The Sun. — London, England, 1849-04-26 00:00:00

,1 I I JERSEY, APRIL 23.—S1d. Nameless, Labradors; Unity, ditto. DEAL, APRIL 25.—Wind S.W.—Arrd. Jan Daniel, `Batavia ; Borneo, Harison, ditto, both fur Rolland; Co lt mbine, Crisp, Mauritius; Maria. Sabmand, Serensca, kio Janeiro; Minna, Havanrah ; Wellington. Chadwick, New 'York. Arrd. from the River on the 2-1: 1 1 Francis, New Zealand; Choice, Robertson, Montreal. Arrd. from the River and ski, on the 25th Pero, Elliott, Sin Francisco. MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEWS. CITY, QUARTER 7'o THREE. The sales of Cotton at Live rpool yesterday were esti mated at from 6,000 to 7,000 bales, and comprised about 5,500 A mer i can at 30. to 6*d., 100 Bahia at sd. to 200 Egyptian at kid. to 60., and 300 Surats at 311 to aid. per lb. The market closed firmly.—The market for Railway Shares closed heavily. Accounts from New York of the Bth inst. have been received by private ship. The Money Market was easier, and the exchange on England was 105* to 1061. Boston advices of the 7th no:ice no alteration in the exchange, but a rise seems to be expected. Breadstuffs had a downward tendency. The Hibernia steamer, to leave next Saturday, will take out about 200,0001 in specie. Altogether between 500,000/. and 600,0001. have been shipped from Liverpool. Sydney accounts of the 9th of January, by a direct arrival, state, that the sales of the property of the Bank of Australia engrossed great attention, and that the Oalt fornia gold discoveries had also caused much excitement. Shipments of goods wero being made to San Francisco and passengers were also going. General business was dull. The Van Diemen's Land papers of Jan. 17, allude to the continued dissatisfaction felt at the arrival out of so many convicts, and as far as we can judge there was a superabundsneo of labour in many of the large towns of Australia, although employment could be found in the interior. The Molong Mining Company in New South Wales exhi bited indications of a good deal of mineral wealth, though' not much was procured. The advices received from the continent are still un promising in reference to the Danish affair, and in Ger many matters were unsettled, owing to the procrastinat ing policy of the King of Prussia. The late affair at Perth between the Austrians and Hungarians is said not to have been decisive. The prospects of the Mexican bondholders appear by the advices received yesterday to have very sensibly im proved, and thanks to the exertions of Messrs. Manning and Mackintosh, the ag ents in Mexico of the London Committee, aided by th perseverance and talent of Mr. Parish Robertson, there is every reason to conclude that the Republic will do ample justice to its foreign creditors, and perhaps even succeed in effecting a permanent arrangement of the arrears of interest, and in paying dividends ere long upon the whole. The arrears may possibly be con verted into a Three per Cent. security. As to the productiveness of the Customs' revenue, we find already that the 350,000 dollars advanced by an ar rangement with Messrs. Baring, and paid in Lon don, have been made good, and that a re sumption of remittances may bo almost immediately expected. On the other hand, the duties on silver are becoming available, and although only 1,200 dollars came by the steamer, and not 65,000, as reported yesterday, it is the beginning of what may be a considerable annual remittance. Mr. Robinson states that he has been excellently received by the Mexican Government, and that part of the indemnity money will probably be applied to an ar rangement of the debt, as well as to the establishment of a National Bank, from which such important results are expected. As there ar'e so many contradictory reports circulated concerning the position of the Eastern Counties Rail way, we believe we may confidently state that the re' port of the committee which will be issued this evening, recommends no dividend to be paid for the past half-year, although 3s. or 4s. may have been earned, if no allowance is to be made for wear and tear. There are, however, carriages, engines, &e., to be replaced, and as funds are wanting and cannot perhaps be readily borrowed, the revenue it is considere,l, must supply the requisite sum. The line, as Mr. Hudson has stated, is most expensive to manage, and it is extremely difficult to say how it can be worked cheaper, while the Great Northern will prove a formidable rival, and must be met by the con struction of one or to o small branches, involving ne cessarily the raising, by loan or new shares, of some additional capital. It is to bo hoped this amount will not be large, for the prospects of the share holders, with so many guarantees to pay, and the bonus capital created years since, and before Mr. Hudson joined, are sufficiently bad without fresh incum brances. Many doubt, if money be not borrowed, whether ' even in the current half-year, a dividend can fairly be paid, but, perhaps, some arrange ment may be mute to pay something as a relief to the more needy holders. The Funds have been rather flatter this morning, with business as dull as ever. Consols have been 91i to 92, and are now 92 to The New Three-and-a- Quarter per Cents. have realised 91} to 91*. Bank Stock is 1921 to 1931, and India Stock 243. Exche quer-bills have been at 455. to 48s. premium. Mexican Bonds are very buoyant still, being 31i to 32. Venezuela have realised 254. Spanish Three per Cents. have been marked 25*, and Portuguese Four per Cents. 28 Dutch Four per Cents. are 774 g. In Shares there is not a great deal doing. Caledonian, Bristol and Exeter, and Eastern Counties are rather better. Great Northern Midland, South-Eastern and York and North Midland are lower. North-Western and Brighton much the same. BRITISH. FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. (From the Official List.) Bank Stock 193 1 ,4 192 3 4 3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities 8 per Cent. Consols Anus Nevv 3!,,i per Cent. Anti 5...........-.. Long Annuities, Exp. Jan. sth, 1860 8 9-16 India Stock 243 Do. Bonds, 1000/ Consols for Account Exchequer Bills. 11 ,4 1 zd. March. June. 1,0001. PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK. Austrian Bond!, 5 per Cent............. 70 Equador Bonds 4 Mexican Bonds, 1846, 5 per Cent 31% Ditto Account, with C.-upons.. 32 31 3 / 4 32%31 3 A Portuguese Bonds, 5 per Cent Ditto 4 per Cent. Ditto for the Account Russian 80nd5.1822, 5 per Cent 1u 5 14 101% Spanish Bonds, 5 per Cent,lB4o Ditto for the Account Spanish Bonds, 3 per Cent — Ditto for the Account .... Venezuela Bonds .... 251,4 Do. Deferred 8 Dividends on the above payable in London. Dutch 2% per Cent.. 12 Guild Ditto 4 Der Cent. Certificates ROSINESS DON); IN RAILWAY SHARES AT ONLY O'CLOCK RAILWAYS. PAID. Pra Sasea. Aberdeen Ditto, Preference 2k 2Ai to Bristol and Exeter Caledonian Eastern Counties Do., New Guar. 6 per cent. 10 Do. Exten., 5 per ct. No. 1,64 13s. 4d East Lancashire Great Northern Do. 1 % A Deferrek. .... 12% 5%...... to Great North of Engllnd 100 to Ditto, New ..... 40 Ditto, ditto Ditto, New 301. Great Western 100 Ditto, Half Shares Ditto, Quarter Shares 23 - Do. New 171 l5 . . 12% to Lancashire and Yorkshire ... 93 Ditto, ditto 63 ..... to Ditto Fifths lO Do. New Guarant. 6 per Ct. 10 Leeds and Bradford 5O -- 1 00 1 4:34... to London 8c Blackwall ... Loud., Bright., &South Coast 50 De. Preferential, 5 per Ct., 50 ...... 51 .".. to Ditto, ditto 1852 50 _ ... 52 ti t o London & North Western...JO° .....132 DI. New Quarters. Do. Fifths 42 ••••• 7% .. ... to Do. 10/...• M. and B. (C.) 1 London and S. Western...—. 50 .. Ditto. New 501. • 446..... 29 ...... to Do., New Scrip, 1848, Pref 7 per Ct. on Deposit and 5 per Ct. on Calb . ..... 5 . ... 5% .... to ..... Midland .• -- lOO 71% 72... to 69% Ditto, 501. Shares ....• ...... 25 North British •• .• ••• 25 Ditto Ealf Shares...-..... 12%..... 6 ° Do. Quarters ................. 6 1 4 ...... 3 I h% North Staffordshire... .. ...... 17% ...... 133 4 Oxford, Worcester, and Wol verhampton ... .............. 50 ...... 19% to Shrewsbury and Chester to (Nor. W. 'Olin.) ............. 18 ...... —, .., Ditto 8 per Cent. Pref....—. 10 ...... 14 .: Muth Eastern Ditto, Scrip No. 4.. - York, N ewcast l e , an d Berwick 25 ...... 22 %.. .. to Do, and Newcastle Eaten. 20 ...... 16 •• ••• to -- Do. G. N. E. Pur. or Pref. 8 ..... 55 1 6.. to 5 % York and North Midland Ditto, Preference Ditto East and W est Riding Extension 25 ...... 19% ..... to -- FOREIGN RAILWAYb. Great Indian Peninsular 105....... - no. Do Tours & Nantes ... .. ...... .. 11 Australian MINES. Brazilian Imperial 24 1 / tO Ditto St. John De l R ey 15 '2 :7 iTi,i• -- to GRAND MASoli.le annual grand ti FESTIVAL.—Last evening the of the Mesons of England took place at Freo n:la : l ?' brate the electio,n 0 , hall, Great Queen-street, to cele- Earl of Zetland bc;ilostt Worshipful for the year ensuing. The Grand Master, pre sided, supported by Lord F. Beadon, Esq , 8,c., whobuffield, R. Alston, Esq., W. about 400 brothers, attired in full masonic costume, ex cellent repast. The hall Was m , 1 !: clown to a most ropriately deco rated, the centre ornament of the tal t t 3Tes p being the mag nificent solid silver templ e , w i t h candelab ra of the weight of nearly 200 ounces, originally presented to tho late Grand Master, his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex and since re-presented to the G ran d Lodge by her Grace ' the Duchess of Inverness. Th e Ri g h t Hon. the Earl of Yarborough had tbeen unanimously elected a Deputy Grand Master. Th e e ven i ng was en li vened by vocal and instrument a l music, under the direction of Mr. J. W. Hobbs, aided by the Misses Pyne, and Messrs. Francis, Genge, Young, and Lee. The Cour tess of Z.-tland and about 100 Tidies were in the gallery. The festivities generally were of a highly satisfactory eh an d ar.4cter, did not conclude till a late hour. MARKET NEWS.-(THIS DAY.) NE CUGATtIi AND LE These markets were exttetnely he , avy, to-day, and prices had a downward tendency. Beef, from 23 to 3s 2d; Mutton, 21 2d to 3s 2d; Lanai', 4s 10d to 5s 10d; Veal, 3s 41 to 4s; and Pork, 3s to 4s 2d per albs by the carcase. MEAT PEAIIarZTES. , SoUTHALL , APRIL 25.—O a r mar k e t to-day, was fairly supplied with each kind of fat stock, the demand for which was in a very inactive state, at barely last week's vo . ations. Beef, from 2s 8d to 3s 6d; Mutton, 23 8d to 43; Lamb 5s 4d to 5s lod; Veal, 3s 6d to 3s Hid; and Pork, 3s 6d to 3s 8d per ilbs, to sink the offal. - ROMFORD, APRIL 25.