The Sun. — London, England, 1858-03-30 00:00:00

MONEY AND 03 M iIiEROTAL INTELLIGENC CITY, Two o'CLooK. The foreign and colonial produce markets, during the last few days, have not exhibited much activity. The transactions in tea have been limited, owing to the expected arrival of the overland mail, the advices by which have been received, and little variation can be quoted in values. Sugar has been at steady quotations ; coffee firm, particularly good qualities of plantation Ceylon. In rum a moderate business has been reported at about previous rates. Rice has been inactive, and only a few sorts of the lower kinds for exportation have been reported. For saltpetre there has been a very limited inquiry, and rather lower rates are current ; the public sales have been postponed. For indigo there is an absence of demand of any importance. Tallow has been dull, and P.Y. C. has declined to 543. 6d. spot ; 3d., April to June ; and 535. 9d. last three months. Accounts from Liverpool state that the Cotton Market yesterday closed heavily, and prices of all descriptions continued to decline. The sales amounted to 7,000 bales, 1,000 of which were taken by the exporters, and 1,000 by the specu lators. The Railway Share Market manifested a very quiet appearance and quotations were lower. Further accounts have arrived from the United States, which report a continued accumulation of bullion in the city banks of New York. The sup plies from California were exceedingly large, while the exports of specie, on the other band, were cir cumscribed. The total amount held by the estab lishments approached 8,500,0001. Money was exceedingly easy and trade was improving, but by slow gradations. In the variouis stocks and shares, there was a good deal of activity, and being in de mand for investment ; they were generally at enhanced rates. About 9,000/. in gold.was added yesterday to the stock of bullion in the Bank of England. The following dividends have been declared during the present month Mines. Per share. Devon Great Consols £7 0 0 Par Consols Mary Ann Isle of Man South Frances Buller Vale of Towy 0 1 0 Wogt Fowey Consols Polberro Cwmystwith Bedford United 0 2 6 Cefn Cwm Brvryno 2 0 0 Craddock Moor 0 7 0 Copiapo Amoun £7,168 0 0 3,200 0 0 2,539 0 0 2,560 0 0 2,480 0 0 1,024 0 0 1,000 0 0 800 0 O. 6.6 0 0 640 0 0 500 0 0 400 0 0 369 5 0 5,00 , 0 0 Total £23,587 5 0 The meeting of the Ottoman Bank has taken place to-day. The report has already been pub lished, and states that the net profits of the half year were 6,1351. 4s. 2d., which, however, the Directors recommended to be added to the former balance, forming a sum of 21,165/. 108. Bd, so as to establish a reserve fund rather than pay a dividend on this occ ►sion, more especially as it was necessary to provide against the consequences of the late crisis, and the fluctuating and unfavourable state of the exchanges at Constantinople. Some a , verse dis cussion took place in respect to the proposition, but the report of the directors was adopted, the dividend being thus postpOned, but it was expected that a distribution would take place in October next. The dividend proposed at the Londonderry and Ilaniskillen Railway Company to-day was 4s. 6d. per 121. 10s. shares for the half-year after providing for the 6 per cent. preference shares. The avail able sum from tfie half-year's traffic was 5,6091. The report was adopted. The market for English Securities is very dull, and little or no alteration can be reported in value. The transactions are too limited to produce much variation. Until the present account is arranged there is not likely to be much revival of specula tion. Consols are marked 97 to 97i for m"ney, and 97i for account. They are now 97 to 97k for money, and 97i for account. The May price is 9711. India Bonds are 20s. to 255. premium, and the June Exchequer Bills, 38s. premium. In the Foreign Stock Market business is in active, and prices remain without any material alteration. Turkish 6 per Cents. are 1011 102 ; Prench 3 per Cents. 69f. 50c. ; and Peruvian 4&1 per Cents. 83;i. In the Railway Share Market this morning prices have receded to the extent of about to i t per cent. A very moderate business has been re ported. Great Western, Lancashire and York shin+, and North British declined ss. ; Great Northern, North Western, South Western, Midland, North Eistern (Berwick), and. North- Rastern (York), 10s. ; and Brighton,l /. Ca ledonian improved 1/. The Foraigis and Colo nial lines have also been at slightly reduced quotations. Paris and Lyons, and Northern of France have receded about ss. ; East Indian, 108.; Grand Trunk of Canada, 1/. ; and Great Western of Canada, 101. In Mining Shares th ere i s no chap ge of any im- 20. 20; portance to report. 100 00 • Joint-Stock Ba n k Sh ares are dull, but at steady too rates. London Joint-Stock have declined 53. ; 100 Ottoman Bank advanced ss. ; and Union of Aus- 20 tralia, ss. 20 Miscellaneous Shares have exhibited no change I 20 20 requiring a special report. 20 CRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOi.JK ( From the Ogles& lista Business done 3 per Cent. Consols Annuities 97 7 ladis Bonds, .01000 Ditto, under £lOOO Cotsols for Account India Stock for Account Exchequer Hills o l:d. tlOOO . 25 20 p 97k ********** 220 March. June. I 38 Small • • 1 38 ?RACES OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK Peravian Bonds, 4i per Cent 833 11 , trgibt. cent,,, Ditto Account ............................ 101 3 Dividends on the above payable in London. French Rentes, 4i per Cent. .................. 3 per Cent.. ex. 25 francs TWO O'Ci ,t r(s, 97 97 A 974 Console, money Ditto, Account Consols account (May) Major A. Vandeleur, Captain-Instructor of the Royal Gun Factories, Woolwich Arsenal, has ten dered his resignation of that office, in consequence of a serious misunderstanding with Lieut.-C„1 .nel F. E. Wilmot, the superintendent of the Royal Gun Factories Department. The gallant officer's resignation has been accepted by the authoritiesat the War Department ; but his successor has not been appointed, and it is stated that the office of captain-instructor will be abolished. - - - tALVB ATISEMENT.I SCOUT AND HEARING -- SPECTACLES— POWERFUL TELESCOPES OPERA, RAC; AND PERSPECT SY GLASSES. —S. and B. Solomons, opticians, 39, Albemarle street, Piccadilly. Observe—opposite the York Hotel, W. By her Majesty's Royal Letters Patent for valuable and ex traordinary improvements in the most powerful and brilliant Telescopes, Camp, Race-course, Opera, and Perspective Glasses, to know the distances. These Telescopes possess such extraordinary power that some, three and a-half inches, with an extra eye-piece will show distinctly Jupiter's moons, Saturn's ring, and the double stars ; with the same telescope can be seen a person's countenance three-and-a-half miles distant and an object from 16 to 20 miles. For the waist coat-pocket, and are of larger, and all sizes, with increasing powers accordingly. The Royal Exhibition, 1851..—A valu able, newly-invented, very small, powerful, Waistcoat-pocket Glass, the size of a walnut, by which a person can be seen and known one and a-half mile distant. They answer every pur pose on the Race-course and at the Opera-houses. Country scenery dab ships are clearly seen at 12 t o 14 m il es. T hey arnvalule for shooting, deer -stalking, yachting, to sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepers, and tourists. Opera Camp, Perspective, and Race-course Glasses, with wonderful powers. - invaluable preserving Spectacle Lenses of the greatest transparent power. Tne great advantage derived from this invention is, that vision impaired becomes pre served and strengthened and very aged persona are enabled t o employ their sight at the most minute occupation —can see with those lenses of a mach less magnify ing power --and they do not require the frequent Changes to the der, gerois effects of further powerful assistance. Persons tan be suited at the moat remote part of the world by send ing one of the glasses out of their spectacles in a letter, and stating the dist time from the eye they can read small print with it, and those who have not made use of spectacles by stating their ago. Deafness._ New Discovery.