The Press.
London, England, 1856-02-16 00:00:00

FEBRUARY 16, 1856.

commanding thought it very desirable that the army of
Omer Paella should be transported to the Crimea, and I was
asked uliether I could find means. I saw that there was
great difficulty, but I had entire confidence in the men
with whom I had to deal, and I unhesitatingly accepted
the responsibility. The result was that 56,000 men, 11,000
horses, and 170 pieces of cannon were embarked in
Bulgaria, and all landed safely at Eupatoria with the loss
of only one horse. The work was done entirely by our
transports, and I maintain it to be an achievement which
..t rredit on Iw:A reflects the high _ navy of this
country.
In conclusion, Sir Edmund spoke feelingly of the
kind forethought evinced by those at home in send.
ing out ample supplies this last winter, and related a
little anecdote on that subject:—
One morning when it was blowing very hard cff Sebas-
topol, it was reported to me that a steam transport was
approaching under very peculiar circumstances. On
examining her it turned out to be the Colombo, with her
lower yards strung with turkeys, and her upper ones with
geese and smaller poultry, forming the good cheer which had
been sent out by friends in England to give the soldiers
rid sailors a merry Christmas.
In short, concluded the gallant admiral:—

Both soldiers and sailors have been made to feel that
they are held in affectionate remembrance by their country-
men at home, and the consciousness of that remembrance
nerves the arm of the one in the battle-field and supports
the other amid the storms and vicissitudes of the ocean.

THE ASSOCIATION IN AID OF THE DEAF AND DUMB
held a meeting on Wednesday evening, at Fitzroy-hall,
Marylebone. About two hundred of these poor
creatures, in the middle and lower ranks of life, were
present on this occasion. The meeting was addressed
articulately by Mr. Shirley Woolmer, Mr. Smith, the
agent of the society, interpreting the address. Mr.
Woolmer, in his remarks, gave an outline of the
objects of this association, which has been originated
with a view of aiding the adult deaf and dumb in
struggling with the disadvantages to which they are
subjected, by giving lectures on subjects of gent ral
interest, imparting religious instruction, and giving
advice and friendly assistance when required by the
deaf and dumb. At the comlusion of Mr. Woolmers
address, the meeting was addressed digitally by
several deaf and dumb gentlemen, including Mr.
Barry, a city merchant ; Mr. Bather, a clerk in the
Admiralty ; and Mr. Hazard, a clerk in Somerset-
house ; and the proceedings concluded by a lecture
on Sir Thomas More, delivered by Mr. E. Harle
audibly, and interpreted to the meeting.
AT A VESTRY MEETING OF THE ST. PANCRAS
On Wednesday, the report of the committee
upon the state of the workhouse was read. From
this it appeared that the most disgraceful want of
morality and decency characterised' the internal ar-
rangments of the wards. The place was over-
crowded, ill ventilated, and wanting in all the essen-
tial requisites and commonest necessanes looked for
in such institutions. The report was ordered to be
printed, and resolutions p assed to remedy the rank
evils of the institution.

THE CONTF.ST BETWEEN THE GREAT NORTHERN
AND THE NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY still continues.
Mr. Denison, chairman of the former company, has
published his statement, denying in the most posi-
tive terms, that Mr. Seymour Clarke, the manager,
had any authority to enter upon any negotiations for
a renewed treaty on the principle of the Gladstone
award .

I repeat distinctly (says Mr. Denison), that whatever may
have been said, or written, or agreed to by the general
manager of this company to the contrary effect, and
whether he has said that he had, or thought he should get,
authority for the purpose froln the board, it has been said,
written, or agreed to, without any authority whatever. and
shall not be confirmed or adopted by me. If the share-
holders of this company prefer his views to mine they have
only to say so at the ensuing meeting, and the result is
perfectly simple.
THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL'S RETURNS for the week
show a mortality of 1,151 persons, being still below
the average, but 202 above the number of last week.
The births for the week amount to 1,788-102 above
the average.

A DEPUTATION OF DIRECTORS OF THE UNITY FIRE
INSURANCE waited upon the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer on Monday, to request a reduction of the duty
payable by insurance companies in England, on the
plea that the duty on policies issued by the French
offices was only 7id. per cent on the policy, while the
English duty was 38. per cent. The Chancellor of
the Exchequer said that the only check upon foreign
companies issuing such policies in England was the
want of confidence which the people of England had
in such companies. Although he could give no
pledge when the deputation would receive any fur-
ther communication, still there could be no doubt
they would shortly be informed of what step the
Government might think it necessary to take for
the protection alike of the revenue and of the English
companies.

THE PAVILION THEATRE, in the Whitechapel road,
was totally destroyed by fire on Tuesday morning.
The fire broke out at about eight a.m., and in a short
time, despite the vigorous efforts of a powerful body
6! the Fire 13rigade, bad seized the whole body of