—We had a very dull trad. this morning, at drooping prices. Beef, from 2s 104 to 3s 6d; Mutton, 3s 2d to 4s 24 ; Lamb, 5i 4d to 6s ; Veal, 3s 6d to 4s; and Pork, 3s 6d to 3s 104 per Slbs. Suckling Calves, 18s to 275; quarter old store Pigs, 165 to 21s; and Mitch Cows, with their small Calf, 141 to Itll etch. HAILSHAM, APRIL 25. Beasts, and Sheep, sold heavily, at reduced prices. In other kind 3 of stock no material change took place. Beef, from 3s to 33 103 ; Mutton, 33 2d to 4s 4d; Lamb. 5s 4d to 6s ; Veal, 33 6 i to 4s; and Potk, 3s 4d to 33 8d per 81bs. ARUNDEL, APRIL 24.—Our market was heavy to-day. at reduced prices. Beef, from 2s 10d to 3. 8.1; Mutton, 3s to 4s 2d; Lamb, 5s 4d to 63; and Veal, 3s 6d to 3s 10d per 81bs. CHICHESTER, APRIL 25.—We had a slow trade this morning, and t rices were not supported. Beef, from 3s to 3s 8d; Mutton, 3s 4d to 4s 4d ; Lamb. 53 4d to 6i ; Veal, 33 6d to 4s ; and Pork, ,p s 611 to 3s 10d per Sibs. Suckling Calves, IS3 to 265; quarter-old Store Pigs, 16; to 21s; and Milch Cows with their small Calt, 141 to 18/ each. THE SIDTN, LONDON, TITURS DAY EV SI IN G, APRIL 28, NAY 111C11.123LETS. SMITgFIELD.—Meadow flay, 21 103 to 31 15s; Clove' ditto, 31 to 4/ 153 ; and Straw, 11 6s to 1/ 103 per load. Supply moderate, and trade dull. CUMBERLAND.—Meadow Hay, 21 12s to 31 16i ; Clover ditto, 31 to 4/ 14s; and Straw, 11 Gs to Il 103 per load. A fair average supply, and a sluggish demand. WHITECHAPEL.—Meadow Hay, 21 lOs to 3l 15s Glover ditto, 31 to 41 17s; and Straw, I/ 6s to I/ 10' per load. Trade dull, at barely stationary prices. 'CORN AVERAGES. GENERAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN For the Week wiled April 19, 1849, made up from the Retains of the Inspectors in the different Cities and Towns in England and Wales per Imperial Quarter. I WWEAT. I SARUM! OATS. I RTE. I BEANS. I ?RAS. PRICE .. I 44s &1 28 5 8d I ICs 8d 22 $ 4d I 28s 10 ! I 28s N DUTIES ON FOREIGN CORN. WHEAT. EASLEY. I OATS. I EYE. I MANS. PEAS. Is Od Is Od is Od is Od Is Od is Od GOVERNESSES' BENE V OLEN T INSTITUTION. The sixth anniversary festival of the members and friends of this interesting institution was held last evening at the London Tavern. The duties of the chair were most efficiently discharged by the Right Hon. the Earl of Harrowby, supported by the Right Hon. Earl Talbot, the Lord Saye and Sele, Mr. Blakemore, M.P., and a numerous body of clergy and gentlemen. The society is under the patronage of her Most Gracious Majesty, her Majesty Queen Adelaide, his Royal Highness Prince Albert, his Reyal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, his Grace the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, her Grace the Duchess of Beaufort, and a large circle of the elite of the female members of the aristocracy. The report of the society for the past year embraces many interesting details. The proceeds of the fancy sale, at Chelsea, in 1848, were 2,264/., and it is pro posed to continue and complete the sale at the open ing of the Asylum, by his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge in person, on the 12th and 13th of June, 1849. A legacy of 1,5001. has been left dur ing the year to the society by A. Maclew, Esq. The sum paid to the Commissioners of the National Debt for annuities has been 7,679/. ; the subscriptions have been 2,3251.; the pupils' fees at Queen's College 7821.; and the ladies' payments at the house 8151 Under the head of assistance rendered in cases o• temporary difficulty, it is noted that the total numberf of applications to the ladies' committee has been 670, and the amount disbursed 3,0381. The number of annuitants at present is 32, receiving annually 5151. The provident fund during the year amounted to 43,5851. The savings bank is becoming more gene rally useful, and each lady's money stands in her own name at the savings bank in Montague-street, Blooms bury. The " Home" provided has laid open the means of self support to many a friendless lady, and there is nothing to record but the thankfulness of its inmates. The aged asylum is nearly com• pleted, and its opening will be celebrated, as already intimated, by a fancy sale. The new institution, called " Queen's College," has opened its doors for an improved system of female education, and with a degree of success that its most sanguine friends dared not to anticipate. After the toasts of her Most Gracious Majesty, her Majesty the Queen Dowager, Prince Albert, the Prince of \Vales, his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, and other members of the Royal Family had been most warmly proposed and responded to, the Noble Chairman proceeded :to give the toast of the evening—" Prosperity to the Governesses' Benevolent Institution." In doing so the Noble Earl took a cursory view of the leading objects of the society and the benefits it had conferred. He adverted to the edu cation that those who undertook the arduous duties of cultivating the female mind had received, to the high respectability of their families, albeit, perhaps, after having provided for the sons by giving them a profession, there was but too frequently left for the daughters, by their parents, little more than the un certain emoluments to be derived from cultivated minds. Their very occupation evinced the necessity of superior intellect and refined tastes ; and how acute must be their feelings when, in too many in stances, their services were forgotten, and they them selves were cast, as it were, into a corner, like for gotten things.— (Hear, hear.) But he knew what were the feelings which occupied English breasts, and he felt that it was only for them to be made aware of the many tales of sorrow and distress that might be recorded, in order to enlist their active and efficient sympathies in their behalf. The Noble Chairman concluded by stating that their institution had already received public attention in our colonial possessions ; that families who there required the ser vices of efficient governesses were beginning to apply to the society for those whom they could recom mend ; and that he believed this feeling would rapidly extend, and afford the society many opportunities of doing good.—(Cheers.) Mr. HALL, in proposing " The Ladies' Committee," aptly remarked on the zeal and kind-heartedne:s with which they had discharged their duties. He must also take the opportunity of coupling with their names the health of a fair lady, who had given him the cheque for 2001. which he held in his hand—that lady was Jenny Lind—(Loud and prolonged cheer ing)—and with the donation he must also convey her warmest and best wishes for the success of the so ciety.—(Cheers.) The Rev. D. LAING, the very zealous and energetic honorary secretary of the society, then read a list of the donations attendant upon the day's festival. It included her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, 20/. ; the Noble Chairman, 20/. ; the Duke of Rut land, 101. 103.; the Marquis of Northampton, 201.; list handed in by Mr. Francis, a steward, 163/. 16s. ; Lord Saye and Sele, 20/.; Earl Manvers, 211.; and a lady, whose name the Reverend Secretary was:not authorised to give, 3001.—(Loud applause)--the whole amounting to the munificent sum of 2,5181. After several other toasts had been given the Noble Chairman withdrew, followed by the rest of the company, all evin c i ng th e mos t li ve l y d e li g h t i n having been engaged in promoting the prosperity and advancement of "The Governesses' Benevolent Insti tution." LYCEUM THEATRE. Last bya numerou s Majesty an d Prince Albert, accom paniedbrillint suite, honoured this elegant . and favourite theatre with another roy a l v i s i t; Queenbemg the and t p h r ir in d e o e n n e rr w ived within a very sho r t p er i o d. Th e shortly after the commence ment of the perf o r mance , and were received at the private thethetre an b r ir h Mr ci. R. Roxby and the chiefs o e entrance ttrhaen establishment,c a o f box prepared for the occasiony vim conducted to the royal beauty of the fittings of the.bo N othing could exceed the elegance of the appointments whichof x and the anti-room, the beautiful and recherché description . Th were of the most The performance on the occasion commenced with Bold . you r T ongue, in which Madame Vestris and Mr. C. Mathews appeared. p w as followed by Planche's highly succeassl;'uel.rd. This and e m ost magnificently grand of all burles q ues, the Se v en , n Cham pions of Christen dom ; Miss Fitzwilliam, Miss [lnwar d,a Mrs. C. Horn , Miss J. Coleman, Miss Marshall, and Alessrs. 0. Mathe ws, Harle y , J. Reeve, and Selby, each sustaining their respective parts with more than usual ability. The frequent marks of applause from the royal box were of the most liberal and complimentary de scription, which must have been highly aflattering to the talented artists eng a g ed in the pPrformHer Ma jesty and Prin ce Albert, en leaving the theatre, ex pressed themselves as highly delig ot h hte on d w intering and the per - formances. The royal visitors, b quitting the box , ware most enthusiastically cheered. The house was crowded with rank and fashion ;t . held THE WEST LONDON UNION. —An inquest was ._ e,terday at the Coopers' Arms, West-street, Smith field, by Mr. Payne, ou the body of a young man named William Evans, who died in the West London Union, and in whose treatment it was alleged great violence and ill-usage had been resorted juryy the officials employed in that establishment. The viewed the body, which lay in the dead-house, and which exhibited on the arms and legs marks of violent press ure, and of ligatures which had abraded the skin. The body was also very much emaciated. A great deal of evidence was heard impli cating the person employed as taskmaster and his as sistants, and, after a lengthened examination, which ex cited great interest, the inquest was adjourned till Thursday next, to afford an opportunity for the attend ance of the guardians, and for the further examination 'of witnesses. GRAND BANQUET IN THE CITY I TO lIER MAJESTY'S MINISTERS. Yesterday the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor enter- I tained at dinner, in the Mansion-house, the Members of her Majesty's Cabinet, together with the chief dignitaries of the Church, the Speaker of the House of Commons, several of the. Foreign Ambassadors, and a number of Mem bers of both Houses of Parliament. The noble Egyptian hall was completely filled on this occasion with the guests who had assembled at his Lordship's invitation, and the scene, comprising as it did the elite of the rank, the talent, and the beauty of the country, had a most imposing effect. Among the company we observed the following : The French Ambassador, the