The Press. — London, England, 1856-06-07 00:00:00

JUNE 7, 1856. to London. The relics are collected in a box, and consist of the ollowing :—One piece of a snow-shoe, marked Mr. Stanley (the name is cut into the wood w i t h a penknife) ; one piece of cane, apparently bamboo; one piece of wood, part of a boat, with copper binding ; one piece of wood, part of a boat, w i t h the word " Erebus" cut into it; two pieces b un ting; one piece cordage ; one pieze leather, the inside of a backgammon board; one piece metal, the graduated part of a barometer; one piece ivory, part of a mathematical parallel ruler; one piece i v ory, apparently part of a mathematical instrument. Court aub laskian. Her Majesty, on Monday, laid the foundation-stone of Wellington College. Her Majesty the Queen held a Court on Tuesday, and gave audience to Lord Wodehouse to take leave on proceeding to St. Petersburg. Her Majesty, on Thursday, received the addresses to the Throne respecting the peace, from the Univer• sities of Oxford and Camoridge. After the reception of the addresses, her Majesty gave audience to the Marquis de Breme, Senator, and Director of the Academy of Fine Arts at Turin, when the Marquis presented to the Queen the portrait of his Majesty the King of Sardinia. The Queen also gave audience to the Earl of Clarendon and Earl Spencer. His Royal Highness Prince Albert, accompanied by the Regent of Baden and the Prince of Prussia, visited Oxford University on Wednesday, to attend the Commemoration. Her Majesty will hold a drawing-room on Friday, the 20th of June, and a levee on Wednesday, the 25th of June. The Ministerial State banquets took place on Saturday evening, in celebration of the Queen's birthday. The Earl of Eglinton gave a grand entertainment on Saturday evening to their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Mary, and the Duke of Cambridge, at his lordship's mansion, in St. James's square. The Marchioness of Breadalbane gave a magnifi cent ball on Wednesday night, at the family mansion, in Park-lane. Tha fete was honoured with the presence of their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Mary, his Royal High ness the Duke of Cambridge, their Serene Highnesses the Prince and Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar, the Prince Lmwenstein, the corps diplomaiique, and nearly a thousand members of the aristocracy. Metropolitan. THE CORRESPONDENCE RETWEEN DR. TAYLOR AND MR. MAYHEW, with reference to Dr. Taylor's state ment that Mr. Mayhew, in the earlier days of the Palmer Case," committed a gross breach or confi dence by publishing certain confidential opinions ex pressed to Mr. Mayhew by Dr. Taylor, has termi nated for the present by Dr. Taylor, on being appealed to by Mr. Mayhew, supported by a friend, for an apology, refusing to read Mr. Mayhew's letter, and putting the matter into the bands of his solicitor. The question, it is believed, will be referred for settlement to a legal tribunal. Tug PuzsENT POLISH AMNESTY is sternly refused by the London Polish Democratic Society, on the plea that they cannot accept the title of " pardoned rebels." They protest against the acceptance by the refugees of any amnesty, and declare that they will disown any Polish refugee who accepts the terms offered by the Emperor Alexander, as a "deserter of his country's sacred and unprescriptible rights." MR. CHARLES DICKENS, Dean Milman, and a nu merous party, on the occasion of the recent fireworks, assembled in the outer gallery of St. Paul's Cathe dral, from whence a magnificent view of the illuminations and general proceedings was obtained. St. Paul's itself,when seen from any shady place, during illuminations, stands out grimly and grandly 'from the dark back-ground. THE Sr. MART'S HOSPITAL INSTITUTION, the British Beneficent Institution, the Governesses' Benevolent Institution, the Westmins:er Ophthalmic Hospital, the Marine Society, and the Artists' Bene Nolent Fund, have held their anniversary meetings during the past week. The subscriptions to each of these excellent chanties were extremely liberal (in one case, St. Mary's Hospital, amounting to 1,4001.), and it is gratifying to find that though limited in funds the pecuniary condition was generally highly satisfactory, and the relief afforded liberal and ex taisive. THE. PROPERTY Or MARRIED WOMEN QUESTION was discussed before a very crowded meeting of ladies on Saturday. at 21, Regent street. Sir John Pakington, ?