—The Ottranic Vibrator, as ex t raordi ari:y powerful, s newly-i nv et- d instrument for deafness, entirely different frem all of surpassing anything of the kind that has been, or prof hly can be, produced. Being of the same colour as the skin. is not perceptible. It enables deaf persons to hear distinct ly at church and at public assemblies ; the unpleasant sensation el singing noises in the ears is entirely removed, and it aftmds all the assistance that possibly could bo desired. -39, AAe alexia-street, Piccadilly—Opposite the York lintel, W, MARK t" T i SH &} M 1 -- shin Day). • RAIL Vir A YR. AtAILWATN, .knkbg. Noting. Bost. 4 Eastn. elfast & BanYnun"' %mug. Wolverh. Stour Va11ey....., .,, Birkenhd. Lancsh. Cheshire Jun& illack burn Rlyth & Tyne original £2ss. at £45).... St. 100 'Brist s o ( l i & Exeter...... St. 100 0a1ed0nian......... St. 100 Mester & Holyhm: 5 ° all Cork and Bandon 20 20 all Cork, Black. & Pass. all 10 all D-.). A Cornwall 10 all Do. B 5° all Dublin&Belfastjunc 25 all Dun. P. &Abcr.Jnnc. St. 100 East Anglian ........ St. 100 Eastern Counties..... St. . I ° 9 EasternUnion,A.stk Ss. 100 D o ., do. B 25 Si Do. New A ...... ..... . 252 all East Kent t. 100 E as t Lancashire ... 2 ° all lO all East Suffolk Do. St. 100 Edinburgh & (Ramo: •t. 100 Edinb.Prth.dsDniide 0 all Forth and Clyde June. St. 100 Furness St. MA„ Glasgow &S. Western 10 all Great N. of Scotland St. 100 Great Northern St. 100 Do., A. Stock ... it. 100 Do., B. Stock .... St. 100 Gt. Sth. &West. (Ire). St. 100 Great Western. ... St. 100 Do. Str.V.R. gua. St 12 all Irish South-Eastern S C, „ all Lancaster &Carlisle. Lot 1 4 1 Do., Thlris... .... ... 16 15 Do. New Thirds ... St. 100 Lancash. &Yorkshir , 16 6 Do., do. F' £l6 ... 9 7 Do. Do., £9 1 3 i Do., Wst. Riding Th: 20 all Do. Southpert. .. 116 all London & Filailliwnl 114 ti Ho. New, i -a. Si. 10s. St, 100 Lond.Bright.& S.Cst, St. 100 London &N. Wester 1 2 4 5 Do. Eighths in. 100 London & S.Weatern 45 i all Lndndrry.&Coleraine 25 all Lndndrry. & Ennisk .1 St. 100 Manch.Shof.&Lincln.l St 10010 1i Metropolitan . Midland St. 100 Do'. Birming.& Derb 50 all Midland G. Westar.' 2 all Do. i Shares . 00 all Newcastle & Carl isle 25 all Newpt.Aberg.&llrfd 10 9 Newry & Armagh 20 all Newry, Warrenpoint & Rostrevor N0rf01k_........ .... . . Northn. Counties Un 'North British North Devon, Rail Dock Stock ... .... Do., A Stock ......... Do., B Stock ... N. Eastern Berwick Do do. G.N.E.Purch Do Leeds Do. York North London . . ... N. & S. Wstn., Ramp stead, and City Jn. North Staffordshire.. North Western......., N. &S. Westrn. une Oxford Worcester dt Wolverhampton. 3t. 1100 50 3i St• 100 St.lloo St. Imo at. 100 St. 100 25 t St. 100 St I.bo St. WO 10 ,31.1 LO l7i 20 all 10 all Bt. 100 10 all 20 19 10 10 St. 100 St. 100 St. 100 St. 100 10 8 St. 100 St. 100 St. 100 20 all 20 14 20 all 25 all 20 25 5 Peebles Portsmouth Rhymney Scottish Central .... Scot. N.E.Abrdn. St Do. Scot. Mid. Stock Shropshire Union . Sitingbourne tk Sheer South Devon South Eastern........ South Wales S. Yorksh. River Dur D 0............. Sta.ines,Wok.,&Wok Stockton & Darling Do. do., 1854 Do. do., 1855 - Stockton & Hartlepi Taff Vale... Do. Pref., No. 1 Thames Hay. J. &R Vale of Neath Waterfd. & Kilkenny Waterford&Limerick West Cm nwall.. West End of London and Crystal Palace Do. A Do. B West London Do. First Class I Do. Second Class St, 100 St. 100 St. 100 St. 100 50 all 20 all 10 all 5 all 5 all 20 all 10 all 20 111 47 - 74 - all Atian. and St. Law. 9 Bombay, Baroda j and Cen. Inil,guar. 6 p.c. all IDo. all Do. Additional A all Buffalo di Lake Hur 100 Buff., Brnt. & Gorich ' 100 6p. e„ bds., 1 Aug..'72 Do. do., 1 July, '73 100 Do. do., 1 June, '74 2s. Calcutta and S. East. 2s( id 'Central Oude (Lim.) 2 Ceylon A shares all Demerara. 2s. 'Eastern Bengal 1100 East Indian all Do. C Shares 5 Do. E. do. all po.4i p.c. Ends. ,'59 all Geelong & Melbourne guar. 5 per cent 1.00 Gd. Trunk. of Canada all Do. 6p. c. Deben all Gt. In. Pen. g. 5 pore 4 Do. New. guar. 5 p.c all Gt. Westn. of Canada 13 Do. New all Do. all Do. all Do. all Du. Bde., payable '57 do., '76, p. '60... do., '73, do.. do., '73, without, option all Madras, guar. 44 p.c all Do. do., 5 per c. 15 Do. 4 p. c. Eaten. 5 Do. 3d Ex., g. sp.n. 5 Do. 4th Ex. d 0..,. 55. Oude (Limited) 15 Scinde, guar. 5 per e all Do BRITISH POSSESSIONS FOR: all Antwrp & Rotterdam all Ardennes 3 Bahia & Fra., eiteo.., all Belgian East. Junet. all Beziers to Graissessae all Carmeauxtig Toulouse Coal Mines and Ry 15 Dutch Rhenish all Eastern of France 2s. Euphrates Valley all Gt. Central of France all Great Luxembourg f; Italian Junction all Lake Const. & Bale all Lierre and Turnhout Lombardo-Venetian .J.ll Lucca & Fist. sp.e. (. • all Lyons and Geneva all )(aria .Antenla all Do. New all Namur & Liege all Do. do. 6p. c. Prof all Northern of France 8 Do. New all NorwegianTrnk. Pref all Paris and Lyons all Ditto New all Paris and Orleans 9 Recife & San Fran., !Perham.) g. 7 P. c 11 Riga and Danaburg all Rome and Frunti ab Royal Danish all Royal Swedish Do. 7 per cent.... all Sambre and Meuse_ all 30. 54 per cent. pref. al. Southern of France.. all West Flanders all Do. 54 per c. Prof , all W . & ICT.W. of Franc( 6 Western of Austria... all Wo.A. of Switzerlan,'. all 01 Lestaden all 'Jo. Bp, cent. pref 4.h Zea1and........ si) 'Agra. & United Serv. all lA.astralasia all !Bank of Egiiri. 50 Bank of London all Bri. Col. Bk.dc Ln. Co all British N. American 10 C.Bk.of Ind.Au.diCh 50 City 25 Colonial all Commercialof Canada' 20 Commercial of Lond. s all Eng. Scot.6rAus. Cit t. all Lon. Ch. Bk.of A ~-t. 20 London and County 10 London Joint Stock. 20 Lond.andWestminst.; 35 National Pro. of Eng.! 10 Do. New 25 National Bank all New South Wales 1 all Oriental Bank Corp, all Ottoman Bank 25 Provincial of Ireland! all Do. N0w,,,,, 1 all ion th A u Ntralia ' 12i Do. New,,,,, all Union 01 Australia 10 Do. Now .............. . 10 Union of Loudon . 50 pity Mutual 50 Textrußk of k.ond JOINT-STOOK BANKS. 21j - 211 7 - 49 58 3f - - 60 20; 1 -- 174 -- 184 18f -- 18fi 43 - 45 37 - 39 17.} -17 i 46 - 48 26 - 27 23 - 25 0•• .. ". g , r , c yostertay, 5- 6 - 69 - 71 9 - 10 25 - 26 89 91 86 - 87 36 - 38 - ... 7 - 16i 17 7 2 58 59 44 - 46 29 -31 14 - i 6 87 - 83 62 - 63 28 281 87 89 93 - 10 103 10F 89 - 91 126 - 128 98 - 100 58 - 54 56 - 58 83 85 10 12 p 10 12 ;--,1 89 1— 4 d 1 1 d 6 -6: 105 - - 94; 14 - 912 -9! 36 - 37 95i - 95. 67 - i 2 -i:. 60 - 62 51. - 3 - 62 J 2 48 75 94 1204 - i 46 8 - 9 8 - 9 30 - 32 7 3d 108 - 110 261 - - 80 'L74 16 - 48 .- '2 35 - 36 694 824 - 8341 13 - 15 7 - 5 9 - 11 35 - 36 6 . 6 -7- 16.2 3 - 68 - lo• .. i - 3p i - 3P 9 - 11 }BO - 85 75 - 80 70 - 75 1..• --.. ••• i; .•. 13 110 lit 11 - 2 p 1§ ]i 19 20 48 50 811 82 21} 22 - ip 193 199 14c1 106 - 11 . 1 106 - 111 100 101 191 —19 t 20i 2.4 d par ir - ip • •• - ... * - 1p 5i - CI ..... ••••• ... I. 1i 3 - 31 3g - 27 - $ ih •• ... ••• 4/ bki.r. 26 - 27 84 - 6 20t - 21 38k -38 j 8 - 8 - 33 4 1 - 33$ 314 - 32 54 - i id 16 - 18 i - i 8 - 81 84 - 9 21i - 41 - 9 - 94 251 - 2641, r•s ... ••• lIGN. r^ , r THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 30, 18 - 5 • _ 100 100 all 100 all 100 RAILWAYS. Buekghamsh. Clydesdale Jc. Col.Stour Vy. E.L n. g. 6 p. E. Un. H. Sh. Glas. Parr. & Neils.Direet. Do. NQW Glstr.