Turkish Ambassador, the Austrian Minister, the Netherlands Minister, the Portu guese Minister, the Prussian Minister, the Danish Minister, the Bavarian Minister, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Miss Sumner, the Archbishop of York and the Hon. Mrs. Musgrave, Duke and Duchess of Norfolk and Lady Mary Howard, Duchess of Sutherland, Duke and Duchess of Argyll, Lord and Lady John Russell, Marquis and Marchioness of Lansdowne, Marquis and Marchioness of Clanricarde, Lord and Lady , Cottenhatn, Marquis of Breadalbane, Earl and Countess o. Minto, Lady Ct. arlotte Elliot, Earl and Countess. Grey, Earl of Carlisle, Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston, Sir George Grey and Mi's Baring, Lord Camp bell and Baroness Stratheden, Sir Charles and Lady Mary Wood, Sir Francis and Lady Arabella Baring, Sir John and Miss Hobhouse, Right Hon. Henry and Mrs. Labouchere, Earl Granville, Lord and Lady Seymour, Lord Edward Ho ward, M.P., Lord and Lady Marcus Hill, Lord Harry Vane, M.P., Lord Charles Rus:=ell, Lord George Lennox, Earl and Countess Fortescue, Earl of Chicester, Earl and Countess of Yarborough, and Lord Worsley, Earl and Countess Cowper, Earl and Countess of Lovelace, Earl and Countess of Shel burne; the Speaker of the House of Commons, Mrs. Shaw Lefevre Miss Shaw Lefevre, and Miss Helen Shaw Lefevre; Lord and Lady Alfred Paget, Lord and Lady John Hav, Lord C. Paget, M.P., Lord Hastings, Lord and Lady Mil ford, Lord Howden, Lord Eddisbury, Viscount Ebrington, M.P., Right Hon. Fox Maule , M. P., and Hon. Mrs. Maule, Right Hon. Sir William Somerville, Bart., M.P., the Lord Chief Justice Wilde, the Lord Chief Baron Pollock and Lady Pollock, Right Hon. Sir Henry and Lady Bulwer, Right Hon W. G. Harter, M.P., and Mrs. Hayter, Right Hon. W. S. Lascelles, M.P., and Lady Caroline Lascelles, Right Hon. Edward Ellice, M.P., Right Hon. T. M. Gibson, M.P., and Mrs. Gibson, Right Hon. the Lord Mayor of Dublin, M.P., the Hon. Charles Gore, W. Cowper, M.P., and Mrs. Cowper, Colonel Keppel, M.P., Miss Isabella Lister, J. E. Elliot, M.P. and Mrs. Elliott, E. Lloyd Mostyn, M.P., G. E. Anson and Hon. Mrs. Anson, Sir John Jervis, M.P., and Lady Jervis, Sir J. Romilly, M.P., and Lady Romilly, the Lord Advocate of Scotland, the Solicitor-General of Scotland, Baron and Baroness Rothschild, Admiral Dundas, M.P., and Lady Emily Dundas, Mr. M. T. Baines, M.P., Mr. G. C. Lewis, M.P., and Lady Theresa Lewis, Captain M F. Berkeley, M.P., and Lady Charlotte Berkeley, Mr. H. Tuffuell, M.P., and Lady A. Tufnell, Lady Mac naghten, Sir Charles Trevelyan, Sir W. Burnet, K.C.H., and Lady Burnet, Mr. John Parker, M.P., Mr. H. Rich, M.P., Mr. W. Gibson Craig, M.P., Mr. R. M. Bellew, M.P., Captain Sir Thomas Hastings, R.N., Mr. Matheson, M.P., and Mrs. Matheson, Mr. James Wilson, ALP., Rear-Admiral Sir A. Clifford, Bart., Rear-Admiral Sir C. Napier, Major- General Wemyss, Mr. John Abel Smith, M.P., Mrs. Smith, and Mrs. Vivian, Mr. F. C. H. Russell, M.P., and Lady Elizabeth Russell. Mr. H. G. Ward, M.P., Mr. J. Walter, M.P., and Mrs. Walter, Mr. J. Hume, M.P., and Mrs. Hume, Mr. R. B. Sheridan, M.P., and Mrs. Sheridan, Captain Alexander Milne, R.N. (Admiralty), Mr.R. W. Grey, M.P., Mr. E. H. Bunbury, M.P., Mr. J. Loch, M.P., Mr. A. Hastie, M.P., Mr. C. P. Grenfell, M.P., Baron de Schappingk, the Rus sian Chargé d'Affaires at the Court of Lisbon; the Chevalier de Barboza, Portuguese Minister at the Court of Berlin; Mr. H. J. Prescott, Governor of the Bank of England; Mr. Thomas Hankey. jun., Deputy Governor, and Mrs. Han key; Mrs. S. R. Cattley, Mr. George Nicholl, C.B. ; Mr. J. J. Travers, Mr. W. P. Richards, the Provost of Montrose, Mr. James Burness, Mr. Douglas Cook, Mr. Michele, Mr. J. T. Delane, Mr. Beard, Mr. — Crowe. Aldermen and their Ladies—Sir Claudius Hunter, Bait, W. Thompson, M.P., Sir Peter Laurie, C. Farebrother, W. T. Copeland, M.P., S. Wilson, John Humphery, M.P., Sir W. Maguey, Bart., Mr. Gibbs, Sir George Carroll, J. K. Hooper. I'. Farncomb, J. Musgrove, W. Hunter, T. Challis, T. Sidney, M.P., F. G. Moon, D. Salomans, R. W. Carden, Mr. Sheriff Finnis and Mrs. Finnis, Mr. Sheriff Goodhart and Mrs. Goodhart; Hr. C. Pearson, M.P., and Mrs. Pearson ; Mr. Under-Sheriff Shearman, and Mr. Under-Sheriff Tamplin. After the cloth was removed, The LORD MAYOR rose and said—My Lords and Gentle men, surrounded as I have the honour to be on this occasion by the Ministers of the Crown, and by so many distinguished men connected with our Gracious Sovereign, and being ho noured also with the presence of a Noble Lady who holds a high place near the person of her gracious Majesty, it is a source of much satisfaction to me to propose "The health of her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria."—(CheerA.) The citizens of LOndon have always been distinguished for their loyalty to the Sovereign, and while we are sensible of the many blessings we enjoy under her constitutional reign, we venture to hope that it will be gratifying to our gracious Sovereign to see that, amidst the many changes which have taken place elsewhere, the loyalty and affection of the peo ple of this country have remained unshaken, and that they are glad of every opportunity to demonstrate their at tachment to the Crown and the constitution of the land. The people of this country also see that her gracious Ma • testy, in her high station, feels anxious to set an example of every domestic virtue which can adorn her exalted position. —(Cheers.) lam sure, my Lords and Gentlemen, that you will all join in the ardent wish that her most gracious Ma jesty the Queen may long reign in the affections of a happy, and loyal, and a prosperous people. I give you "The health of her most gracious Majesty the Queen," with three times three. The toast was drunk with loud cheers. _ _ The LORD MAYOR then proposed " The health of her ➢lajesty the Queen Dowager." The LORD MAYOR then proposed " The health of his Royal Highness Prince Albert, Albert Prince of Wales, and the other branches of the Royal Family." He wished he had the eloquence of his Noble Friend the Noble Earl at the head of the Woods and Forests, to describe to them the en thusiasm with which his Royal Highness was received this day week, on a great public occasion, in a distant part of the country, and he trusted his Royal Highness would continue to take an interest in every great public undertaking in this country.—(Cheers.) He concluded by proposing the toast. The LORD l'ilnyon had great satisfaction in proposing " The Army and Navy of England." In no part of her Majesty's dominions were the services of the army and navy more highly appreciated than in the city of London, and though in these times of pressure they were anxious to see affairs conducted with economy, yet he was sure the citizens of London would be the last to see the efficiency of the services crippled by any niggardly retrenchmt nts. He was gratified to see the appointment of the Right Honourable Gentleman Sir F. Baring to the head of the Admiralty, satisfied as he was that that Right Honourable Gentleman would ad minister its affairs with economy, and yet with efficiency. He was glad to see so many officers of the navy present, and he begged now to drink the healths of the army and navy, coupled with the names of General Wemyss and Sir F. Baring.—(Applause.) General WRMYSS said it was an unexpected honour on his part that he should be called upon to return thanks for the British army. It must be gratifying to every British soldier to feel that the late efforts of the British army claimed, not only from his Lordship but from the country at large, the gratitude which was lately bestowed upon it by both Houses of Parliament.—(Hear, hear.) He felt from the bottom of his heart the greatest satisfaction in knowing that that gal lant and unflinching officer (Lord Gough) had added by his conduct fresh laurels to the British army, and had obtained the favour of his Sovereign and the gratitude of his country, not only for himself, but for the officers and soldiers that were under h's command. Would they permit him now to digress for a little from the duties of a soldier, to claim for himself the privileges of a citizen, that he might congratulate the Lord Mayor on the peaceful and social condition of this great mercantile city, and to assure him that the British army fervently wished that the Crown of England, which her Majesty wore, the sceptre which she wielded, might never require to be defended with bayonets or with cannon, but that her Majesty might long reign in the hearts of a loyal and affectionate and a prosperous people I He again thanked them for the high honour conferred upon the British army, and wished that his Lordship and the other members of the Corporation might long enjoy the greatest prosperity.— (Cheers.) Sir F. BARING returned thanks on the part of the navy for compliments which had been paid to that branch of the service, not only now, but on all other occasions by the city of London. He could not forget that in addressing the Lord Mayor he was speaking to one whose early recollections were connected with the naval service, and from him, there fore, he would always expect a kindly feeling towards the navy. But he could not either forget that the city of Lon don had always been among the foremost to honour the ser vices of the navy, that on all occasions it had hastened to pay its tribute of admiration to those who distinguished themselves in the service, and that it included in the roll of its citizens some of the gretest heroes in the naval history of our country.—(Cheers.) He again thanked them on behalf of the naval service for the compliment which had been paid to them. MAyoa then said he was particularly anxious, on the part of the city of London, to give a cordial welcome to the distinguished foreign Ministers who bad honoured them with their company on this occasion. He regretted that indispo ition had deprived them of the presence of the Prussian Minister, and of one or two others. But he had the gratification of seeing here the Russian Minister on his way to Lisbon, and the Portuguese Minister on his way to Berlin, and he could assure those distinguished men that the city of London was always gratified when they were pleased to honour the Chief Magistrate with their company in this hall. He was anxious. on the present occasion, to give a cordial welcome to the distinguished representatives of foreign powers who had recently come into this country—he meant his Excellency the French Ambassador and his Excellency the Turkish Minister.