►d.P., presided, in the absence of Lord Brougham, and in opening the proceedings be dwelt THE PRESS. upon the necessity for legislative interference with respect to the law of divorce, and the law which related to the property of married women. He was strongly impressed with the conviction that the law ought to be altered, so as to give the wife the same interest in property inherited or acquired by her which the husband possessed in his. Sir Erskine Perry, M.P., moved a series of resolutions, seconded by Mr. D. Hill, the Recorder of Birmingham, to the effect that the rules of the common law which gave all the personal property of a woman on marriage, and all subsequently acquired property and earnings, to the husband, were unjust in principle and injuri• ous in their operation ; that the principle of Courts of Equity which recognised separate property in a married woman, and invested her, with respect to such property, with all the rights of ownership, was in accordance with the requirements of the age, and in conformity with the opinions and usages of the wealthier and better instructed classes of society ; and that the conflict between law and equity on the subject ought to be terminated by a general law based upon principles of equity which should apply to all classes. '1 he resolutions were agreed to, after some little discussion, in which Mr. Monckton Milnes, M.P., Lord Denman, and others took part. In the course of the pt9ceedings, a letter from Lord Brougham, addressed to a member of the Law Amendment Society, was read by Mr. Hastings, tae secretary. The noble lord expressed great dis• appointment at being prevented froze attending in support of a movement which was of great impor tance, he considered, both in a legal and social point of view. HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ALBERT laid the foundation-stone last Saturday of a home or institu tion for the reception of natives of Asia or Africa upon their arrival in this country. The establish ment will be similar to the Sailors' Home, in Well ciose-square, and will be situated near Limehouse Church. It will afford accommodation for 230 in- mates, who will be provided with food, lodging, and instruction for eight shillings a week. The ceremony of laying the stone was marked with unusual features. Hindoos, Lascaxs, Chinese, Arabs, Africans, and South Sea Islanders, cleanly dressed in native costume, were ranged up to and around the marquee under which the Prince took his stand, while the leading Oriental Nabobs in England, clothed in all the magnificence of turbans and jewels, were present on the occasion. At the conclusion of the cere mony the Maharajah Dhuleep Sing thanked the Prince on behalf of diet nation of India, and Prince Albert returned a suitable reply. THE SUNDAY BAND COMMITTEE AND SIR GEORGE GREY bad a corresp nidence last week with reference to the promised public demonstration last Sunday in Hyde-park. Sir George Grey intimated that al though her Majesty's Government had no desire to interfere in any way with the free expression of opinion on the question on the part of the inhabi tants of the metropolis, yet that the royal parks were open for the enjoyment and recreation of the public under certain conditions, and that assemblages of the people to hear speeches or to pass resolutions were wholly inconsistent with the objects for which the parks had been mane accessible to the people. The letter then stated that police and park-keepers would, if necessary, prevent any such meeting, and expressed a hope that no such meeting would be at• tempted. To this letter an answer was sent by the committee to Sir George Grey, stating that the com mittee would use their best endeavours to prevent any such demonstrntion in Hyde-park, but that bands would play ( weather permitting) in the Regent's park and in Victoria-park every Sunday during the summer, from four to six. The meeting did not take place in Hyde-park, neither was there any per formance by private bands except in the Regent's and Victoria Parks. Two letters, the correspondence between the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Palmerston, have been published, but they contain no points of fresh interest. SIR CHARLES EASTLkKE'S late addition to the National Gallery of Botticelli's "Virgin and St. John," is thus characterised by the correspondent of a contemporary writing from Florence : Its history is as follows:—It purports to be painted by Botticelli : those here who have always known the picture say it is an old copy. Be that as it may, little of the original painting remains. I never saw the picture. but I heard a well-known artist here say he saw the head of the Madonna twice painted in and out. as the restorer did not like his first two attempts. The picture fnrmrd one of ninety - others which were purchased here by a person who combines together grocery, banking, and picture dealing. To this person Sir Charles, I bear, gave nearly 4(XV. for this beautiful acquisition. I do not desire to make any comments on the purchase, farther than to say that if this wandering picture-buyer proceeds as he is at present doing, the National Gallery of England will become the laughing stock of the world. I will only add the comment of one of the best and oldest judges of pictures here, " 0 Dio ! Cattivo. t'attivu ! "—I am, &e., Isottts. Florence, May 29. THE NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR TIM EDUCATION Or THE, Foos, on the principles of the Established 537 Church, held its annual meeting on Wednesday, at the Central School, Westminster. