The Express.
London, England, 1864-03-17 00:00:00

SCHOOLS OF A RT.

Upon the moton of Sir tico74 the Select
Committee on Schools of Art was nominated: Sir Stafford
Northoote, Mr. Lowe, Mr. Adderley, Mr. Edward Egerton,
Mr. Tite, Mr. William Ewart. Mr. &cloy, Mr. Trefoil',
Mr. Cave, Kr. Maguire, Mr. Crewe, Mr. Arthur Mills,
Mr. Crum Ewing, Mr. Ruholelleld, and Mr. Potter. Power
to Deed for persons, men, and records. Five to be the
quorum.
The house adjourned at 20 ninnies to G o'clock.

DINNING itv VAAL 01INIBVSCODIPANY(LIWITZLI).—
Traffic receipts for the weekesding Muth 13, 10,2171. 4s. Id.
Most Tel N EVER AND RITTER 'IRAN EVllll.—This
sputa e to the bastet and best stock of spring sad munneer
pattemes ever submitted for public approve; TM wortd;fanead
16. trousers at Alfred Webb Miles; Um originator's only seta-
--(Advertinnesed bliahmeat, 74. itrook-etreet. limerareseare. Natabliged 11141

MUSIC.

THE MUSICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.

This society gave their accost 1 Orchestral Concert
of the memos last West at St. Jamee's-hall. The hall was
crowded, as it most always be at these emmorta, seeing that
the fellows sod associates of the misty are so numerous as
to be sufficient of themselves to be a largo audience.

DRAMA.

THE GOVERNMENT ANNUITIES BILL.
-•--

FUNERAL OF MR. R. ROBERTS.

TO THZ ZDITOI or THZ LIPZZIOI.

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 17, 1864.
-
nom-YDATION AT SREMELD.

(raox on ows *aroma.)
SHEFFIELD, WIDNISDAY.

The melancholy work of starching, or it would
be more correct to my digging, for the dead still goes on
imemaingly all dowaltite valley of the Locksiey, from the
river aide of the embsakmeat to the tows, Excursioa
trains caution* to bring crowds of people into Sheffield. and
many tboaaands of spectators dotted the balm of the
stream to-day from early morn till dark. Most of than
have come from Manchester, and being dressed in holiday
attire the long picturesque valley presented a some of the
' greatest animation throughout its whole attest. The river
itself has now dwindled to • little brook, but the vast qua-
tity of iron mill-wheels, moat of them deeply embedded
in the ground—the huge masses of rock torn from the
mountain aide —the bottom of the valley denuded of every
• particle of vegetation, and looking like the bed of &large
river in a season of drorght—are the marks which the
passage of the flood has left behind it, and
they are marks which many years will not
efface. To-day I visited the riven dyke. It
presents the appearance of a rugged and dangerous moan-
tele pan. The immense mass of loose earth and rubbish
which had formed the backing up of the dam had been
carried far away down the valley and deposited in the
streets and collars of the people of Sheffield ; bat lumps
of clay and blue marl (part of the puddle wall of the em-
bankment), many times bigger than a house, lay mattered
about in all directions in the bottom of the val-
ley, and the water rippling between sad run-
ning in a long silver stream down the centre of
the gorge gave to the Locksley all the appearance of a wild
mountain torrent, intercepted here and;there by huge mama
of rock. The reservoir itself, when intact, must have been
a picturesque little mountain lake, and the ease as you
looked beyond it up the valley till the nags of vision was
bounded by the distant bilk, was of the most placid beauty.
The remains of the embankment form two hills of no Moon-
' siderable height, with a mat chasm between them as if the
mountain bad been rent by an earthquake, and
all day long these hills were crowded by a coastal some&
'ion of spectators Moat of these were evidently quite un-
acquainted with the district, and were bent on making their
' way to she head of the dam, or to the °abridge railway
I station, about six miles from Sheffield, that being the
station to which the excursion trains came. It was a melee-
choly sight to see here and there a little knot of the resi-
dents digging for some lest one almost unnoticed by the
great holiday crowds who came to gratify their curiosity by
viewiog the magnificent ruins that have been caused by the
flood. In the course of the day three or four bodies were
taken out of the valley and conveyed to places set apart for
their reception.
Meanwhile the work of clearing the lower pan of the
town of the ruin is being rapidly proceeded with, an&the
committee appointed yesterday have set about their
charitable work of relieving the necessitous. Today the
mayor, Mr. Jump, has received 6001. additional subscrip•
lions, and members of the committee and persons appointed
by them sit all day long at convenient places in different
parte of the town to relieve persons the geeuiamem of
whose distress is vouched for by their neighbours or
the police and others appointed to go round to the houses. A
vest quantity of clothing Las been seat to the Town-hal
for the use of the sufferers, and has proved most accept-1
able, more so, perhaps, than money. Most of the dead
have now been interred. Yesterday afternoon I witnessed
the melancholy spectacle of between 30 and 40 of the uniden-
tified dead being carried away to the cemetery. They were
taken in carts, with just a piece of tarpaulin thrown over
them. No crowd was following, the spectacle of hideous
black deal coffins carried through the streets being at pre_
sent too common to attract attention. A alight shudder
and a quickened step, as the wind caught the tarpauling and
disclosed the nature of the load, was all the recognition
which the few musses by made as the carts containing the
coffins moved along at a brisk pace. These unfortunates
now sleep in a quiet cemetery overlooking the valley where
their guidon death overtook them.