— (Cheers.) He was gratified to see the way in which the names of these ambassadors were received in the hall, and he could assure his Excellency the French Ambassador that he hailed his presence in this company with the kindest and most auspicious feelings.—(Cheers.) They had reason to believe that his Excellency the French Am bassador, having had frequent intercourse with British offi cers, had become attached to the institutions of this country, and he would venture to hope that his coming here in his character as Ambassador was a proof of the kindly feeling which existed between France and this country.—(Cheers.) They felt grateful for the friendly intercourse which existed between the two countries; and though it would be improper in him at any time—and more especially at the present time —to refer to the disturbances that existed elsewhere, he trusted he might be permitted to say that the general feel ing of this country was in favour of the cordial unity now existing between the two nations of France and Engrand— (Cheers)—not with a view that they should em ploy their unit(d power to interfere in the affairs of other nations, but that by a temperate and discreet use of their influence they might prevent the calamities of war, and promote the happiness of mankind, and thus pro mote the peace of the world. He trusted his Excellency would find that whatever changes might take place in other parts of Europe with reference to their governments, that countries, Whatever changes h ere th ofe peoplegove government rn w in this country those changes wou ld on l y tend to un i te all classes more closely in the bonds of affection and l o y a l ty to our mig I t o s b t e desired gracious iQueen. other eeirl•te satisfied with the constitution, and - yielded a cheerful obedi ence to the law. NV hatever disaffection there might be in other states, here the people wero pursuing their peaceful avocations, and breathing anxious wishes for the peace of the world. He trusted that under the able and experienced guidance of the Noble Lord who conducted the foreign affairs of this country—and conducted them successfully too, though in times of unparalleled difficulty—tranquillity would soon r eturn, and that he and his colleagues would be able to peace of the world.— (Cheers.) With these preserve the bered to propose " The health of his Ex. observations he he'Ambassador, and the other members of cellency the French who had honoured them b th ' y eir pre the diplomatic corps sauce."—(Loud cheers.) HMBASSADOu, spoke to the following effect The FuElic Ladies, and Gentlemen,—Permettez moi de —My Lords, ds membres du corps diplomatique ici remercies, au nom , , or de la sante qu'il a bien voulu porter . presents, le Lord Lea)corps diplomatique se rejouit.de YOU la en lour honneur. prosperity toujours croissante de ce pays, le respect des lois en honneur et l'attachement du people Anglais pour sa noble Souveraine, qui font la force et la gloire de l'Angleterre. Je remercie particulierement mon Lord Mayor de ce qu'll a bien voulu dire cl'obligeaut pour l'Ambassadeur de France person nellement. Je ne laisserai p a s echapper cette heureuse cir - Constance qui me f .it t rou ver au milieu de cette assemblee ou figurent les hommes les plus t listinguds de l'Angieterre, sans &softer toute ma gratitude pour l'accueil bienveillant que j'ai trouvd I mon arrive dans ce pays, et des nombrettses sympa thies qui sent venu au d evan t de l'Ambassade Franeais. The Loan MAYOR then proposed " The healths of the two distinguished di gn it ar i es of the Church—the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York. whose exertions on behalf of the charities of the City had often been dis played. He rejoiced that he was honoured to-day, he be lieved for the first time in the City, with the presence both of the Archbishop of C a nterbury and of the Archbishop of York; and he begged now to propose " The Clergy of the Chureh of England, coupled with the names of these dis tinguished prelates."—(Cheers.) The ARCIIIIISEIOP sal My Lord Mayor and Gentlemen, in the name of the clergy, I beg to thank you for the honour which you have done them, and in my own name I beg to thank you for the way in which you have spoken of me, and of those services which it was not less my inclination than my bounden duty to perform. Allow me to say , m y Lord Mayor, th a t i n inviting to your hospitable board the dignitaries of the Church with the di g nitaries of the State, you have acted upon the broad principles of the ancient constitution of the country, which united the dignitaries of the Church and the State together in harmonious co-opera tion. The connexion I believe to be a most important one for the prosperity of this country, that they should act toge ther not in the spirit of rivalry or competition, but that each should strive which can best promote, in their respective spheres, the prosperity of the country— (Cheers.) The LORD MAYOR then said—His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury had just told them that it had long been the custom for the Government of this country to honour the chief magistrate with their presence in this hall, and he felt particularly gratified to see on the present occasion so many of her Majesty's Cabinet. He regretted that severe family affliction had kept a wa y one o f th e members of the Cabinet, e an L d. rd o H at e otherwise he should h ave b een i n the happy and proud position of b e i ng h onoure d to enterta i n the entire Cabinet of N En o g bl l merely as the P r i me Mi n i ster o f E n gland, but as one of the representatives of th e c i ty of London—(Renewed c heers) thew a was e a a n d x anxious s t hteo Government—(Cheers) —not a o j s : e a r o mark m e n t o_f ( r c e respect t n t l o te --and although th e feelings of attachment which he bore to his Lordship and the Government were well known, yet it was his anxious wish, on the present occasion, to state nothing which the citizens of London could not concur in. He was aware that everything like party politics or party feeling were wisely and properly excluded from such entertainments as the present; but looking to the difficulties which beset the path of the present Government, he trusted he might be pardoned for looking back to the claims they had on public support and approbation. It would not be forgotten that at the very moment when the present Govern ment came into office they had to contend against the mis fortune of a famine in Ireland, followed by considerable disaffection in that country. In the following year the commercial interests of the country, and especially of this great metropolis, were nearly prostrate, and during the past year mighty convulsions had shaken almost every state in Europe, except this happy hied. The Noble Lord and her Majesty's Government had succeeded in steering the vessel of the State safely and honourably through these peculiar dangers, and the citizens of London would be wanting in those acknowledgments which were due to the Government of this country if they did not thank them for the past, and put confidence in them for the future.—(Cheers.) He was unwilling to enter more particu larly into their claims, because he feared that his feelings of partiality would lead him to say more on this occasion than it might be proper for him to do, considering the position which he had the honour to hold; but his feeble language was inadequate to describe the gratifying spectacle which the Noble Lord and his Government witnessed on this occa sion, surrounded as they were by the dignitaries of the Church and of Parliament, by the highest rank in the coun try, and by the beauty of the land, who had come here not to do honour to the Lord Mayor of London, but to evince their admiration and to show their appreciation of the claims which the Government had upon the support of the country. He trusted that the Noble Lord would long be spared in health to devote his energies to the ser vices of his Sovereign and the country; but if circumstances should arise to induce the Noble Lord to retire into pri vate life, the citizens of London would recollect with pride and satisfaction that they had the honour to have for their representative in the Commons House of Parliament one of the greatest statesmen of the present day; and the country would not forget, but would remember with grati tude, the many great and glorious measures with which the name of Lord John Russell would be for ever associated. He begged to propose " The health of Lord John Russell and her Majesty's Ministers."—(Loud cheers.) Lord J. RUSSELL—I rise, in the name of my colleagues as well as of my own, to return our most grateful thanks for the honour jests have done us in drinking our healths on this occasion. In so doing I recollect that I have not only the honour to be a Minister of the Crown, but that I am likewise in your service, as I have the honour to represent you in the Commons House of Parliament. But you have referred, in a manlier for which I was totally unprepared, and for which I cannot sufficiently thank you, to the mode in which the duties of a Minister of the Crown have been discharged during times which no one will deny to have been times of Considerable difficulty. Whatever may have been the suc cess of our endeavours with respect to some of those diffi culties, and whatever hereafter may be our success with respect to otheys which are not yet overcome , I feel that i t is not to us, but that , next to the Providence of Almi g ht y God, it is to the institutions of this country, and to the temper or spirit of the people of this country , that you owe the success which has hitherto attended our efforts. Your Lordship has referred to the difficulties of the past year and to the convulsions which then took place. It is true that great responsibility was imposed upon us, though it is also true that vast means were placed at our disposal. But those who observed the events of the past year must have seen that mere authority was broken, and that arms placed in the hands of even the bravest men fell powerless, at least for a time, before the popular will. It would have been madness, therefore, in us to have rested our reli• ance solely on these supports ; but we did rest our reliance on the arm of the constitution—on that union and co-operation among the different classes of the country, which have hitherto formed, and hich, I trust, will continue to form her strength. We knew that if we have a monarchy, we enjoy the blessings which a monarchy dispenses —we knew that if we have an Established Church, the name of the Established Church is connected with the dispensation of those religious and spi ritua l comforts w hi c h i t administers—we knew t h at if we have the law on our s i de, we have the sense of the peop l e o f d h t hautep feeling nt l a gm w efn. h is t fairly Under ai c r o l j u ' n a tr n rhy d e sw e e q ac u si a : l c l equally that msatanny administered ceeig :a,ano pod knowing would be a change for the worse and not for the better, it was upon this feeling that me placed our reliance, and not upon any authority which we could exert, however necessary it might be to exert authority to meet particular exigencies. In the course of that period we had to consider also the dangers that might meet us from abroad; but we had the satisfaction of finding that the nations of Europe generally remained in close alliance with this country, and that we received assist ance from most of them in keeping the peace of Europe; and more esp ec i a ll y did we receive that assistance f rom an alliance with th a t country which we most coun t e d u p on . The alliance b e t ween France and this country has, i n our opinion, been m os t i nstrumental in preserving peace ; and I believe that th e excellent unde rstanding which prevails be tween the two G overnments is only a symptom an d a con firmation of the friendship that exists between the two nations.