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishops of Oxford, St. David's, St. Asaph, ant Lincoln, Lords Redesdale and Radstock, Dr. Wordsworth, and several of the clergy, were present. The Archbishop opened the proceed ings with prayer, and in a brief speech alluded to the satisfactory results of the efforts of the society, and declared his belief that the plan followed by the society of giving aid to voluntary exertions, was the best mode of furthering education. "So far as he could judge, the great object of education was being successfully pursued throughout the country." Schools had increased, and the tone of education had improved and was improving in a remarkable degree. The report was then read, by which it ap peared that during the past year 212 schools had been united to the society, making the total number 10,048. The receipts of the past year amounted to 12,7781., being an increase of 8081. over those of 1854. The system of graduated examinations ex tending to a third year had been tried, and was considered an improvement on the former system. The report concluded with an expression of satisfac tion at the withdrawal of Lord John Russell's educa tion measures, and an allusion to the withdrawal of the Queen's Letter, by which 9,0001. a year was lost to the society. Tax METROPOLITAN BOARD Or WORKS, at their meeting on Wednesday, rejected a motion by Mr. Howe to ascertain whether Government were disposed to purchase Hampstead heath, and to refer the ques tion to the Finance Committee of the board, and carried an amendment by twenty to nine declaring that improvements of much greater necessity and advantae,e to the general public were more urgent and desirable, and that the power of purchase of any land for a park was not conferred on the board by the Local Management Act. The president informed the court that the plans, &c., for the Main Southern Drainage had been laid before Sir Beu;amin Hall, who would take the matter into consideration as soon as the float experiments had been tested. A proposition for a report upon the practicability of opening a new thoroughfare from the end of Old-street to the new street from Farring don• street to Clerkenwell was agreed to, as well as a resolution that the Finance Committee prepare an estimate of the sums required for defraying the expenses of the board, and to arrange for making a proper call upon the parishes and districts under the jurisdiction of the board. _ _ _ THE LORD MAYOR gave a grand banquet on Wed nesday evening to the leading prelates and several distinguished members of ooth Houses. The Arch bishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of Winchester, the Earl of Harrowby, Lord John Russell, and Mr. Gladstone, acknowledged the principal toasts of the evening. THE ABSORPTION OF STRYCHNINE is denied by a writer to the Times this week, who adduces, in sup port of his opinion, the fact that in Mexico the common way to destroy wolves and vultures is first to poison • mule with strychnine. The animal, let loose, wanders into the wools, dies, and is eaten by the wolves in the neighbourhood—they die, and the vultures again eat them, and die in their turn ; so that it is clear, adds the writer, that the active prin ciple of strychnine is not destroyed by absorption. THE ANNIVERSARY MEETING OF THE CHARITY CHILDREN took p'ace on Thursday at St. Paul's. About 4,000 children were present, and upwards of 8,000 spectators. The services di&red in no mate rial degree from those ordinarily adopted, and were, as usual, extremely impressive. The sermon was preached by the Bishop of Lincoln from Dent. iv. 2 ; and the Psalms sang were the 100th, 104th, the Psalms for the day, the "Gloria Petrie," "Te Deum," and "Jubilate," the Coronation Anthem, and Hallelujah Chorus. The receipts amounted to 4671. 16s. 941. The Lord Mayor was present. THE REGISTRAR GENERAL'S RETURNS for the past week show a decreasing mortality-1,0:27 deaths only being registered on Saturday. The births amounted to 1.578. probinciaL THE WELLINGTON COLLEGE. THE first stone of the great Wellington Memorial was laid by the Queen, near Sandhurst, The ceremony, postponed since the be May, took place under the proverbial ' clear sky invariably attending the c.ccasions. Every preparation 1 render the ceremony imposing Between ten and twelve theusand t from Aldershott; a review was 1. cipal ceremony, the Queen would by her royal guest, and family ; t' was one easily reached by either , or South• Eastern Railway; temporary been erected within convenient distance where the ceremony would be performed ries and seats had been erected and eisitors and their friends, wrong dhurst, on Monday. the bad weather in tbial bright sun and the Queen on such had been made to ing and attractive. troops were marched to succeed the prm- ald be accompanied ; the neighbourhood r the South-Western iporary stations had Ala i listanc? of the sOot :rfornted; and Dile- ed and prepared, foe whom an 1112USU4