The Press.
London, England, 1855-05-12 00:00:00

plittcal anb 6tntral.

THE ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL OF THE BROMPTON
HOSPITAL FOR CONSUMPTION AND DISEASES OF THE
CHEST was celebrated on Wednesday evening at
Willis's-rooms. The Duke of Richmond, who was to
have presided, being indisposed, Lord Ravensworth
took the chair. The report which was read in the
course of the evening stated that—

It had been resolved to throw open the newly-constructed west
wing for the admission of 130 additional patients without further
delay. About 185 patients ou au average were now applying for
admission, but the committee were unable to take them in for
want of room. The present annual expenditure of the hospital
was about 4,6001.; but, when the number of patients was in-
creased to 830, the outlay would probably not exceed 8,0801.,
showing that in the former case the expense on the average
attaching to each bed was 511., whilst on the increased scale the
annual expense would be 351. The patients admitted during the
last year numbered 418 ; the number discharged, more or less
relieved, was 268 ; and the number of deaths had decreased to 46.
The number of new out-patients was 3,d41, and the number daily
prescribed for was, on an average, 101. The number of in-
patients who had received treatment since the opening of the
new building in the year 1636 was 3,295, sud the total number of
out-patients was 26,306.

Subscriptions and donations to the amount of 1,5001.
were announced before the company separated.

THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL'S LAST RETURN discovers
an increase in the deaths of the week that ended last
Saturday on those of the two previous weeks.
Having been in these weeks 1,087 and 1,132, they
rose last week to 1,185, of which 597 were deaths of
males, and 588 of females. In the ten corresponding
weeks of the years 1845-54 the average number of
deaths was 990, which, if raised for increase of popu-
lation for the purpose of comparison, becomes 1,089.
It appears, therefore, that nearly 100 deaths occurred
last week more than the ordinary rate of mortality
would have produced.
THE NEW METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET at
Copenhagen-fields will, it is now stated, be opened
before the close of the present month.
THE Enterprise, discovery-ship, Captain Collison,
arrived at Spithead on Sunday night, from the Arctic
regions, after an unavailing search for Sir John
Franklin. Four officers of the Enterprise, namely,
Commander Phare, Lieutenants Parks and Jago, and
Mr. Skeade, the master, are under arrest.
Da. BARTH, the explorer, was met by Dr. Vogel, on
the Ist of December last, at Bundi, about 110 geo-
graphical miles north-east from Kuka. Dr. Barth
afterwards went to Kuka, intending to return to
Europe by Murzook and Tripoli.
MME. SELVAGE, formerly a lady of honour of Queen
Hortense, has just diel at Rome, and left all her
property to Napoleon 111. M. Casablanca, the bro-
ther of the Minister, and agent for the imperial
estates in Italy, has received orders to proceed to
IcitMe, and take legal possession 9f the property,

SATURDAY,

FENTON, the celebrated photographer, and his
assistant have been actively employed in taking views
of the siege works, ttc., before Sebastopol. Such
have been his zeal and energy, in spite of winter
weather and occasionally of Russian missiles, that he
will bring home with him about eight hundred
views of the fortress and its vicinity. The plates are
of large size, and in some of tlrem every window of
the larger buildings in the town can be counted.
Among the most interesting will be a panoramic
sun-picture of the town and its fortifications, with
the distant hills, taken from the old Russian redoubt,
or, as it has been called since General Sir George
Cathcart was buried there, " Cathcart's Hill," in
front of the fourth division.