—(Loud cheers.) In addressing you on this occa sion, I may take the liberty to say, that we thought our selves bound, al so , not only to keep in mind the excellence of the institutions which we have preserved, but also the fact that these institutions could not be preserved if we at tempted to guard them with superstitious veneration, and did not adapt them, in time, to the changes that are continu ally going on in this country. The fairest and most beautiful of temples, if it be neglected, will be subject to decay, and requires continual care and supervision. Let us endeavour, in any alterations which we may find it necessary to make—let it be our care to make those alterations in the same spirit in which those institutions were originally founded—in the spirit in which the great and wise men who founded them would have altered them, if they had bad the circumstances of our day before them. Let us not endeavour by any new at tempt of our own to make some fanciful and unreal construc tion, which appears to us to be better that the British con stitution, as a substitute for those institutions which now exist.—(Cheers.) But let us niit,on the other hand, imagine that by preserving that which is defective we shall be the more able to maintain the best of them.—(Cheers.) I can not sit down without adverting to the auspicious mrcum A stances under whi c h we h ave a ssembled together.rdo the hostilities in India, w hi c h were calculated throw a to short time ago circ ums t ances occurred with regar d doubts on men's mi n ds as to theprobable termi nationbut I relied, as I felt we might rely, on the spirit and bravery of of hostilities in that country ; our army in India, and we have now seen all those appre hensions dispelled avid victory adorn our arms. — (Cheers.) My belief that similar difficulties will be overcome by similar means—that the same spirit which animated our sol diers in India will animate, in their different spheres, all the various classes of this country, in whatever pursuit they may be engaged—the same firmness, the same indomitable cou• rage, the same resolution to do their duty in the face of all difficulties. With this belief and conviction, I cannot claim for myself and my colleagues any undue credit for any good success which may have attended our efforts; but I do ex press my firmest reliance on the fate and the fortunes of this mighty empire.—(Hear, hear.) The Loan MAYOR then proposed " The Duke of Norfolk and the House of Peers," for which the Duke of Norfolk re turned thanks._ Lord JoHN RUSSELL proposed " The health of the Lord Mayor," for which his Lordship shortly returned thanks. The LORD MAYOR then said they were honoured with the presence of three dignitaries of the law—the Lord Chancellor, Chief Justice Wilde, and Chief Baron Pollock. He begged to propose " The Lord Chancellor and the Judges of Eng land," observing that the citizens of London, from their ex perience of the manner in which justice was administered at the Central Criminal Cuirt, were fully satisfied that the bench was never more adorned with learning and integrity than in the present day.—(Cheers.) The LORD CHANCELLOR—I beg leave to return my best thanks for the honour done me and my honourable friends the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and the Chief Baron of the Exchequer; and I beg to thank the Lord Mayor for the expressions he has used, and the commendations he has bestowed on the manner in which he has seen the law ad ministered. That applies indeed to my Learned Friends, rather than to me, as they administer justice within the pre cincts of the city of London. But lam sure they feel, as I do, that the exertions of public men, and the anxiety they feel to discharge their duty, are much supported and encouraged by the approbation of their fellow-citizens. The value at which we prize approbation depends a good deal upon the quarter from whence it comes, and therefore the knowledge and experience of the Lord Mayor give his commendation double value.—(Cheers.) When I wascalled upon early in No vember to announce to the then Lord Mayor elect the appro bation of her Majesty as to the choice of the citizens of Lon don, I ventured to fbretell that the citizens of London would feel happy in the choice they had made. lam now gratified to find that that anticipation has been amply realised, and that my prophecy has been fulfilled, for the high duties of the chief magistrate, grave and important as they are, could not have fallen into abler hands or been executed with more care and zeal than by your Lordship.—(Cheers.) The Lonn MAYOR said he wished he could find language to express the respect which he felt for the Right Hon. Gentleman whose health he was'about to propose. He had now been for twelve years an humble and a silent Member of the llJuse of the Commons, but he could not fail to mark the high respect and esteem in which the Right Honourable Gentleman was held who presided over the deliberations of that House.—(Loud cheers.) He knew when he rose to propcse Mr. Speaker's health to this company, containing so may distinguished men who had daily opportunities of witnessing his great talents and expe rience, as well as his kindness and courtesy, that it was un necessary for him to make any apology for his inability to do justice to the toast. He could assure the Right Honourable Gentleman that he had long and highly esteemed him for his public charadter, as well as for his kind courtesy to dif fident Members like himself, and to young Members, who were deficient in experience. When the Right Honourable Gentleman retired from his high office, he would, in the words of the Prime Minister when ho was last elected to his present rosition—he would leave behind him the recollection of being the ablest, the most courteeur, and the most diligent Speaker the House of Commons ever had.—(Cheers.) The Right Hon. the SPEAKER said—l feel greatly, in debted to your Lordship for the kind manner in which you have introduced my name to the notice of this assembly, and for the too partial notice which yeu have taken of my , services in the chair of the House of Commons. The expe rience of ten years in that position has satisfied me that un less I had met with the support of all parties in the House, my efforts to discharge my duties would have been alto gether unavailing. But I have received from all parties the most generous and cordial support—a support for which I ow aRD was anxious the unworthy l siNAoybol R saido f e desire to take this oppo r t u nity o f ex p ress in g my sincere and heart-felt gratitude, and to exp r ess the hope . that I mar not prose lead the er honour s to see present many n The t m e l t Viscount Members choteaur take et of wt hhitosh hade opportunity House lo long g b of ee Commons; nofa phaiyeing p..ni and her of the House, and w h o h a d l ong b een a t the head of Foreign affairs in this country. The Noble Viscount was well known a s o ne o f_th e mos t e l oquen t Members of the House of Commons ; an d th ose gen tl emen who had the advantage of hearing him' on th e fi rs t or second night of the present s e ssi on wou ld remem b er w ith great satisfaction the triumph a nt mann er i n w hi c h r r sa o iley e cilt my self e di stinguishedto L the Noble Lord vindicated the administration of the Foreign affairs of this country. He could assure the Noble Viscount, whatever party 'feeling might allege ' that the people of this country reposed with the utmost confidence on his judgment, experience, and temper, for preserving friendly relations with this country and all the states of Chfistendom. They were anxiously desirous to cultivate friendly relations with all the continental states ; but they were confident that in doing so the Noble Viscount would not forfeit the honour and the dignity of this great empire. He was happy to have this opportunity of expressing the confidence which the citizens of London bad in the Noble Viscount, and he begged to propose his health in connexion with the House of Com mons.— (Cheers.) Lord PALMERSTON—I beg, in my own name and on behalf of that great and distinguished assembly with which you have done me the high honour to couple my name, to return you my best thanks for the honour you have done us in drinking our healths. I feel that lam unworthy of the honour which has been done me in calling upon me to return thanks to you and this distinguished company in the name of the House of Commons. It is indeed natural, my Lord, that in this hall the House of Commons should receive the honour which you have proposed to this company to confer upon it; for the House of Commons and the city of London have been to gether the great defence and the mainstay of the liberties of this country—(Cheers)—and the House of Commons can never forget that in the darkest period of the political history of this country, the liberties of England found their safest refuge and protection within the precincts of this great metropolis. The city of London, in the worst periods of our history, has ever stood forth as the fore most and stoutest defender of the constitutional freedom of England.