in that sea report the weather to be extremely changeable. A communication from Carlshaven, dated the 7th instant, says that all the Russian, and most of the German and Swedish, ports are still closed by ice; the navigation cannot yet be considered open in the Baltic, but that port has not been closed throughout the winter. At Calmar the navigation was open on the oth inst., but the hatours to the northward were still closed by the ice. At Bolderan the weather is reported to be extremely changeable. On the Bth the temperature in the morning was 38 degrees below, and at noon 1 degree above, zero. The state of the ice at Memel on the 11th was such as to indicate that the first change of current was likely to clear the harbour to beyond the entrance of the creek. AT THE BANK OF ENGLAND the dividend meeting was held on Thursday. The half-year's profits were announced to be 709,0081., making the amount of " Rest," 3,685,0081. A dividend at the rate of 41 per cent., less income tax, was declared for the six months. After this deduction the rest will remain at a little over three millions. THE DEMANDS AT THE ROYAL MINT for supplies of the new copper coinage during the last fortnight have been so great that the quantity received from Birmingham (50 tons), as the first portion of the contract with the Master of the Mint, is nearly exhausted, and much difficulty is experienced in obtaining to the amount of one thousand pounds worth, or even a few hundreds. ACTIVE PREPARATIONS are now in progress at the yard of Messrs. Scott Russell, at Millwall, for laying down an immense iron steam-ship for the Eastern Navigation Company. The dimensions will be nearly as follows :—Tonnage, 10,000 tons, or builders' mea • surement, 22,000 tons ; extreme length, 700 feet; extreme breadth, 83 feet; depth of hold, 58 feet; with screw and paddle engines of the aggregate nominal horse-power, 2,200 horse; stowage for coals, 10,000 tons ; for cargo, 5,000 tons ; 500 first-class cabins, with ample space for troops and lower• class passengers. She will carry out sufficient fuel for a voyage to Calcutta or Australia, and back to England. THE WILL OF THE LATE SIR RALPH LOPES was last week proved in the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The personal estate within the diocese was sworn under 180,0001. The Maristowo and Devonshire estates, and Westbury property, descend to the present baronet. The Somersetshire estates become the property of Mr. Ralph Lopes. The bequests are numerous. Is NORTH DURHAM it has been definitively settled that Lord Adolphus Vane will be brought forward by the Conservatives as their candidate for the seat left vacant by the elevation of Viscount Sealiam to the peerage. The Liberal party have determined on a contest, and have selected three gentlemen, one of whorif will be their candidate, namely, Mr. Henry Fenwiok, who not long ago contested Sunderland and the city of Durham ; Mr. Williamson, son of Sir Hedworth Williamson, Bart., of Whitbuni ; and Mr. Lambton, a cousin of the Earl of Durham. The number of the constituency is about 7,000. THE OVERLAND INDIA MAIL reached Marseilles (n Wednesday, and left at noon that day for London. AT A MEETING OF THE EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN ELECTRIC PRINTING TELEGRAPH COMPANY, held OH Wednesday, it was reselved to increase the capital for the further development of the undertaking by the issue of 5,000 new sham of Si. each. THE PRESS. THE PROMOTERS OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF TRI BUNALS or COMMERCE held a meeting on Wednesday at the London Tavern. The report presented ex• hibited a satisfactory progress towards the attainment of the object ; and Mr. Lyne was complimented on the perseverance he had displayed in bringing the subject so prominently before the public. ON the Ist of April and thenceforward increased facilities will be afforded in procuring money orders and obtaining payment of them, whet.) such payment is to be made through a bank. The Postmaster- General has directed that some of the precautions required for the security of ordinary money orders shall in these cases be dispensed with. THE CONSERVATIVE LAND SOCIETY held their sixth quarterly general meeting on Wednesday afternooon at the Freemasons Tavern, Lord Ranelagh in the chair. The report, after alluding to the success of the society since its establishment, adverted to the progress made during the quarter. The disposal of estates among the members had not been affected by the influence of the serious public events of the period, and the receipts justified the expectation that the returns would be the largest of any quarter since the society's formation. The