&Dn.Fr !Hull & Selby Do. Shares I Do. ,} Shares Lon. & Greenw IDo.Preferenee 'Lon. Til., drS. Bark. Sh. Aran ch. Baton. and Matlock Bradfcl. 1 Leasint: Companies CaWon._ E.U.dgE.O Gt. North n E. Count. Caldonian. 100 all all all all all D 0... Gt.Westu, Y. & N. M Do IDo . Closiniz Price, yeater is: 97 - 99 100 102 13 - 15 , 139 - 141 4 - 4t • •• 108 - 1W S. Eastern Do !Pet° & Co, Do Ln. &N. W. do Midid. Midland... FL Connt I Do Do L. &N. W Do 12i -13 i 24 -- 25 93 -- 95 94 - 96 57 - 59 Gt. Northn T. Brassey, 31Clean Stk. &Dar Do Gt. Westn '135 - 138 8 - 83 10 - 103, 32 -i , , 83 - 90 PREFERENCE SHIRES. 10 20 20 50 all Blyth and Tyne 10 p. c.pref.(issd.at 50/0 100 Bris. & Ex. 4 p. c. 9 Do. 4 per c. Shares. 100 iCaledn. £lO 41 p. c 100 Ches. di Ho. 5i p,c 100 'Do. do. 5 per cent._ all Cork &Bandons all Dun.Perth.&Aber.J. WO E. Anglian Cls. A Sh. 100 Do. do. Ole. B Op. c. 100 Do. do. Ole. C7p. c. 100 Eas.Co.Ex,sp.cNo.l 1.00 Do. No 2 100 Do. New 6 pr. c. St, all East 13n., G. 6p. c. all Do. 51., 10 per cent, all Do. 101. Debentr.Sh. all Do. do. 4 per cent._ 00 East Lancash.6 p.cts. all E.diW. York. J. sth , 9 Edin.diGl. 5 p.c. Sh, 00 lEd.Prtli.&Dun.4p.c. 100 Furness, 5 p. c 100 Glas. & 5.W.G.5 p.c 100 Great Northn. 5 p.c 100 Do. 5 p. c. Redeem at 10 p. c. preen 100 Do. 41 per cent 60 Do. 5 p.c., Red. at 6 p. c. prem, all ,Gt.N.ofScot.lst Pre 18 ;Gt. S dr W. (Ireland) 18 f Do. 4 per c. Pref. St. Gt.W.(B.dtH.Ex.spc 00 Do. con. red. 44 p. c. 00 'Do. con. red. 4 p. c. 'lOO Do. irred. 4 per lent, 100 Do. 5 p. c. red. pref. all Do. Birm. Pref. Sh all Do. Chesterfip.c.P.S all Do. do. 5 p. c. do 100 Do. Birm, Gua. Stk. all Do. Chesh. Gua. Sh. all 10. do. do all Do. do. do 100 Lan. & York. 6pc.St 100 Lon.&B.G. 5 pc.No.l 100 D0.,P.,5 p.c.St.No.2 100 So.NewGuar. 6p. c. 100 Do. do. sp. c., N 0.4 100 Lon. & N.W., Coy. di Nuneaton 5 r . et 100 Lon. & S.W. 7 perct late 3d Shares all Londy. & Color. 4Sh all Londy.&Ennis. i Sh. 100 M., S.,&L. 6p. Cent. 4, 1 o. do. do. £6 100 Do. do. 34 per cent. all Marypt..' Carl, 4 ze. all Do. 44 per cent . 104 Do. do St. 25 10 1.0.6 EG lOs 105 112 110 1.1:7 - .. - 101 - 6. - 112 - 110 - 117 - 115 - 132 -- • • . 16.1 17 10A 74 - 20 10 15 140 20 - 122 65 - 68 100 -. Mid. Consol. 6r. c. St. 100 Do.Con.Br.Bir.6p.c. 100 Do. 4i p. c. Prof. St. 100 Do. L. &11. Prof. St. all New., Aber., &c., pr. sp. c. red. 5 p.c. pm. all Do. Perpet. 6 pr. et. all Norfk.Dol9.4 p. c . Sh. .37 - 139 99 - 101 90 - 92 100 Do. sp. c. Ext. 1846 100 Do. 51 p.c. pf 1847 1100 Do.Wv.V.sp. ..,1847 100 North British _34 Do. 71. Preference 'lOO IN. E. Berw. 4 p.c.P;i: . 8i Do. do. do 13 - Do. Leeds bps. No. 1 9 Do. do. Qrs., 1848... 10 Do. York H. &S. Pur. Forth Staffordshire_ 1.00 Ox., Wor. di Wo p.c., Ist guar. .00 Do. 6p. c. 2d guar... 00 Do. do. Debeatr. St. all Scot. Cent. New Pref. 100 Sc.N. E. Alger.g. 6p. c : [OO I Do. do. 7 p.c. pf. St. 00 IDo. do.3A p.c. pf. St , all !South Devon all Do. fixed 43 pr cent. all S. Eastern (Reading Ann.) of £1 Os, 6d. 100 Do. 43 per cent 100 Do. Fixed 43 p.c. Sh 100 Do. New 43 pr. cent 100 S. Wales Gua. 4 p. c. 100 Do. do. 43 p, c all S.Yorksh.4 p.e.Guar all Stock. &Dar., sp. c 15 I 19 Do. do. do. 100 IWaterfd&Kilk. 6 pc. iiii ----- ii - 107 95 - 97 1 4 - i - par 22 23 , 110 12 118 - 120 10G - 108 ~49 - 101 118 - 120 125 - 130 73 - 75 10 - 10, 24i -24 i 100 - 102 100 - 102 , foo iOi, 27 - ig 47 -- 53 MINES. Ili -12 i 80 - 460 - 480 85 - 95 14i -15 i 5 - 5i - 2 9 - 10 1 13 - 14 4 - 5 18 - 19 la 360 370 4i - ,230 - 251) k 3i - 4 li - ii 21 - 25 110 - 120 215 - 225 295 - 305 Ci - - - 7 i ll - 12, 42 t -44 i 23 - ,5 MINES. i - I 4- I P li - 2 123 -- 133 40 - 42 13 - 15 id bin 18 19 - Di 16 - - ii : 115; ) tagines this day ••• - ••• 2i - 2i 3i - 4A 1133 a please, my little dears, you pays yew money and you takes your choice." (Laughter.) But to Mr. Thackeray .ve are indeed indebted ; and, in the name of all the members of the fut,d, I heartily thank him for giving us this evening so much of his valuable time, his ii fiaence, and his eloquence. (Applause.) Now, gentlemen, I mu-t come to the second division of my discourse—the pur poses of our fund, the amount of money we possess, and what we do with it. It is now widely known that the object of the General Theatrical Fund is to provide life annuities for all persons practicing the art of acting, dancing, or singing; also for pantonahniAs arid promp ters belonging to the fund ; while all members who have subscribed for seven years may claim their annuities at the expiration of that short term, should they become incapacitated from following their art by accident or in firmity ; and, gentlemen, we none of us bear a " charmed life" against affliction, whether of the mind or body we know not how soon we may require that little but honourable independence to which you so generously subscribe. Should the Juliet of the evening that you have so much admired slip in her descent from the bal cony, and the nurse, unable to arrest her fall, should she fracture a limb i❑ consequence or be otherwise disabled, should the bounding dancer, whose gyrations have called forth your rapturous applause and your bouquets—should she, in turning one of her astonishing pirouettes, happen to dislocate that uncle, the form and proportions of which you have so closely scanned through your opera glass— should the tragic actor and graceful fencer, while show ing his skill at carte and tierce, in the character of Hamlet, have an eye thrust out by some awkward Laertes, or any of us suffer from "the thousand natural shocks" that the player, as well as other fle , h, is heir to, I am sure, gentlemen, you will neither dine nor sleep the worse for knowing that you have assisted in alleviating these ca'amities. (Applause.) I am, indeed, happy to tell you that our fund is in a flourishing condition, and that we are enabled to carry out all its purposes. From the time we first commenced paying annuities we have had 17 claimants, who have received from 301. to 901. per annum ; some of these have died, but we have now nine receiving annuities, five of whom are females. During the past year we have returned, according to our rules, 1001. to members retiring from the fund ; have expended 301. in funeral expenses ; and though it is not our cus tom, yet in peculiar and extreme cases we have not with held the hand of charity—and yet, having done all this, our capital after to-night will not be far short of 11,600/. (Loud cheers.) This capital, gentlemen, has been created by the subscriptions of 163 members, assisted by your liberality on these occasions, and the donations of friends and well-wishers. (Cheers.) Having disposed of the second division of my discourse, I now proceed to the third—to appeal to your sympathies, and use whatever powers I may possess to call forth the generous feelings of your nature. The world is full of institutions, from one end of it to the other—from the sutteeism of the Hindoo to the cannibalism of the South Sea Islander. (Laughter.) In America, the other day, a worthy citi zen declared that " woman was an institution"—(laugh ter)—while in France at the present moment there is a peculiar institution called the passport—(laughter)—the difficulties in obtaining which may tur❑ out to be a real blessing to the roving Englishman, and send him about to see his own country, and to discover to his astonish ment that it is the most beautiful to be found anywhere. But in England, gentlemen, there:is an institution which does not exist amongst any other of the nations of the earth. It is an institution so thoroughly English, that only an Englishman can thoroughly enjoy it ; for while it is as national as it is pleasant, it is as substantial as it is beneficial. Gentlemen, it is the institution of dining-- (chenrs)—that is to say, dining together in large companies it the purpose of being charitable—(cheers)—and that Institution you are now nobly carrying out this evening. ft is not the midnight Bacchanalian festival, when pro mises are often made that in the morning are quite for gotten. You are called upon shortly after you have dined—when you feel disposed not only to be at peace with your neighbour but with all the world—you are called upon to be benevolent, and you are so at once, for on these occasions it is no credit system—the money is taken over the counter. Then, is not this dining to gether as noble an institution as it is a national one and long long may it continue to be an honest and a hearty English method of doing good. (Cheers.) And now, my dear friends—(laughter)—fourtbly and lastly, I mast thank you all, and make the way easy for our worthy secretary to announce your donations. 