THE inauguration dinner of the Royal Academy
exhibition for 1855 attracted, on Saturday last, a
brilliant assemblage within the walls of the Royal
Academy. From two o'clock, at which hour the
doors were opened, until six, Ministers of State,
many munificent patrons of art among the nobility,
and others distinguished in politics, law, literature,
and science, continued to arrive, and to apply them-
selves with artistic interest to the inspection of the
paintings in the various rooms. At six o'clock about
180 gentlemen sat down to dinner in the east room,
the chair being taken by the President of the Royal
Academy, Sir C. L. Eastlake.
THE first of the flower-shows of the Royal Botanic
Society, which took place on Wednesday, in the
Regent's-park, was well attended, though not to the
extent that would probably have been the case had
the weather been more settled. As the afternoon
advanced it grew very cold, and indications of rain
drove many of the ladies into the tents. Earlier in
the day the promenade wore a very splendid aspect,
for the sun was then shining,the company numerous,
and the dresses gay. The show was confined to the
large-tented inclosure in the rear of the conservatory,
and, notwithstanding the adverse circumstances of
the season, the floral displays were scarcely inferior
to those of former years. The greenhouse azaleas
and rhododendrons were superbly beautiful; and so
also were the pelargoniums and the roses, of both of
which there was an ample supply. The heaths, as
usual, were abundant, and of several varieties. The
orchids and ferns, too, were in great profusion, be-
sides an excellent collection of calceolarias and
cinerarias. The present arrangement of the plants
is a great improvement upon former seasons. The
bright and variegated costumes of the visitors
mingling with the flowers in such a spacious area
produce a very fascinating ensemble, and we think
should be adopted at all similar shows, in lieu of the
long narrow tents which have hitherto been in use.
The military bands of the Ist and 2nd Life Guards
and the Royal Blues were in attendance. Her
Majesty and Prince Albert, accompanied by the
Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, the Prince of Saxe
Coburg, and the Princess Hohenloe Langenberg,
honoured the gardens with their presence in the
course of the day.
ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. The following
papers will be read at the evening meeting on Mon-
day next :--" Notes on the Passage of Hannibal across
the Alps and the Valley of Beaufort in Upper
Savoy." By Professor Paul Chaix, of Geneva, Cotres.
F.R.G.S.—" The Amazon' and the Atlantic Water
Courses of South America." By M. Susine, of Monte
Video. Communicated by Captain Chappell, R.N.
—Copies of letters from Drs. Barth and Vogel, res-
pecting the progress of the Central African Mission.
• A TREASURY MINUTE has appeared granting a
special retired allowance of 1,000/. per annum to
Sir William Burnett, K.C.8., late Director of the
Navy Medical Department.
THE number of men who have purchased their dis-
charges from the cavalry and infantry, for the last ten
years, was 15,583 ; from the artillery, during the same
period, the number was 1,094; and from the royal
marines 835.
CAPTAIN CHRISTIE'S TRIAL was to have taken place
on the 25th ult. at Kamisch, but worry and mental
excitement had been too much for him, and he had
become delirous and dangerously ill. Of course,
under such circumstances, the trial was postponed
indefinitely.
THE BURNT BATTERY at Mr. Scott Russell's is
reported to be hopelessly damaged, and may be
struck off the list. The other four are being got
ready for service—Mr. Mare's two at Woolwich,
Messrs. Green's two at Sheerness.
THE CRIMEA is to be cultivated. A large seed
merchant has received an extensive order for vegeta-
ble and grass seeds for the Crimea, from Captain
Dacres, the Admiralty superintendent at Southamp-
ton, on behalf of the Government. These seeds are
packed in !cases addressed to Captain the Hon.
Henry Keppel, H.M.S. St. Jean D'Aere, care of
Admiral Boxer.
A GOVERNMENT SCHOOL OF ART has just been
established at Southampton. Its establishment was
originated and chiefly supported by a lady of the
neighbourhood. Many of the pupils are sappers and
' miners belonging to the Ordnance survey department
in the abovequeutioued towu,

MAY 12, 1855

Sala an Vatitt.

THE DESTRUCTION BY FIRE of the floating battery
in Messrs. Scott Russell's yard, at Millwall, has been
attributed to an act of incendiarism, and a shipwright
named Happer was on Wednesday charged at the
Thames Police-court, on suspicion of having com-
mitted the crime. Mr. Dixon, the engineer of the
yard, stated that he left everything safe at half-past
eight o'clock, and soon afterwards witnessed the out-
break of the fire, which showed evident signs of pre•
paration. The flames on first showing themselves
spread along down the side of the vessel as fast as a
man could walk, the fire seeming to catch, at intervals
of about three feet, with a sort of " pop." John
Coolie, a workman, corroborated this statement, and
added that, as he was running to save his tools, he
saw the prisoner come out of the bow of the battery.
This witness repeatedly asseverated his conviction n
the question of identity, and the prisoner was conse-
quently remanded. His counsel declared that he
had abundant evidence to prove that he was not on
the spot at the time.
JOHN WILLIAMS, described as a commission agent
and traveller, in the employ of Richard Allen Sprigg,
book-eller, of Great Russell-street, was brought up
to Bow-street by habeas from the Queen's Prison
(being a petitioner in the Insolvent Debtors' Court),
to answer the charge of having obtained books, va-
lued at between 2,0001. and 3,0001., by false pretences.
The case was regarded with considerable interest by
the numerous pawnbrokers and others with whom
the property had been deposited. Oat of about
seventy cases, seven were selected for the purposes
of prosecution :