total cash receipts up to December 24,1853, had been 70,3771, and from December 24 to March 15, 1854, 20,4131., making the total receipts up to this day 00,7911. The amount of withdrawals was only 5891., and the shares remaining on the books of the society represented a capital of 446,300/. The Eastern Counties Railway had liberally granted free first and second class passes for fourteen years to the occupants of houses of a certain value to be built on this estate, and the society pro posed to build a church in the centre of their estate at Reading. Early in the spring building operations would be commenced on the society's other numerous estates. The report was unanimously adopted, after some observations from Colonel Knox, M.P., Mr. Booker, Mr. Pownall, Dr. Worthington, and other gentlemen; and a resolution expressive of regret at the 10-s of Mr. Alderman Thompson, late one of the directors, was also carried. THERE are 3,151 medical officers in the poor-law unions of England and Wales, at salaries amounting to 165,5491. For this annual sum they take charge of the sick poor of a population of 17,335,099, scattered over an area of 34,473,538 acres. There is one salary as high as 2701., that of the medical officer of the Leighton Buzzard union; the popula tion is 17,141, the acreage 37,980. There are two salaries as low as 2/. ; the population in each being only about 400. On Wednesday evening the anniversary festival in aid of the German Hospital, at Dalston, took place at the London Tavern ; Lord Robert Grosvenor, M.P., in the chair, supported by Chevalier Bunsen, Count von der Groeben, Count Henckel of Donnersmark, and many other persons of distinction and influence. In the course of the proceedings it was stated that in 1851 the total number of patients relieved in the institution had amounted to 2,977; and by the close of 1853 to 7,699. The hospital was, however, 000/. in debt. Subscriptions to nearly 1,700/. were announced before the company separated. IN SYMPATHY WITH THE PRESTON STRIKE a mon ster meeting of operatives was held at Hoghton on Sunday last. The crowds that attended this gather ing are stated to have been unrivalled since the days of the Chartist assemblies many years since. For several hours previous to the time appointed for the commencement of proceedings, the various roads leading to Hoghton, and especially those from Pres ton and Blackburn, were thronged for miles with pedestrians of both sexes and all ages. The ordi• nary trains on the East Lancashire Railway con veyed large numbers to the scene; and, besides these, there was a special train from Preston, con sisting of about forty carriages, which were crowded to excess, the roofs of some being occupied as well as the interior. People were present from all the manufacturing towns within a circle of about twenty miles. Of course, not a tithe of the vast multitude could hear the addresses delivered on the occasion, but they seemed contented to look on. Mr. K. Smith, of Oldham, was called to the chili-, and the assembly spent some hours in speechmaking, and announcing subscriptions to the strike fund, many songs of appropiate burden being sung in chorus at intervals. The inc(lne for the week Itas stated to amount to 2,200/. Another monster gathering was premised to be held shortly at Black stone Edge, on the border of the county, in order to enlist the co-operation of labourers in Yorkshire and Derbyshire. A COMPANY is at present being organised at Palls for establishing pleasure trains from the French capi tal to Constantinople and back. Great doubts are entertained of the success of such a scheme. The sum which it is in contemplation to charge is 300 f. CHOLERA is again prevalent at Glasgow. On Saturday there were ten deaths from it in the city parish and five in the barony parish ; on Sunday sixteen in the former, and eleven in the latter; on Monday ten in the former, and six in the latter; and on Tuesday fourteen in the city arisb, SATURDAY, PREPARATIONS FOR WAR. DEPARTURE OF THE BALTIC FLEET. THE first division of the Baltic fleet sailed from Spithead on Saturday last. The magnificence of the spectacle, the grandeur of the associations it evoked, the importance of the mission on which the fleet was bound, the presence of the Queen, and the accident of glorious weather and a sparkling sea, combined to attract myriads of spectators, and to surround the manceuvres of the day, though simple and unosten tatious in a naval point of view, with deep and per. manent interest. - Portsmouth during the entire day presented a continuous scene of crowding and excitement. On the previous night the throng of visitors was so dense that five guineas are said