'We have present a genial party of friends to whom I must particularly allude, namely, the company of amateurs who performed last year for the benefit of our fund. We have received a very handsome sum from their exer tions on that occasion at the St. James's Theatre, and it was their wish to have done the same this year, but the theatre being in the possession of a celebrateet eon.. juror, it was not to be had at present, but when he has exhausted his wonders they intend after Easter to "do the trick" themselves—(laughter)—and to exert their talent and their influence in our cause ; and while we thank them sincerely for their pains, I am sure it will be a comfort for them to know that I read the other day in a weekly paper, amongst certain answers to corre spondents, how "Jesnima" was informed that the editor was of opinion that amateur acting was not injurious to public morals. (Loud laughter.) And now, gentlemen, I must conclude with announcing to you that we have received the noble annual contribution from her gracious Majesty of one hundred guineas. (Cheers.) I know that we have her best wishes. I know that there is no greater lover of the English drama than the Queen — (cheers)—that it is her delight ; and for the comfort of actors yet to come, and for the future prospects of the stage, it is pleasant to know that she frequently brings the royal family to the play when the play is good and worth seeing —(cheers)—and, in announcing this queenly donation, I will end my discourse with the aphorism, that as charity covers a multitude of sins, come, then, and according to thy means do likewise (Cheers.) 4 3 i 4 plays, but the truth and - pase,ion which an; in bill rou , t be more or lees reflected in the great mirror which ha holcit up to nature. Actors, tuanhgers, and authors are nil represented in this company, and it may he supposed that they all have studied the deep wantB tin- human heart in many theatr,s ; hut none of them could h%ve studifll it- iLysteriou e . workings in any then' re to greater advan tage than in the bright and airy pages of " Vanity Fair." (Hear.) To this skilful showman, who has so often de• lighted us, and who has charmed us again to-night, we have now to wish God spee,3, and that he may continue for many years to exercise his potent art. To him E!I a bumper toast, and fervently utter, God bless him I (Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN briefly returned thanks, and expressed his gratification at the terms in which be hal been spoken of by his friend, Mr. Dickens, as well as at the circum stance that two literary gentlemen could be found who entertained such sentiments towards each other as they did. (Cheers.) Several other toasts followed ; and the contributions, including 100 guineas from the Queen, reached 4001. The musical entertainments, as usual on this occasion, were of a high order. Many of our ablest vocalists at ten3ed ; Madame Rudersdorff, in particular, excited great applause by the admirable manner in which she sang " 'Twits within a mile o' Eelinbro' town." Mass Poole also sang very beautifully, as did several other vocali-te. The direction of the music was confided to Mr. Love' Phillips. THE LATE DISASTROUS FIRE .AND LOSS OF _LIFE IN BLOOMSBURY. This morning at 11 o'clock Mr. Wakley, coroner for he Western Division of Middlesex, opened a❑ inquiry at the Fox Tavern, Duke-street, Bloomsbury, into the cause of death of the unfortunate individuals who lost their lives at the late calamitous fire in Gilbert-street, Museum-street, on Sunday morning. Previous to swearing the jury, The C , roner addressed the gentlemen summoned, saying he intended sitting to-day until 3 o'clock, and if they did not conclude the enquiry by that time he should adjourn it till Thursday morning and sit till 3 o'clock. If not then concluded, he should adjourn the enquiry over for a week or ten days. It may be a very brief enquiry, or it may be a very protracted one, and he men tioned it that no gentleman might be sworn on the jury and bound over to appear day after day to whom it might be inconvenient to attend. If any gentleman was likely to be out cf town, or wished, or was likely to be callel away by business engagements on Thursday, or the early part of next week, he would advise him at once to name it, in order that he might be excused from further attend ance, because it would be awkward for gentlemen to be bound over to appear and incur heavy penalties for not attending. Mr. Cooper asked if the enquiry extended over a month or six weeks the jury would be bound over to attend ! The Coroner said—Yes. His knowledge of the cir cumstances was at present limited, and he could form no opinion until after he had heard the evidence on oath. It was an awful calamity, and it was one of the most horrid sights he had ever teen. No time would be mis spent to endeavour to discover the cause, and to pre vent, if possible, the recurrence of a similar calamity Mr. Cooper said he believed the whole of the proposed jurymen were tradesmen, and it would be exceedi❑gly inconvenient for them to attend for three mouths. He instanced the protracted inquiry in Tottenham-court road. The Coroner said even in that case the jury would be bound to attend. He took it there were no gentlemen summoned on the jury connected in any way with the proprietor of the premises. The jury were then sworn, Mr. Adams, churchwarden of St. Giles's, being selected as foreman, The Rev. Horace Roberts, and several of the pa rishioners were present during the enquiry. Mr. Sampson Low and Mr. Inspector Badderley at tended to watch the proceedings on behalf of the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire. The jury then proceeded to inspect the premises, and also to view the bodies of the unfortunate sufferers, fourteen in number, which were lying in the dead house of St. GEee's Workhouse. Their appearance has already been miuutely descrebed. The young man Smith, who jumped out of the window, is lying at University College Hoepital. The names and ages of the 14 persons on whom the inquiry was held were—Richard Smith, 40 ; Harriett, his wife, 41 ; Alfred, 15 ; Harriett, 13 ; Harvey, 11 ; Walter, 9 ; Thomas, 7; Maria, 5 ; and Jesse, 2 years of age, children of the first two named ; Jae. Hedger, Q 3; Eliza, his wife ; William, 20 ; and John, 13 years of age, children of Hedger and his wife. On the return of the jury, the Foreman and others re• marked they had never witnessed such a horrible sight, and said to the Conner, " Did you ever in your expe rience witness such a horrible si;ht I" The Coroner—l certainly never did. A Juryman—Covent -garden Theatre was burnt down without a single life being lost, and here a miserable hovel takes fire and