From the statement of Mr. Sprigg it appeared that the pri-
soner was employed by him to obtain orders, etc., a commission
being allowed upon all works disposed of through his ag ncy.
During the last six mouths a great many valuable publications
had been entrusted to the prisoner upon his representation that
he had obtained orders for them from different noblemen and
gentlemen, which turned out to be untrue, the works having
been pawned. or otherwised disposed of, almost directly after-
wards. In February the prisoner acknowledged that he had
made away with MI worth of books in this manner, adding
that he had used him (prosecutor) extremely ill ; but subse-
quent reference to the books showed him to be a defaulter to the
extent of more than 2,0001.

The prisoner was remanded.
THREE CASES, in which Lord Clifden is defendant
and various bill-dit:counters are plaintiffs, have been
noticed before the Court of Queen's Bench during
the week. The actions are brought upon acceptances
for very large amounts, given by Lord Clifden to
drafts drawn by the Hon. T. Villiers. Some question
has arisen whether the oases abould.be tried kly
common or special juries, but ultimately the latter
course has been arranged, and the trials are fixed for
the first sittings in next term.

A PARLIAMENTARY RETURN moved for by Mr.
Locke King, and published on Thursday, gives some
particulars regarding the killed and wounded in the
Crimea since the commencement of the campaign.
In the cavalry there were killed 11 officers, 14 non-
commissioned officers, and 146 men ; in the artillery
6 officers, 5 non-commissioned officers, and 35 men ;
in the Sappers and Miners (Royal Fngineers), 1
officer and 1 man ; in the infantry 64 officers, 82
sergeants, and 1,000 men, and 9 officers of the staff
—making a total of killed of all ranks, 1,360. The
total number of wounded was 4,518, viz.—in the
cavalry, 21 officers, 21 sergeants, and 181 men ; in
the artillery, 9 officers, 10 sergeants, and 149 men;
in the engineers, 3 officers, 1 sergeant, and 9 men;
in the infantry, 188 officers, 236 sergeants, and 3,098
men, together with 22 officers of the staff. Of the
241 officers of all arms of the service thus wounded,
20 died in consequence of the injuries received. The
number of horses killed during the campaign was
381, while those who died from other causes amounted
to 1,406.
THE WAR-OFFICE appears to have at last sec to
work in earnest for the embodiment of the foreign
legion. DepOts are forming at Shorncliffe and Heli-
goland for the embodiment of 5,000 men, and Gene-
ral Stutterheim has been appointed commander of
the force, Colonel Kinlock inspector, and Colonel
Wooldridge commander of brigade. On Monday,
Colonel Wooldridge called upon the mayor, and the
proper authorities here, to inform them of the mo-
mentarily expected arrival of a portion of the force,
and requesting that such steps might be taken as
would create as little confusion as possible by the
influx of a body of foreigners. From the energy
already displayed, in a very short time there will be
collected at Dover a force of 5,000 men, wet
officered, well organised, and ready to take the field.
AN ORDER has been received at Woolwich Arsenal
to send out immediately to the Crimea 20,000 shells
—10,00013-inch shells, and 10,000 10-inch. The
order was received at Woolwich within twenty-four
hours from leaving Sebastopol.
No INTIMATION has been received at Rochester
from Mr. Villiers with respect to his resignation. It
has, however, been announced, that in case of a
vacancy Mr. Bodkin will come for aril the Con-
Rrvetive interest,

THE PRESS.

lttibtats AO Clams.

FATAL SHIPWRECK.