to have been oflered for a bed of any description; and even the Lords of the Admiralty were obliged to seek repose in the berths of their own yacht, the hotels being crammed to overflowing. Sir C. Napier was of course the object of especial interest and the mark for divers distinc tions on the part of the civic authorities, very grati fying in themselves, but somewhat obtrusive on an occasion when so much real business bad to be done, and even the minutes for doing it were reckoned. However, the commander of the fleet found time to listen to a panegyrical address read by the clerk of the town council, and to return the following very sensible reply : - - - - - " I thank you, Mr. Mayor and gentlemen, for the terms in which you have addresred me ; and when I tell you I had only twenty-four hours to prepare to go afloat, you will not be surprised at my not being able to address you at any length. But I beg to thank you most sincerely for the address you have presented to me. Perhaps it is not usual for a man in going abroad to receive such an address, but I can only say that I will do the best I can to prevent the British flag from being tarnished. (Load applume.) I know much is expected from this fleet, and I think it will be able to do something; but gentlemen must not expect too much from it. We are going to meet no com mon enemy; we are going to meet one well prepared. I am sure every officer and man in the fleet will do his duty well and thoroughly ; but at the same time you must not expect too much. It is well equipped and efficient, but it is newly formed, and such changes have taken place in nautical matters that it is impossible to say how much or how little may be achieved. The system of warfare is entirely new, and the introduction of steam also materially alters the tactics of war. I can, however, assure you that will—and I know the officers and crews with me will — do everything in my power to uphold the honour of the country and its navy - . We will do our duty to the best of our ability • and I am sure I shall ever remember the kindness of people of Portsmouth. (Hear, hear.)" Making his way with some difficulty to the pier, and there being stopped awhile to listen and reply to another farewell speech from some "constituted au thority " of the town, Sir C. Napier at length got afloat. The crowd of spectator-crammed craft of all descriptions prevented his steamer, the Sprightly, from ranging up alongside the pier. The admiral, therefore, cam suis, was forced to step into a row boat., which in due time conveyed them on board the steamer, and a brief trajet seaward sufficed to bring them to the gigantic flagship, the Duke of Welling ton. Once established on his own quarter-deck, the commodore was able to watch, without further inter ruption, for the arrival of the royal yacht, the ex pected preliminary to the final departure of the fleet under his command. A few minutes before one o'clock the Fairy, having on board her Majesty, Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, tha Princess Royal, and Princess Alice, and accompanied by Sir James Gra ham, First Lord of the Admiralty, and Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane—followed by the Elfin, Fire Queen, and Black Eagle—was seen approaching the fleet, and, on the signal from the admiral, a general royal salute was tired in admirable style. Her Majesty, it was expected, would have come on board the Duke of Wellington, and the ladders, with a por tion of the main and lower decks, were covered with scarlet cloth for her reception. She did not, how ever, inspect any of the ships. As the royal yacht neared the anchorage all hands were piped on deck to man the rigging. From every floating hive that formed part of this goodly fleet went forth the same thrilling and ungoverned burst. of enthusiasticloyalty. It was a remarkable cheer—one to be heard once, but never forgotten in a lifetime. As the Fairy came ur, signals were made for the admirals and captains of the fleet to repair on board. The royal yacht, having run to leeward of the fleet, hove to, and Admiral Napier, the admiral commanding-in-chief, and the admirals of division, Corry, Chads, and Plumridge, with the captains of the fleet and Commodore Seymour, pro ceeded on board, and were presented to her Majesty by Sir James Graham and the other Lords of the Ad miralty. After a .11ort stay the officers returned to their ships, and nt half past one Admiral Napier gave the general signal to the screw fleet to get under way with :ail. The whole of the ships stood out on the starboard tack under plain sail, single-reefed topsail, topgallantsail, and jib, with a favourable wind almost due west,