all these lives are lost. The Coroner—l really cannot understand it. The first witness called was Alfred Ciiilman, No. 6, Graham-street, Walworth• road, porter, who deposed he was brother to the de ceased Mrs. Smith. Ile identified her body and that of her husband and children, now lying at St. Giles' Work.. house. His brother-in-law was a porter. He was a poor labouring man, and he and his family were in grer,t distress., He never knew him or his sister attempt or threaten to commit suicide. At times, he regretted to say, he was given to drink. He was not aware if any of the children were in burial clubs. The last time be saw his sister alive was at his house at Walworth ; she then complained that the house was lout for them to live in, and that as soon as she could get apartments she should leave; she was then looking out for apartments in Pied Ball-yard ;be knew nothing of the fire except from general report. He had been to the house where they occupied two rooms, a front room and a back zoom on the second floor. The rooms adjoined and opened into one another. There was no back window to the house, and the family had to come from the back-room to the front-room before they could get to the landing. There was a skylight ; but he did not know if there was a means of egress from it. There were four rooms on each floor. He did not kr.ow who else lived in the house. There was no venti lation or light for the back-rooms but that borrowed from the staircase. By a Juryman—His sister's reason for wishing to leave was the dilapidated state of the house, the rain came in from the skylight and made the room so damp that it was unfit for the children to sleep in. His brother-in-law had not been in constant work for some time. His sister had complained of a carpenter's shop under the dwelling which she considered dangerous and that she would leave. Her reason for not leaving was that she could get no one to take her in. The shop was opened about Christmas last. There was an outlet from the back-ground floor before it was turned into a carpenter's shop. The deceased Smith and his family had resided in the house about six years. Eliza Sarson, 10, Richarde-place, Haggerstone, wife of a labourer, deposed—l am the daughter of William and Eliza Hedger and sister to the children. I identify three of the bodies. My brother John is so much disfigureil that I cannot identify him. My father was a journey man biscuit baker and confectioner ; he lodged on the second floor and occupied two rooms. lam not aware if my father and mother had attempted suicide ; they were not in distress. I last saw them in the house last Sunday week ; they had lived in the house nearly three years. The Coroner—Do you know where the fire broke out I Hain (the beadle)—Yes, sir, in tte carpenter's shop. The Coroner—And where then I Hain—l have a witness who knows all about it. Witness continued—They had a front and back room. By the jury —I don't know anything that compelled them to live there ; they only owed a fortnight's rent. She never heard them make any complaint about the house ; but my father frequently said that if a fire took place they would all be burnt to death. They had never experienced any fears as to the stability . of the house. deposed James George Fleming, No. 11 Fire —I belong to the Chandos-street Fire Elin arriving g on ; at I was at the fire, and got there fourth,fie was il over I about half-past 3 o'clock. After the assisted in getting out the whehorlonttfhwatahlel: baonddiense.arTthhee young man was found near t window at the east of the building on the second floor. The floor had fallen, and the front wall before the bodies were found. From the position of the body I cannot I say where it must have b een. When arrived there I saw the front would fall, and I gave an alarm. It then immediately fell, roof and all, and we had a narro w escape. Th e wa lls, floor, roof, and all fell in a sec on d. Aft e r cooling the ruins, and whilst the ruins were still burning, I went by direction of my foreman into the ruins, where I found a young man near the front wall of the east end ; his father was underneath him. We then cleared away the ruins further, when we found eight children, males and females. Then we found Mr. and Mrs. Smith —they were all one on top of each other, as it were. By a Juryman—The Smiths were in the back part. Some of the children had fallen with their heads down wards, and I had to pull them up by the legs. I took out 14. Th e fi rs t we found about 10 minutes past 4. They were a ll d ea d . The pressure was enough kill any one. They had only their night clothes on, which were much burnt. One body had his trousers partly OP, and he Must h ave b een in the act of pulling them on when the house f e ll. He was least burnt of all. I b ear d no cries nor sa w an y pe rs on at the windows when I came up with my engine. By a Juryman—The house was infl h a f rn a e i s a rfrri47l firethe bottom to the top when I_ arr i ved. 'Newmarket rim 13m7E.G.5pc. NA/ Est.s P.C. 'Do. 6 per et.. Do.Fixedsp.e Pmst. dr Wire 12i 1 all Do. i Shrs. . St. 100 Roystn.& Hit. 110 all iShrews.& Her 12 all IS. Staffordsh 50 all WearVal.g6pc 25 I all Do St. 100 I Wilts&Soturst BRITISH 2/ 12 Alfred Cons. (Philk.) 20 14 'British Iron ~. 20 Condurow (Cambrn.) 10 1 Dev. Gt. Cnsls. (Tay.) ~. 30 East Basset (Illogan) 17s Great South Tolgus 17/5 Grt. W. Alfrd.(Philk.) 713'Grt.W. Vor (11elstn.) 17s Lady Bertha .„ 8 N. Frances (Illogan) , N. W. Basset (Illogan) 13/15 North Wheal Crofty 111 Par. Cons. (St. Blaxy) 9 Porkellis U, (Wend.) .. 6s. Sort. Cons. Min, Co. 2i S t. Caradon (St. Cleer) 2 S. Cara Brea (Illogn.) 19 S.W. Frances(lllogn.) ' 5 4. , •Pam. S. &L. Min. Co 0 9 Tin Croft ~ 40 Un.llline (Gwennap 1256 V. of Towey (Cainar.) W. Basset (Illogan) 20 \V. Caradon (Liskrd.) Basset (Illogan). 5 Wh. Buller (Rdruth). 5 Wh. Edward (Calstek ) ~ 1/ 7s 'Wh. Kitty (U, Llant)! S WI 1, Ma. Anu ( Moult. ) 43 Wh. Trelawney (Lis.) FOREIGN 78 'Australian 1 10s. Bon Accord Cop. (li.) 5 27 Brazilianlnip.(issued at 1:5 pm) O all Do. Cocaes di Cuiada 0 15 Do. St. John Del Roy 1 4 Clarendon Con. Min. Co. of Jamaica :0 all Cobre Copper 16 Copiapo 1 all Dun Mountain Cop per Mining Co. 2 all Fortuna O all General 3 all Linares 5 14 Lusitanian 1 all Mariquita 1 all New Granada 1 all Noveau Monde 0 all Pont. Sil. Smlt 5 1 Port Philip 0 16i Santiago do Cuba all United Mexican tisines , ,to e this day. 86 1 71 6 7 1023 xd ;$ 3 8 g 8 1061 51 9 3 4 a 92 : 1 ,, 2 St. I 100 MISCELLANEOUS. )00 900 Atlantic Tel. (Lim. ) 15 19 Australian Agricult. i 0 I all Australu. Royal Mail .0 all Berlin Water Works.. 10 2 Do. New ice, at 5/. d i 0 40 Brit, American Land) /0 32i Canada ----- t. 100 Do.Go.6pc.Jan&July it. all Copper Min. of Eng. 5 all iDo. Pref. 7§ p. cent ! 5 all 'Crystal Palace 5 all Do. Preference 4 all Crystal Pal, of France all ELtern 100 lEleetricTelegrapli . :: all Electric Tel. of Irol 5 all lEn.dzAust.Cop.SmCo" 10 10s. Eur. & Ind. Jan. Tel. 9 all iEur.&Am.Stru.(lina_) 20 all Gen. Ir. Se. Col.(lim.) 15 L 4 Gen. Steam Navigat. 20 5 London Discount 4 all Loud. Gen. Omnibus 20 10 Magdalena St. Navig. 10 all Meditcran. Elec. Tel. 10 all Do. Extension Teleg. 10 all ,Mexicau&S.Americn 25 5 iNat. Discount Co 10 6 Netherlands Land._ 10 all iDo. Do. _ all Do. Sp. c.ll. iss o at Id. 3 Do. Do. 100 St. 1 20 l a a ol l l l l e . NN sT rii e . S t w ß h . 1 : 13 0 V A . ; E u lfzG s t :t N i i v : o a .. p l sB a o P. s s i 'L t a c e n a Dn . m i l ' all Oriental Gas 10s. Do New Shares all Peelltr. Ld. & Minrl all Peninsular & Oriental 10 Do. New . all Rhymney Iron 60 oyal Mail Steam all Scot. Austral. Invest 100 S. Aus, Go v. 6 p. c. bds f all South Austral. Land all Submarine Tel. Scrip all Do. Registered 5 Trus.Ln.Co, Up. Cau 28i Van Dimon's Land ••• 25 26 3b 4. 