— (Loud cheers.) You have been pleased , my Lord, to refer to the arduous duties which, in my official capacity, it has fallen to my lot to perform. I can assure your Lordship that you have truly understood the manner in which I consider those duties ought to be performed. I believe that it is the wish and the desire of the people of England that those who have the charge of conducting her foreign relations should, on the one hand, maintain the honour and assert the dignity and the rights of this country; and that we should, on the ether hand, exert our best en deavours, not only to continue to this country the blessings of peace, but, as far as the influence and moral exertions of this country can extend, that we should endeavour to secure the same blessings to the rest of the civilized world.—(Great cheering.) It has been our endeavour during a very diffi cult period—which, I was going to say, had now passed, but which, I fear, still unfortunately exists— to act up to these principles; and in the endeavours we have made we have, as you justly observed, had the happiness to main tain a good understanding, through a frank and cordial ex planation of our opinions, with our great neighbour on the Continent—a country which is so worthily represented by the gallant Admiral who sits at . your right hand; and I am happy to have this opportunity to state that whatever changes may have taken place in France during the last year, the public men who had administered the Government of France have met us invariably by a system of friendly cordiality, in frankness and good faith ; and by the aid of their support we have achieved, in some degree, our desire, either by averting hostilities for a time, or by mitigating their virulence when they burst out. I beg again, my Lord, to thank yon for the honour paid me on this occasion.— (Cheers.) The other toasts were " The Lord Mayor of Dublin," "Sir W. Somerville and the Government of Ireland," " The At torney-General and the Bar," " The Lord Advocate.of Scot land, ' " Baron Rothschild and the Members for the City," " The Aldermen," " The Sheriffs," '•The Governor of the Bank of England, and prosperity to the trade and commerce of the city of London." Mr. Harker efficiently discharged the duties of toast-mas ter on this occasion. The dinner and wines were furnished by Messrs. Ring and Brymer, and comprised the following delicacies : Turtle, and iced punch, turbot, salmon, fried fish, cod's head, turbons de filets de soles, carpe en matelot, anguille a la broche, anguille ala tomata, perches ala van fiches, mackerel en matelot. _ _ _ _ SIDE BOARD.—Petit pates ; Turkey poults, larded ; chickens, capons; hams and tongues, ornamented ; ribs of lamb, raised ornamented pies, lobster salads, prawns, Chan tilly baskets, ornamented trifles; pine, strawberry, noyeau, Rhenish, and Italian creams; nougat with cream; Dantzic, noyeau, and Maraschino jellies ; Charlotte a la Russe, gateau de pomme, gateau a la duchesse, apple tarts, Fan chonettes, boudin St. Clair; raspberry, apricot, and green gage tourtes ; trifles, cabinet puddings, Nesselrode puddings, creamed tarts. REMOVES.— Quarters of lamb, haunches of venison, chines of mutton, sirloins of beef, pea-fowls, ducklings, goslings, turkey poults, guinea fowls, leverets. DESSERT.—Pines, grapes, apples, oranges, dried fruits, brandy and cherries, savoy cakes, mixed cakes, almond cakes, wafers, preserved ginger. IcEs.—Pine, millefruit, raspberry, lemon, ginger, cherry,ke. THE CITY COMMISSIONERS OF SEWERS. Yesterday a meeting of the Commissioners of Sewers took place at Guildhall . ; Mr. Deputy Peacock in the chair. Upon the motion of Mr. Deputy L ABB, who com plained that the carriage• way of Leadenhall-street, although lately repaired, was in a very bad condition, the water occasionally breaking into it, a view was ordered to be taken of the locality, in order to ascer tain whether some permanent measure for improving it cannot be adopted. Upon the motion of Mr. BLAICB, a list was ordered to be kept, for the information of the members of the commission, of the names of those inhabitants who complied with the directions of the Court as to the drainage, a species of knowledge not yet attained in consequence of the absence of system. CESSPOOL NUISANCES. Two persons, landlord and tenant of a house in Fan-street, Bishopsgate, were charged -by a police man with having caused a cesspool to be empited into the common sewer, contrary to the Act. The excuse made by the defendants did not at all touch upon the main question, but merely called the attention of the Court to the fact, that the drain had been made by the proprietor of the premises ten years ag o , and that the rate had been raised upon h im notwithstanding. The policeman said it was quite impossible to describe the offensiveness of the stench occasioned all round thei neighbourhood by the act of which he complained. Mr. BLAKE said, upon the retirement of the parties from the Court, that if the members failed to take notice of the matter complained of there would be no advantage derivable from the Act which had been passed for the City, and other inhabitants would moved offencest h o a f t tthhee kind defendantsind were punishable summoned b y t H h m a e t agistrate by the policeman, as the Act follow their example, for the purpose of evading the directedexpense. such The CHAlRMANauthority. said that Mr. Haywood, the sur veyor to the Commission, had prepared a:report upon the very subject which they were discussing, and he thought it could not be introduced at a more proper time. The Surveyor then put in the following report, which was read by the Chief Clerk : " To the Honourable the Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London, and the Liberties thereof. "Sewers Office, Guildball, April 24. " Gentlemen,—l beg to bring under the notice and consideration of your Honourable Court — a 'nuisance of a very serious description, the perpetration of which has lately become a very frequent occurrence. I allude to the practice of turning the contents of cesspools into the sewers in an undiluted and undeodorised condition. " Recently , this has occurred very continually, and in all cases has been with ill effects. It not unfrequently happens that the whole contents of a cesspool, which has been a dozen or more years accumulating, is all at once turned into a sewer, and the whole neighbourhood is for days poisoned by the stench which, despite the traps of the gullies, finds its way into the streets and houses, and which is only abated by men being sent in to re move, and flush it away ; the effluvia is frequently so bad from it, that men are with difficulty found to enter the sewers for that purpose. It has also frequently oc curred, that sewers which had previously been per fectly clean, are for a, length of twenty or thirty feet half filled with the soil thus turned into them, which, in its undiluted state, is with difficulty removed, and the expense of removal is generally double or treble what it would have cost the offenders to have emptied the cess pool by means of the engine-pump which you have pro vided for the use of the citizens for such purpose. About this the offenders care very little, as once in the sewer, they know it will be removed, and the expense has hitherto been defrayed by this Commission. " If cesspools are emptied into the sewers by means of the cesspool pump, no ill effects are experienced; for, in the first place, the contents are deodorized; and, in the second place, are in that state of fluidity which will enable it to mix with and be curried away by the ordi nary flow of the sewer. I beg to suggest to your Honourable Court, as the only means of preventing this offence, that you should make it imperative, and should give notice to all persons making applications for draips, to empty their cesspools before constructing any p of the drainage, and that t he islet to the sewer shoul d ortl not be construct , d before the cesspool is properly l_ and known to be so by your officer; and that in the event of the offence still in any case being perpetrated, the parties offending should be punished unde r the clauses in the City Sewers Act for that purpose made and provided.—l have the honour to be, g( ntletnen, your most obedient servant, Wm. LIAYWOOD, Surveyor." Mr. HAYWOOD informed the Court that there were five case which came under the class of offences alluded to in his report within the last week, The motion of Mr. BLAKE was agreed to unani raously, and the surveyor's report was ord ere d to b e e ntered in the journals. THE CITY GAS QUESTION, The following communication, addressed by the Secretary of the Great Central Gas Company to the Chairman of the Court of Sewers, was then read: " Great Central Gas Company, 48, Muorgatc- street, April 24. " Sir,—The attention of this company has been called to a letter signed P. J. Barham,' addressed to the Cum• missioners of Sewers, in which the City Gas Company excuse themselves from giving their promised answer respecting the reduction in the price of gas, on account, as they say, of the promoters of this Company's Bill having delayed its progress for six weeks.' lam de sired by the directors to lay before you the accompany ing statement, just issued by them, from the concluding paragraph of which you will perceive that the delay which has taken place has been occa siontd by the old City Gas Company. In conse quence of an objection raised by their counsel, the com pany was compelled to ask for an adjournment, or to erect their works within the limits of the City—an alternative to which, as economists and citiz( 113, they could not under any circumstarces consent. I am likewise de sired by the dirt ctors to state they are unacquainted a itb the cbjections to the mcde by which their engineer, Mr. Croll, proposes to lay the mains, upon which Mr. Bar ham desires to afford the commissioners some informa tion, and they respectfully request leave for Mr. Croll to be present, if the purposed interview is to take place, in order that he may receive and give the fullest infor mation upon this eubjecr. By a clause to he introduced in the Bill, as prepared by the officers of the commis sioners, this company's main will be laid under the su perintendence and crontrol of the commissioners; and the directors are most anxious to acquire information in the mode of effecting these necessary operations in a man ner which shall provide for the public convenience in the most ample manner, and in conformity with the wishes of your officers.