THE loss of another emigrant ship, accompanied
by an awful sacrifice of human life, was announced
on Monday. The unfortunate vessel was the barque
John, of Plymouth, which sailed on Thursday week li
from that port for Quebec, with a large number of
emigrants on board, and in the course of the same
evening struck on the Manacle rocks, off the coast
of Cornwall, and immediately afterwards drove into
Godrevy Cove, and sunk in about four or five
fathoms water at nearly low tide, it being then about
half-past ten o'clock, wind East North. East, blowing
fresh. The greatest confusion immediately fol-
lowed; and although, for the instant, the crew and
passengers were enabled to keep the deck and poop,
yet for five or six hc*rs no help was afforded, owing
to the coast thereabout being quite uninhabited, but
as the day dawned a fishing-boat came out from
Porthallow Cove, and succeeded in materially assist-
ing the preservation of the crew and about fifty
passengers. From information gathered on the
spot, it would seem that there were between 200 and
300 passengers, principally women and children,
from Cornwall and Devonshire, and at least 150
must have perished. The parties had been so short
a time together that they were almost unknown to
each other, and it was found impossible to get any
names of the people from those who were fortunate
enough to escape, for they could hardly have been
mustered after quitting Plymouth, and the master
had lost the list with his papers. The cause of this
unfortunate disaster has not transpired, but it is
most melancholy to think that, with a fair wind and
tolerably clear weather, and with so recent a depar-
ture, such a calamity should have occurred. The
passengers declared they never opened the Lizard
lights.. . .

Subsequent investigations before the coroner have
shown a most criminal degree of recklessness on the
part of the captain and cl ew. All the latter, it is
stated, were drunk at the time of the catastrophe, and
only one out of the whole number, while carefully
providing for their own safety, seems to have paid
the least attention to the passengers, or attempted
anything for their rescue. The inquiry has termi-
nated in a verdict of " Manslaughter" against Cap.
tam Rawl, who has been committed to Bodwin gaol
accordingly.

A VIOLENT TEMPEST burst on the 24th ult. over
the valley of Arran, in Catalonia, near the French
frontier. Enormous masses of allow fell from the
Pyrenees, and completely buried three large villages,
named Una, Vaquerque, and Llabely, each contain-
ing from 500 to 700 inhabitants. The authorities
of the district immediately causedllaborersurers to be
employed to remove the snow, and though the
operation was far from complete when the last
accounts left, not fewer than forty-seven dead bodies
had been discovered. _ _ _

A SERIOUS fracas took place in Cork on Sunday be-
tween the depot of the 59th Regiment stationed there
and the 2nd Somerset Militia. Some hundreds were
engaged on both sides, and several were hurt, though
no dangerous wound was inflicted. Even the sentries
on guard took part in the row; but the officers at
length proceeded at the head of strong parties of
military and militia, and succeeded in securing the
leading rioters. A similar fracas, which took place
in Clonmel last week, rendered the removal of the
military depot to other quarters necessary.

A RUSSIAN EAGLE, a trophy captured near Bala-
klava, brought to England by her Majesty's ship
Vengeance, has been sent by Captain Lord E. Russell
to London, as a present to her Majesty.
ABD-EL-KADF.R has applied to the French Govern-
ment for permission to visit Paris, to see the Great
Exhibition. The request will doubtless be granted.
A LETTER from Lille reports the burning of the
church of La Basee, remarkable for the magnificence
of its spire. The sacred building was set on fire by
the fusee of a firework, displayed in honour of the
Immaculate Conception.
THE EASTERN ARCHIPELAGO COMPANY are orga-
nising a fleet of screw steamers of peculiar construc-
tion, in connection with their coal mines at Labuan
and on the opposite coast of Borneo, where their
grant from the Sultan extends 150 miles. The first
of these steamers was launced at Liverpool on Satur-
day, and has a capacity of 1,000 tons.
IT IS INTENDED to increase the land transport
corps by 10 troops of 100 drivers each, 10 captains,
10 sub-officers, 10 superintendents, 20 conductors,
and 10 quartermasters, making a total, including
officers, of 1,060 men.
THE SIX MORTAR VESSELS at Sheerness, with the
slung apparatus, fitted on Captain Julius Roberts's
plans, have been tested since the alteration in
rudders and rig, and are now said to be in such good
order that they will take their departure for Sebas-
topol on Friday, in charge of Wiki9Zl 44 Ole
Odith

Obituarg.