3, ) - 40 110 - 150 113 - 114 28 - 32 26 - 28 11 - - 46 41 - 5 • 1 103 - 105 li - 1,1 ... - 4 i ... 4 •• l • h d 3i j ••• - .. 8 - 9. •• - i .• 1 - j i - li 2 - 3 2 a 2 1 d 17 20 96 97 2 3 " 2 4 i 78 30 21 23 61 63 106 108 , ..• ....-.. ••• i .. ih i .. ]i ••• - - ••• 10-+ 11 91i # 74 3i 69i 70 82i 110, 1 , 10 47 8 le f 1.9 i i 11 ti Isoie AL (4:-,NER TIitAI'RIC,AL Yesterday the 13th annivereery festival of the Geller. , Theatrical Fund was he'd at the Freemason's Tavern— W. M. Thackeray, E.q., in the chair. There was very full attendanc of gentlemen interested profession ally and otherwise in the institution, and a number ni ladies were also present. After the usual loyal and patriotic toasts had been duly honoured, The CIUIRMAN l'oBo to propose the toast of the even ing, and said—Having seldom, indeed only once before in my life, been called on to fill the chair on an occasion like this, and not possessing that happy genius and skill in such matters which belong to a friend of mine not very far from me (Mr. Dickens), I thought I could make up for my deficiencies by previous assiduity and study ; and I went through a long course of reading relative to the drama, beginning with its very commencement, with occasional slight ramifications into the history of the Chinese and Turkish stage. (Laughter.) The com mencement of the drama, I find, was at a period about 570 or 550 years before the Christian era. It happened at a time when one of the seven wise sages of Greece flourished in Athens, and who was called Solon. He was a man of great eminence in his time, and I have introduced his name because I wished you to see how assiduous I have been, and also with a view to your en• joyment of the puzle which you will experience in won dering what the sage Solon has to do with the toast of to-night. (Laughter.) Solon, being one of the greatest persons in Athens, consented to witness a dramatic re presentation by Thespis, its discoverer, and who went in a waggon —no doubt, a stage-waggon—(laughter)— about a theatrical circuit. (Laughter.) Having witnessed the performance, Solon sent fur Thespis, and having a large stick in his hand, he said to him, "How dare you tell such a parcel of lies !" Thespis remonstrated, and said that his songs and interludes were not meant to be taken as matters of fact, but were simply intended to amuse. On which Solon thumped his stick on the ground and said, " Begone ! A man who will tell such fibs on the stage would forge a bill of exchange." (Laughter.) This story is told in Plutarch's Life of Solon, and I never read of his life after that. (Hear, and laughter.) What a nutn ber of years have passed since Solon has been called to hie rest, and poor Thespis has gone to his long account ! Every one present is aware how often a character on the stage is acted over and over again, and though Solon and Thespis are dead, their parts are still acted among us. When your worthy treasurer was making that journey of which he toll us on the occasion of one of the festi vals of this institution, with fourpence-halfpenny in his pocket, provided with a little skimmed milk for refreshment, and clothed in a printed calico waistcoat, but with a cheerful heart under it —suppose that Solon had overtaken him ; no doubt the sage would have had as light an opinion of him—would have looked down on him, and surveyed his calico waistcoat with Solon d tr uTt r e I.'3hueue contempt, t . rhr h e eoa m e matw( y a b i se was euf a w gbl t to that dideti Solonle. e arn.Tp et pompous p n c Tmer o: c o hap n ea r i o g ds aGu r r a nswee person o rahsmvslhumbug, t sno : o s nb d br t buste r a l he u an i ya, g m m du g toos s l whf i e en n o l hgftgauohogunenohsyi Solon,n a h e hc n w o vee f e w e u snrt ahe l f B n y i : Dorn P kw O ot a e so n .t himself far above a wandering actor. There may be So lone who cannot appreciate music, because they have no ear for it, and cannot tell the difference between "Water parted from the Sea" and `the music in Ariadne." (Laughter.) Let us then suppose that his indifference proceeds only from his own dulness, and not from any more uufavourable feeling. But because Solon is so wise and virtuous, is there any reason why there shall be no more cakes and ale No, despite of Solon'e gravity, all y iuth any humour say we will have our sport ; Harle quin shall dance with Columbine, the Clown shall eat his sausage, and Hamlet shall kill his wicked uncle, and we will not be horrified at the transaction. (Laughter.) Claude Melnotte shall still walk up and down with Pau line under the spangled heavens, and still adorned with a pair of spangled tights, and we will have our sports and our sports, despite of all the &ions, with sticks as thick as a beadle's. (Hear, hear.) Perhaps, however, when Solon comes to look at a society like this, and sees how prudent and how generous you are disposed to be, he will be inclined to have a greater respect for Thespis in his cotton waistcoat than when he met him trudging on the road. How proud all the members of this society ought to be I She is not yet 20 years old, yet she has saved 10,00001., and she has spent 9001. a-year in doing good. She has relieved the orphan and the needy, and taken to their last home the friendless poor ; and she has done more than this, for she has enabled men who never came to her, and who were never likely to come to the society, to have the satisfaction of feeling that there was such a place to come to if need be. (Hear, hear.) The contributor& and' subscribers to a society like this know that there is a bank on which they can draw without shame, and I hope that we shall soon hear of the increase of its funds, that its means of usefulness have become known all over the kieiedorn, and that it will have large receipts every year from such members as recognise its admirable uses and efficiency. There is no need to recommend the society to the pro fessional gentlemen present ; they know its excellence, they have looked into it themselves, and they advocate it among their brethren. As for us, who are visitors to-night, we, from many a kindly association, must have strong regard for the stage, fur we owe to it a multitude of happy hours, and we will show our appreciation of it to-night by most cordially drinking "Prosperity to the General Theatrical Fund." (Loud cheers.) Mr. BUCKSTONE then rose and said—Gentlemen, as this is the 13th annual festival of the General Theatrical Fund, and as for 13 years I have never been absent from this celebration, except on one occasion, and hay ing therefore at 11 of these dinners risen to return thanks for the toast you have this moment so greatly honoured, you will perceive that for many years I have been preaching from one text, and as this is now the twelfth time that I rise to address you on the same theme, you must not be surprised if thole is little variety in my subject matter. (Cheers.) Paganini certainly executed many extraordinary and various passages on one string of his violin, but to continue for many years to preach from one text is an exploit which, I think, would somewhat puzzle even the Rev. Mr. Spurgeon. (Laughter.) However, I will endeavour to be as varied as possible, and state facts, and exhibit fancies, asclearly as may be in my power, to the ladies and gentlemen present. (Cheers.) I say ladies and gentlemen, be cause both are not only here to-night, but they are placed according to the arrangement of a pious quadrille —(laughter)—suggested by the rev. gentleman I have alluded to—the ladies by themselves, and the gentle. men by themselves ; though I have little doubt, if a dance were to be proposed in the course of this evening, that, in