—l have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, " T. P. BARIIAM, Secretary pro tem. " To the Chairman of the Commissioners of Sewers." Mr. WILLiAms said he considered that it was quite right that ➢Tr. Croll should have the opportunity of being present at the meeting at which it was solicited that the directors of the existing gas companies might attend. Mr. Deputy HARRISON moved that the letter should be referred to a Committee for consideration, and report as to what step it would be advisable to take. He was of opinion that the two companies had not done what they ought to have done in the matter. He contended that it was the bounden duty of the companies to have sent an answer to the question of the Commissioners. Irrespective of any other com pany, the old companies ought to have decided as to what they intended to do. If the directors had done so, the Commissioners would.have known how to have acted ; but now they were placed, as the representa tives of the citizens, in a very peculiar position, and from the mode in which they had been treated, he did think that it was incumbent upon them at once to declare their adhesion to the new company, and to give it all the support in their power.—(Hear.) Mr. H. LOWMAN TAYLOR said it was quite no torious that the promoters of the new gas company could not get their Bill at least in the present session. They were not, in fact, at all supported by the public —(Cries of " Oh, oh")—and they found great diffi culty in getting customers for their shares. He did not suppose that they would ever get their Bill, and he believed the commissioners pretty well understood that such was the case. Mr. STEVENS said the Commissioners understood no such thing. He was convinced that the Bill had a chance of being passed in the present session. At any rate the delay would not go beyond the session. It had been asserted, too, by Mr. Taylor that the public did not support the Bill. That, too, he would most positively deny. The public did support the Bill, and he believed to the extent of taking all the shares.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. Deputy GODSON declared that the citizens were deeply indebted to the company for attempting to relieve them from a most extravagant demand. Mr. Deputy LOTT said he belonged to no compa nies, hut could see that the two old companies were justified in entertaining suspicions of the new one. He protested against complying with the request contained in the letter. Mr. STEVENS—The old companies have certainly good ground for suspicion, and for apprehension of danger to, from the new company, inasmuch as the latter would supply better gas at 4s. than the former supplied at 65. per thousand. . . The letter wits then referred to the General Pur poses Committee. Annexed to the letter was a document which was said to be of much importance, and which several of the members wished to have published. Mr. H. L. TAYLOR, however, strongly protested against the pub lication of what had not been read, and the Court adjourned without deciding upon the question. LITERATURE. CHINA and the CHINESE; their Religion, Cha racter, Customs, and Manufactures : the Evils arising from the Opium Trade S, fc. 6-c. By Henry Charles Sirr, MA., Barrister-at-Law. The history of so strange and peculiar a people as the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire must at all times excite interest, but now, when we have planted a young colony amongst this extraordinary race, and opened new sources of political and commercial inter course, an examination of their customs, character, and climate must prove unusually important as well as useful to the inhabitants of Great Britain. The author of the present work has supplied matter to amuse or interest every class of reader; every object of the smallest interest has been most minutely described. The antiquarian, the entomologist, the poet and the painter, the lover of birds and flowers,—all will find much to interest them in these com prehensive and beautiful volumes. In short, he has omitted nothing, from the pencilling of a lady's brow to the most occult wonders of magic. He appears as much at home in the atelier of the painter as in the war-junk of the mandarin. His descriptions are simple and graphic, displaying much practical knowledge and minute ob servation. His denunciations of the iniquitous opium trade are as just as they are humane and Christian like—this poisonous and debasing drug is, indeed, the curse of China. The slave trade was too odious, too horrible to be endured, that vile and unnatural traffic in human flesh has been abolished at the loud call of indignant humanity ; British traders can no longer with the whip and the chain coin human flesh into gold—this unnatural sacrifice can no longer be offered at the shrine of mammon. Yet the chain and the whip merely tortured the body, while this abominable poison destroys the soul, and reduces man below the level of the " beast that perisheth." Both policy and humanity call aloud for such stringent measures as will entirely put an end to this iniquitous traffic. The visit to the war-junk, and the mandarin's proposal to purchase the English lady, is exceedingly amusing; the warning to curious ladies may prove useful, some of them may perhaps agree with us that a crumpled dress and well-pinched skin is too high a price for an exploratory visit into the odorife rous regions of a Chinese lady's boudoir. The de scription of a Chinese feast will no doubt be accept able to many of our readers ; we shall, therefore, trrnscribe it, in the graphic words of the author : " Invitations and the mode of sending them vary ac cording to the rank of the guest, or the respect intended to be paid to him, by the comparative value of the material on which the invite is written, being either inscribed on paper, silk, gold, or siver tinsel, and by the length, is to be measured the respect intended to be paid and accorded to the guest. " This missive is borno by one or more servants, where great respect and ceremony is paid and observed, the domestics invariably expecting and receiving a douceur. This document sets forth all the posts and dignities of the individual invited, is compressed into narrow folds and enclosed in a silken cover and tied round with cord of the same material. The Chinese code of etiquette is most punctilious, and would outvie the usuages of the most ceremonious court of Europe. The moment a guest alights from his sedan chair, the host steps forth into the verandah to salute the ♦isitor; this is done by compli mentary speeches, bowing the head until the chin rests upon the chest, bending the body and knees, joining the hands. " In front of the person, and with them knocking the chest, when the master of the house intends to honour a guest most especially, he takes the visitor's hands be tween his own, gently tapping or striking them against his breast, this being the Chinese mode of shaking hands. Now follows a contest for precedence, neither party choosing to enter the dwelling before the other ; after various and divers bowing:, bendings, knockings, and genuflexions, this point is settled by host and guest entering the house together. After entering the same ceremony takes place as to where each s hall sit, and who shall be seated fi rst ; and this over strained courtesy is observed with each guest, therefo re e q uals are only i assembled in vited to t :le a s e is feasts. handed Ar round usoon in as s n a l l the cov e g r u e e d s t cup, u a p r s e , are which cbhe beautifully f ul ly placed choa chased ' d vr stands with filagree work. a T s h thin cups s were r q , u e o f p o a r c p e u l n exceeding ly e v r a f l e u c e o d l , i I or e ornamented like a boat, and transparent pandntoinrgnambeeinntgedonlyithpefirgcuepretisb,lethewhdeenlietahtee tissue p a a n p t e i t r acery and painting vessel is filled with liquid. After the tea had been im bibed, and a little talk indulged in, a tribe of servants, clad in long white grass-cloth robes, entered the room, drawing back the si lk en curtains of the door-way leading leading to the eating - room. The host th e n begging the guests to enter the room, where a humble repast had been prepared, which he hop ed they would deign to partake of. No w began another battle of cere mony, which was settled by t he host placing hi mse lf between two of hi s guests, ie others preceding. The b ta e b t l t e er st w t a a sl e aid for six, an d noth i ng could have been in or more elegantly arranged—chairs of equal size and form were plac ed round the table, a nd th e whole party acknowledg ed their equality by taking their seats at the same moment. The table was of a circular shape, stud on it waa spread a silken cover, the edges being bordered with an embroidery of gold and silver, porcelain jars, of exquisite form and brilliant colours, were filled with th e c h o i ces t fl owers of the orange, c i tron, lemon, camellia jap )n i ca , an d c hi na aster , th ese fl owers being so disposed in the jars as to form various patterns. Interspersed between th ese ornaments were representa tions of animals, the frame-work made of split bamboo, and covered with tube-roses, jessamine, and other small r ".• S. / • • flowers, so as completely to conceal frame. :Various descriptions o f d r i e d spices, preset ',el:fruit, and sweet mints were tastefully arrarg-ed in c red ivory and tor-I. toiiesliell baskets, whilst pine-apples, t nbelnws, glf2Vai, m:tridarin or a n ges , kiehees, and bananas , bowls and sauces about the table ‘44.1-tlg regard to effect. I:. would be impossible to describe the exquisite appearance of this dinner-table lorded with the most exquisite flowers and the most luscious fruits of China, the variety and arrangement of the colours producing a pleasingly novel effect upon a European. All the viands are cut into small square pieces, and served up in a rich gravy, the food being placed in bowls, instead of dishes; the sauces, sueh as oil, soy, vinegar, and capers were placed in small bowls, which stood upon silver trays, very finely embossed. Sam-shoo—a sort of spirituous liquor extracted from rice—both hot and cold, and the native wine of china—resembling in flavour weak and acid Madeira—were put into highly chased silver pots, of a slender, upright form, with handles and spouts, which were dispersed round the table at equal distances; before each person was placed a small em bossed silver cup, about two inches high, to drink the sam-shoo and wine from, and by the side of eac h o f those elegately minute tankards was an embroidered silken case, containing a knife and chop sticks; the latter were of ivory, but the handles of the knives were richly carved and composed either of Jaid-stone, ivory, sandal wood, or chased silver. The first course was serried on antique white porcelain ; a small bowl containing boiled rice and an empty bowl to eat his food