We regret to announce the demise of SIR ROBERT
Isous, Bart., who expired on Saturday night, at his
residence in Bedford-square, after a short and painful
illness. Sir Robert was born in 1785, and had there-
fore attained the allotted age of man. He was the
son of the first baronet, who for many years presided
over the East India Company as chairman. The
name of the deceased will long be remembered in
connection with the institutions of this empire,
whether as a member of Parliament, • champion of
Church and State, or as a supporter of the benevolent
institutions of the country. Sir Robert received his
education at Oxford, and at an early age graduated it
Christ Church. He subsequently became a member
of the bar, but soon declined the law for the service
of his country. Although in every sense of the word
an Englishman, his career in the House of Commons
commenced as an Irish member, being in this
respect coincidental with the cases of Peel, Goulburn,
Hume, and Russell. In 1824, by the influence cf
the Roden family, he was returned for the borough t f
Dundalk, which he continued to represent until 1826.
At the close of the latter year he was elected for
Ripon; and from 1828 to the close of his parliamen-
tary career, about two years since, Sir Robert sat for
the University of Oxford. There he was the suc-
cessor of the late Sir Robert Peel, who resigned his
seat to test the feelings of the constituency on tie
Catholic question. As a speaker, Sir Robert Inglis
bore a fair reputation, and his voice was ever heard
in favour of Conservatism in the Church and State.
He was a warm supporter of charitable and educa-
tional institutions, particularly those relating to tl
Church, and held the honorary distinctions of D.C.L.,
F.R.S., and F.S.A. In 1807, Sir Robert married the
eldest daughter of Joseph Seymer Briscoe, Esq., of
Penhill, Surrey, by whom he does not leave any male
issue. The title was first conferred on the father of
the deceased in 1801.
Intelligence has been received of the melancholy
death, at 13alakl ava, of Da. HECTOR Gsvr,r, one of three
sanitary commissioners sent out by Lord Panmure 10
see what could he done to improve the condition of
the hospitals at Scutari and Smyrna, and the can p
before Sebastopol. The circumstances attendh g
this event are of a peculiarly painful character. The
deceased had been at Balaklava about a month, and
resided in the same hut as his brother, a veterinary
surgeon. On the night of the 20th ult. the brother,
it is reported, was playing with his revolver, and 1 y
some accident it exploded, the ball struck Dr. Gavin,
entering at the groin and lodging in the back. Ti .e
unfortunate gentleman lingt‘red in great agony fcr
three hours, and expired. In a letter from Balaklave,
written by Mr. Newlands, and published in the Liver 4
pool Journal, it is said:—" The person most to lo
pitied is poor William Gavin, who is really out of his
reason. He adored his brother the doctor, who, I
should state, made a deposition, stating the facts to
be, that he offered to exchange pistols with Ins
brother, and handed him one without telling him it
was loaded, when the poor fellow pulled the trigger,
and the ball killed his brother."
REAR-ADMIRAL C. STRACHEY expired on Saturday
last, in the 77th year of his age. The gallant admiral
entered the navy above sixty years ago, and greatly
distinguished himself, being in the receipt of a medal
for his services afloat, and having had the Order of
St. Vladimir conferred on him by the late Emperor
Alexander of Russia. When commanding the Jalouse
sloop, in company with the immortalite and Cruiser,
he fought a gallant action off Cape Blanc Nez, and
captured a brig and schooner-of war in 1803. He also
assisted at the defence of Dantzic in 1807, then being
in the command of the Dauntless Praam. The com-
missions of the deceased admiral bore date xi
follows :—Lieutenant, 15th May, 1798; Commander,
29th April, 1802; Captain, 28th June, 1814 ; and.
Rear-Admiral, 21st June, 1850.

THE extensive property of the late Miss Morgan,
of Panty-Goitre, who died intestate, is likely to afford
profitable employment to the lawyers. There are
already six claimants to the estates.
THE province of the Isthmus of Panama has, by an act
of the Congress of New Grenada, been created into a
separate State, under the title of the State of Panama,
from the Ist inst. The new territory is to include Panama,
Azuero, Veragnas, and Chiriqui.
THE SHIP Queen of the West, which cleared at Boston,
Mass., some time since, for San Francisco, California, had
all her berths taken up. Among the passengers were
several young ladies. A gentleman wishing very much to
take passage in the ship, found there was no room for him
except by marrying one of the young ladies, which he ac.,
cordingly did ; and the berth which was to be occupied by
the young lady will, it is hoped, be tilled up by a happy
couple.
AT an early hour on the morning of the let of May a
woman respectably attired, and accompanted by en elderly
gentleman, applied for admittance to the cemetery at Ply.
mouth. On being allowed to enter they proceeded to the
grate of the last man interred, and the woman, who had
a largo wen in her throat, rubbed her neck three times
each way on each side of the grave, &partial; before Sweetie
Py ;Me Frown it I'm 'mote@ the miloizrPvitibt ong