defiance of the plan of the preacher, we should find that the ladies and gentlemen would speedily amalgamate. (Applause and laughter.) In returning thanks for your toast, gentlemen, I must arrange my die. Course into four divisions —Firstly, to thank the chair man, and to say something about him ; secondly, to set forth the purposes of our fund, the amount of money we possess, and what we do with it ; thirdly, to appeal to your sympathies, and use whatever powers I may possess to call forth the generous feelings of your nature ; fourthly, alai lastly, to thank you all, and make the way easy for our worthy secretary when he audibly an nounces your liberal donations. Now, gentlemen, I thank the chairman, and say something about him. Twelve months ago, in this hall, Mr. Dickens announced that on our anniversary festival this year the chair would be taken by Mr. Thackeray ; the announcement was re ceived with the warmest expressions of satisfaction, and though, when we reflect on the many chances against life and health, it was a long time to look forward to such an event, yet lam happy to say here it is. (Cheers.) Here is our chairman, doing his utmost to benefit us, and looking as hearty and stalwart as ever—(obeere)— and that ho may long continue to look so must be the sincere hope of every lover of honest and manly litera ture. With the knowledge twelve months beforehand who was to be our chairman on this occasion, the com mittee of management was relieved from much anxiety ; they had not to go from one celebrity to another to soli cit his services, as all was settled and if our beat friend and faithful trustee, Mr. Dickens, could make a similar announcement this evening, we should indeed feel de- lighted and grateful. (Cheers.) But to our chairman, gentlemen, and to our trustee present, the members of the General Theatrical Fund point with emotions of pride and pleasure, for to see such gentlemen honouring us with their presence, pleading for us, and using all their influence in our behalf, speaks more for the honest purposes and soundness of our institution than all the glowing prospectuses that ever were published of any company of limited liability or otherwise. (Cheer:.) When such readers of the human heart, such depicters of human character, as the author of " Vanity Fair," and the author of " The Pickwick Papers" can appear to gether at one table, to plead for any society whatever, it is an unanswerable guarantee that such a society is well deserving of your patronage and supp or t ; there fore, what mu s t be the gratification of the friends and members of our fund to-night to see its cause advocated by the Smollett and the Fielding of the present age-- (applause).— though if you were to ask me which is the Fielding and which is the Smollett I could only reply in the words of the showman when asked by the little boys peeping into his show, " Which was the lion and which was the unicornr—l could only say, " Which ever you Mr. CHARLES DICKENS, who was received with much applause, next rose and said—ln oar theatrical expe rience as playgoers we are all equally accustomed to predict by certain little signs and portents on the stage what is going to happen there. When the young lady, an admiral's daughter, is left alone to indulge in a short : we g ht er. ) augur When aee n two rr- soliloquy, when certain smart spirit r a ppi ngs are h ear d to proceed immediately from beneath h er f eet, we fore tell that a song is impend in in g w . ait ( i L ng a gentlemen enter, for whom, by a happy coincidenc e , t wo chairs, and no more, are sation, and that it will assume a retrospective biographi cal character. (Laughter.) When any of the per formers who belong to the seafaring or marauding pro fessions are observed to arm themselves with very small swords to which are attached very large hilts, we pre dict that the affair will end in a combat. (Laughter.) Carrying out the association of ideas it may have oc curred to some that when I asked my old friend in the chair to allow me to propose a toast I had him in my eye ; and I have him now on my lips. (Laughter and applause.) The duties of a trustee of the Theatrical Fund, an office which I hold, are not so frequent or so great as its privileges. He is in fact a mere walking gentleman—(laughter)—with the melancholy difference that he has no one to love. (Laughter.) If this advan tage could be ad 3ed to his character it would be one of a more agreeable nature than it is, and his forlorn posi tion would be greatly improved. (Laughter.) His duty is to call every half year at the bankers, when he signs his name in a large greasy inconvenient book, to certain documents of which be knows nothing, and then he de- livers it to the property man and exits anywhere. (Laughter.) He, however, has many privileges. It is one of his privileges to watch the steady growth of an institution in which he takes great interest ; it is one of his privileges to bear his testimony to the prudence, the goodness, the self-denial and the excellence of a class of persons who have been too long depreciated, and whose virtues are too much denied, out of the depths of an ignorant and stupid superstition. (Hear, bear.) And lastly, it is one of his privileges sometimes to be called on to propose the health of the chairman at the annual - dinners of the in stitution, when that chairman is one for whose genius he entertains the warmest admiration and whom he respects as a friend, and as one who does honour to literature and in whom literature is honoured. (Loud cheers.) I say when that is the case, he feels that this last privi lege is a great and high one. (Loud cheers,) From the earliest days of this institution I have ventured to im press on its managers that they would consult its credit and success by choosing its chairman as often as possible within the circle of literature and the arts—(hear, hear) —and I will venture to say that no similar institution has shown itself as having been presided over by so many remarkable and distinguished men. (Hear, bear.) lam sure, however, that it never has had, and that it never will have, simply because it cannot have, a greater lustre cast upon it than by the presence of the noble Engli writer who fills the chair tonight. (Great cheering.) It is not far me at this time and in this place to take on myself to flutter before you t he well-thumbedpages of Mr. Thackeray's books , and to tell you ou p take b speaking v eto b w full they are of wit an d wisdom, how how devoid of fear or favour ; but I will in paying my due homage and re s pect to them, to say that it is fitting that such a writer and su c h an s o el r ne v ag e o re mark, and f i w n orr s ita t t i e l r awtoirroinfitecesthiooinnu,eld although o b ifiQ r gr o h u t g hh h ee t mtaagyeniu together. (Rear.) th e d ramat i c (Rear.) E very 0 way never write was given at the sta'aen" . hy a straPgt'r bre-,seruer. giving way I saw the in the eentre„whieddeene the ends 'r .1 the wall. I saw it bend rind the wall gave way. I gave an larm. By the C. rover —W e are suppc,sed to be called by the ;Ake, who we give a trifle for d g so. Mr. Goff, at the briea ir, staid he was called by a policeman on 1 31acafaiare-bridge before the last witness was called ; the policeman on the bridge was attracted by the light. By a juryman —I have seen hundreds of houses on fire and seen thefts fall. I never saw a house -fall so quickly as this. Since the fire I find the timber had not much hold. Tf the front hressenier bad not given way I think the front wall would not have given. Police-constable 34 E, Daniel Brown Sullivan, I gave the first alarm of fire by springing my rattle at a quarter past or 20 minutes past 2 o'clock on