from, being placed before each guest. This course consisted of salted and highly seasoned meats of various kinds, pounded shrimps and other fish moulded into the shapes of various animals, there w;.s a stow of sharks' fins and bkhe de met, and a kind of soup, which was made from the fresh water tortoise, very like turtle. It has been asserted that earth worms are to be found at the table of the luxurious. This we believe to bo incorrect, but we saw on this occasion what might easily be mistaken for them—the grubs which are to be found at the root of the sugar cane, and which are consi dered a delicious morsel by the Chinese epicure. The food is eaten from a bowl with the chopsticks, and after each dish a little warm shampoo is taken. The mode of taking wine is somewhat like our own, the host rises from his chair, challenges a guest, who rises also, the parties bow lowly and empty the cups, tapping with them on the thumb-nail, to show they have been com pletely emptied. The next course was served on coloured porcelain, and consisted of variously dressed poultry, cut into small pieces in the forms of birds and other animals; with this course appeared the celebrated birds'• nest soup, which is made from the gelatinous lining of the swallow's nest, and tastes like unflavoured calves'-feet jelly, until the various sauces are added, when it becomes exceed ingly piquant and palatable. The succeeding course was served on white porcelain, with a green dragon por trayed on the white ground. These beasts had but tour claws, those with five being only used by the Em peror. This course consisted chiefly of water fowl, among which was the mandarin duck, fattened to an enormous extent, salted, dried, and smoked. It is then cut into small pieces, stewed in a rich gravy, and esteemed a great delicacy by the Chinese. The rice bird was also on the table, which is one delicate delicious morsel of fat of a gamey flavour. The vegetables are dressed with a quantity of oil and toy, or stewed in gravy, and but few aro used by the wealthy. The water chestnut, the stem of the watcr-lily, the root of arrow wort, and the sweet potato or yam, are in vogue among the wealthy. Next followed a course of pastry and . . sweetmeats, all being placed in bowls; the contonts of these basins were formed into the shapes of animals, birds, beasts, fishes, and flowers coloured, to represent nature in a very correct wanner. The interiors of these nice creatures were filled to repletion with the sweet meats, and although the idea is not a nice or a delicate one, the internals cf these pastry animals were very pleasant and delicious. This course was succeeded by others, the numbers and variety of which would only weary in description; each following course was served as the preceding one, the contents of the bowls only being varied. In such a feast of ceremony the masti catory process continues for four or five hours. The greatest mark of attention on the part of the host is to press his guests continually to eat more; sometimes he will transfer morsels from his own bowl to that of hut guets, at other times he will with his chopstick at once deposit the tit-bit in the mouth of the favoured one. The Chinese mode of living and cooking is so luxurious and luscious, that the digestive organs of a European should be in good order to enjoy it with impunity. As soon as the lengthy repast is over, tea is handed round as before. The host then ushers his visitors to witness theatrical representations and pyrotechnic displays. The costumes of the actors were rich; each character advanced to the front of the stage, and informed the audience whom he represented and what he was about to perform. The Chinese are proficients in pyrotechnic art; and the fireworks which were exhibited at the end of this enter tainment were] chef d'oeuvre of skill, the four elements having been called into requisition to furnish animals, birds, fishes, and reptiles, both real and imaginary, from whose bodies issued streams of flame. Fire-dragons as cendrd into the air, and were metamorphosed into fire vomiting lions; a huge bird of some unknown species fluttered in the air in a sheet of flame; presently a huge serpent crawled from the beak of the bird, and was lost to view in many tinted flames; one large lantern ascended in a mass of fire, from which smaller lanterns issued, which, in their turn, sent iorth various and innumerable forms. On the back of an enor mous fish was seated a portly mend Irin, from whose aldermanic corporation burst forth the streams of fire, which appeared to cause intense delight and excite the greatest merriment amongst the spec tators. The last firework was by far the most beautiful and perfect, being completely artistic in its details. This represented a mandarin's house. with the whole of the adjacent buildings belonging to the residence, the roofs being ornamented with bells and figures. This burned for some abort time, and then changed into a mandarin seated in his sedan chair, with the usual train of atten dants, bearing flags, beating gongs, and carrying lan terns. The effect, of this mass of many-coloured flames, defining the outline of the various forms, Wilds descrip tion; and as the last spark died away we could have been tempted to follow Oliver Twist's example, and asked for more.'" Such is the author's very interesting and graphic account of a Chinese feast and its amusing accompa niments. The astounding and wonderful feats of Chinese jugglers remain still unexplained by the most acute speculators on the mystic art, and for our selves we confess we are unable to guess whether these wonders are the result of dexterity in legerde main, and that we labour under a deceptic visus, or that these strange beings are still really in possession of that occult science which was known to the magi of old, and enabled the Egyptian sorcerers to imitate the miracles of Aaron. We shall extract one or two feats performed in the author's own house : " The room in which the performance took place was denuded of matting and every article of furniture except chairs, which were arranged close to the walls for the spectators, leaving a clear and wide area for the per former. He was attired in the oid•nary dress of the middle ranks of the Chinese, a loose jacket and tro users , white calico stockings, an d black silk shoes. lie had no covering on his head, and was followed by his coulee or servant, bearing an unpainted teak-wood box, about three feet by two. The juggler advanced to the middle of the room and delivered a pompous oration in Chinese, to the effect that he never before exhibited the mysteries of his art to any save natives of China and mandarins of the first rank, &c.; that he was chief and head of all professors of his art, &c. He then commenced opera tions by placing the box at his side. He stripped off his jacket, leaving himself nude from the waist upwards, a ith the exception of a white cloth• which was twisted about his loins. He then twined his long tail of plaited hair around his head. He then took from the box an ordinary earthenware bowl or basin, about 18 inches in diameter. He then placed the box in the middle of the room, completely exposed to view. The basin was then examined by each person successively, the juggler all the time muttering an incantation in Chinese. All were sa• tisfied that the basin was an ordinary one, and empty. He then placed the basin on the floor, about five feet from the box, untwisted the cloth from about his loins, and throw it over the basin, continuing the incantation during the time. Ho spread it out smoothly. This magic cloth was about a yard and a half long, by one wide. Before three-quarters of a minute had elapsed he raised the cloth from the basin, when lot it was filled with limpid water, with a living, veritable fish, three or four inches long, swimming about in it. We satisfied ourselves that there was no deception, neither false bottom nor lining; and the performer never ap proached it from the time of placing it on the floor till the cloth was withdrawn. Be next took from the box a flower-pot filled with mould, about 12 inches in he igh t and 18 in diameter. He then handed round for our ared an ordinary in spection the flower-pot and what a seed. He then made a cavity in the with the earth. seed in it, and covering it over carefully here the bowl had pre- He then placed it on the floor .n ' " m e ould, placing the which lasted about teu la m o g u ' t two inches abovo the • He then withdrew the cloth, and we beheld a minutes. viously rested, covered it manner w ith the cloth, . I t was of a delicate bright green colour, with ya n ou d un r ff eco a m nd me t n e c n e d d er his pl m an u t t , te a r Nthe appearance of a plant that had just sprouted from its parent earth. He then replaced the flower-pot on the ground, and recommenced his incantation for about rising until i t h ad r i sen about a foot and twenty minutes; durin g t hi s period we observed the gradually t had become a sma ll s h ru b , clothed w i t h a half, when th e c l ot h was again withdrawn, and the clothtenderp verdure, and having its branches covered with buds and leaves. After due examination, the pot was again re placed, re-covered, the incantation renewed for about half an hour, when the cloth was once more removed, and, to our amazement, the shrub was now clothed with blossoms and flowers, in appearance resembling those of the China aster." We regret our space will not allow us to extract the more astonishing feats that followed, we must only refer our readers to the work itself; and a more readable, amusing, or instructive book it has not been our good fortune to meet with for a long time. His Royal Ilighness Prince' Albert has arranged to lay the first stone of the additional Pauper Lunatics Asylum for the county of Middlesex, at Colney Hatcb, on Tuesday, the Bth of May, at twelve o'clock. The ma gistrates and their friends will be admitte d by tickets, issued by the visiting justices — t he public,,ithout tickets. Colney Hatch is situated about nine miles north• east from London, near the village of Southgate. In conse quence of the building bein g only two s tor i es high, it will range nearly a qu arter of a mile in length. It is intended to accommodate 1,000 patients. PIiDESTRIANISM.—C. FERGUSON AND W. YAPP.--• This match, six miles, .for 20L, was bro ug ht t o a conclu sion yesterday , at Harlington Corner, Ferguson receiving one minute st a rt. This advantage he k e pt, f or on t urn • ing the last mile he was above 300 y ar d s i n a d van ce, and f i nally came in, an easy winner, in 54 minutes. .N "at , .. f, `