Sunday morning the 28th. The Coroner—Are yon sure of that t Because the Chandos•street men did not get there with the engine till half-past 3 o'clock. A juryman —I saw it at half-past 2 o-clock. The Coroner—Y es , but the Cba n d os - s t ree t man was i n the immediate neighbourhood. A Juryman—Yes, and thus were there before him. The Coroner—lt seems there is no organised system For calling the engines. Witness—When at the corner of Montague and Rus sell-streets, I heard a cry and ran towards the house ; just as I turned the corner I saw the fire rushing out of the window on the basement. The door, I believe, was fastened, but the fire was so strong I could not approach the door. I looked up to the front of the house, where I saw a man at the second floor f out window on the west side over the shop, atove where the flames were gushing out. He cried out and I to'd him to hold hard where he was , . At this moment flames ru Led out, and there was great cracklng of glass. I stooped down to avoid the broken glass when a young man jumped out and knocked me down. The young man was not killed at the time, but be was se.iouslv injured. The man Eastwood, his w fe, and three children got out of the window by means of a ladder which the police put up to the window. A. stranger went up Vie ladder and brought down one cf the childr,n ; at that time A fire-escape bad not arrived. Five persons were gut out safely. No engine had arrived at that time. I can't recollect when the first engine arrived. Policeman 56 E first came to my assistarn.e. We sprang our rattle. almost together and I sent him for the fire-escape, but not to the engine station. The Coroner—Are the fire escape and the engine station connected. Mr. G .ft (tire brigade)—No, they are not. Witnese oontieued—Tee only persons we saw were those we took out and the young man who jumped out, he came from tke second floor w ndow. I did not see the other window touched. I saw no other living person but those I have named at any of the windows. When the last person was taken from the window, the flames and smoke was so great from the basement that I could not see the second window. It was about five minutes after the last person was saved that the fire escape came. It was there before either of the engines. 1 cannot say which fire-engine arrived first. The front door was burning at the time. By a Juryman—The fire when I first saw it was burning the Museum -street end of the building. I knocked at the door and sprung my rat tle. One part of the door was burning at the time. The whole of the lower part of the premises was on fire when I saw it, but more towards Museum-street than the other. lam sure the door was burning when I first saw the fire. I can't say if the shutters were up in front of the shop. Tae flames were rushing out in a body at the time. By the C xoner.—l was at the fire about two minutes before the young man jumped out. Daring that time I sprang my rattle, sent for the escape, and went back to the young man to desire him not to jump out, the glass and flames rushed out against me, and at the same moment the young man jumped out, fell on me, knocked me down, and stunned me. My instructions with reference to giving information to the fire engine sta tions and escapes are to go to all the nearest stations and give an alarm. When the escape arrived it could not be used. It was higher than the windows, and the flames from below prevented its use. It was put against the adjoining house, and the fire-escape man went to the roof. By the Foreman—lt was about ten or twelve minutes after I discovered the fire that the fire-escape came. By a juryman —I know nothing of a boy giving in formation to the station near the church. By the Coroner—l think most of the delay in the arrival of the eec ►pe arose from the beams of timber across the street, to support the building, impeding its progress. BY a Juryman—l think the cries proceeded from the men who jumped out of the window. Ido not know if the occupants of the adjoining houses were screaming. John Guile, 8, Bury-street, Bloomsbury, painter and glazier—l was at the fire on Sunday morning about 20 minutes, or half -past two o'clock. I WAS first alarmed by the ery of murder and the sound of a policeman's rattle, which occurred simultaneously. I had just returned home, and had passed the end of Gil bert-street about five tn , nutes pas, 2. I immediately went to the fire, where I f )unt tWe po icemen, one of whom was springing his rattle, and the other was close against the door. I don't think the door was o❑ fire, but the flames were coming through the chop window. It was not great at first, though it was rai her a large lame that came out. [To be concluded in our last edition.] SPORTING EY TE LLIGENOII. TATTERSALL'S—MONDAY. Subscribers were too busily employed with the Fettling to bestow much attention upon speculation. The Handl. caps and the Derby were scarcely touched upon, and Use movements relative to the Two Thousand were limited and unimportant. Clydesdale and The Peer were again head and head in the betting.-400 to 100 was taken once about the former, but those odds were currently tff±red durirg the afternoon ; 5 t) 1 would have been booked freely about either; 200 even was betted between the two. After 8,000 to 1,0.0 had been offered against Mentmore, 9 to 1 was taken. CLOSING PRICES. GREAT NORTHERN. 3 to 1 agst Vedette (taken) 12 to 1 aget Turret (taken) 12 to 1 agst Warlock (taken and offered METROPOLITAN STAKES. 9 to 1 agst Bordeier (taken) 10 to 1 agst Wrestler (taken) 100 to 6 agst Black Tommy (taken) TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS. 9 to 2 aget Clydesdale (take sto 1) 9 to 2 agst The Peer (take sto 1) 9to 1 agst Mentmore (taken) 100 to 8 aget Coxwold (taken) 100 to 8 aget Toxopholite (taken and offered) 100 to 7 agst Happy Land CHESTER CUP. 18 to 1 agst Melissa (taken) 20 to 1 agst Botany (taken) 20 to 1 agst Blink Bonny (taken) 20 to 1 agst Adamas 500 to 15 agst King of the Isles (taken) 40 to 1 agst Tasmania. (taken) DERRY. 13 to 1 agst Tox3pholite (taken) 14 to 1 agst The Hadji (taken) 20 to 1 agst Sedbury (taken) 20 to 1 agst Kelpie (taken) Tunr REFORIL—A general meeting of the Jockey Club wiil be held at Newmarket o❑ Wednesday week, to receive the report of the committee appointed to re vise the rules of racing. • THE JOCKEY CLITE.—A ballot for members will take place at Newmarket in the Craven Meeting, Lord Henry Tbynne and Captain H. Saville are the candi datee. Racing Fixtt AP. for 1858. Richmend Spring 1 Newmarket Craven .5 Durham 5 Catterick Bridge .... Abergavenny Tile Hoo . ..... .... —.JO York Spring 13 ML Chester Tntvistock Bath ll ARc0t.................... 1 Hampton JU 9 Newton . ....... Beverley Su mmer 16 Bibury Club l6 i Stookbridge l7 1 11-ley Spring ~,,,,,,,,,.14 Malton li Epsom Spring ...., 16 Newmarket F S l9 Lanboidy ..... 22 Plymouth Spring 27 Salisbury .. .29 Harpend en l4 HOFIO7I lB Manchester 26 STE. 18 Winchester _ Chelmsford Newcastle-on-Tyne . 22 Ab,ngdon Carlisle „ .29 Shiewsbury ...29 JULY. Hereford Ipswich 1 Nottingham 2C? Pontefract . 1 Stamford ..... ... M e.rlboron g h 22 Odihaul .......... ..26 Newmarket July Worcester Summer BYork AUGUST. North l e i fci s .......... ............. i l r : .; ....... •... 2 2 3 l i It E i , t g a n d a c m liffe 23 24 Brighton Brighton Club 96 Lichfield ° e kt Lewes Wolverhampton ...... tn ... ..... ........... .......... • .. .... . . Reading ll SEPT] 1 Derby Cardiff Warwick Doncaster 14 Leicester 22 EMBER. . . . IMonmouth ... ....... ,23 Manchester Autumn 24 Newmarket F 0 28 Nat all 29 Nor thaller ton ...._ 3O BER. OCTI Chester Autumn 5 Richmond 7 Wrexham 7 Newmarket S 0 ll Royal Caledonian Humt and Kelao .10 Newmarket H A 5