Now that the last offices have been rendered to the great
bulk of the victims, and labourers are every where employed
in removing the daris and putting things in order, business
has began slowly to resume ita rway, and but for the large
crowds in the streets and in the neighbourhood of the Town-
hall you would not suppose that anything extraordinary had
boOPotode

NEW UNDERTAKING&

The Lord Mayor has received in the course of yesterday
and the previous day between 6001. and TOOL for the benefit
el the sufferers.

Several new undertakings are announced. The
Mercantile Credit Association' in conjunction with
the Credit Fonder (Limited), announce that
they ars prepared to receive subscriptions
for the capital of the City Offices Com-
pany (Limited). This undertaking has been
formed to supply a species of accommodation
which joint stock companies and private firms now
find extreme difficulty in obtaining within a con-
venient radius of the Bank of England. The pro-
ject is not brought forward until arrangements
have been made for the purchase of five eligible
blocks. f land, with the buildings thereon, situated
respectively in Clement's-lane, Leadenhall-street,
Great Tower-street, Bishopsgate-street, and Corn-
hill. In the latter locality the premises recently
erected by Messrs. Sari and Sons have peen pur-
chased, and two-thirds of the building hilt* already
been let. The block in Bishopgate-street is more
than four times the size of the Auction Mart, lately
sold. The purchase-money for the whole of these
blocks of land and buildinp is 365,0001., which
is stated to compare very advantageously with
the value recently realised for properties of a similar
character. The capital is 1,000,0001., in 20,000
shares of 501. each. The direction is very respect-
able, being composed as follows :—Mr. H. F. L.
Astley (of Messrs. Astley and Co.), of Nicholas-
lane ; Mr. Alderman Dakin ; Mr. Charles Ellis, of
Lloyd's ; Mr. James Levick, of King's Arms-yard ;
Mr. Edward Masternian, of Messrs. Midterms°,
Peters, and Co.;• Mr. Edward Warner, M.P. ; Mr.
F. G. Westmorland, of Messrs. C. Joyce and Co.;
and the Right Hon. James Stuart Wortley.
Another new project is the London Commercial
Hotel Company (Limited). It is proposed to erect
on a suitable site adjoining Wood-street, Cheapside,
a large hotel, to be specially adapted for the accom-
modation of commercial travellers. The building is
to include a spacious subscription-room, to which
merchants, manufacturers, and others, whether
residing at the hotel or not, are to be admissible.
Other rooms are to be let for sales by auction, public
meetings, kc. There are also to be a depository
for the keeping of patterns and samples, telegraph
offices interpreters of languages, etc. The capital
is 150,0001., in 15,000 shares of 10/. each, with a
deposit of 10s. per share on application, and 1/. 10s.
on allotment. Five per cent. interest is to be
allowed on the sums paid on shares during the
construction of the hotel.

A deputation from the London Trades Council
waited yesterday by appoiotmeot on the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, at his official residence in llowniog•street, with
reference to the proposed Goveroment Anouities Bill. The
deputation consisted of Mr. Odgers, secretary of the council;
Mr. Applegarth, Secretory of the Amalgamated Society of
Carpenter@ ; and Mr. Coulson, Secretary of the Bricklayers
Society. The deputation was accompanied by Mr. Thomas
Hughes

The CHANCII.IOII of the EICHEotza expressed the plea-
sure be felt at hearing the explanations and statement. of
the deputation. He bad felt convinced from the first that
the vast majority of the working classes were favourable to
the principle of the Annuities Bill. With regard to his re-
marks upon the Exeter-hall meeting anti the action of trades
societies, they bad been much curtailed in the newspaper
reports, and thus made to appear more harsh than they
really were. He, however, had certainly been under the
im on that trades societies were generally coercive
bodies towards the minority, and Lad expressed himself to
that effect. He was pleased to hear they were not so, at
least to the extent he had supposed, and would take an
early opportunity of stating his opinion in parliameat. He
entirely conceded the right of the workmen to combine
in a union io defence of their wages, as the only means they
bad of defending themselves against the power of capital, but
at the same time he cookaded for the right of every
man to sell his labour on what terms be chow. He
thought the remark of Ms. Odgers respecting the franchise pm,
feettly justifiable • there was no doubt the liberal party in
the Howie of CtUnmoos had failed in their duty in this re-
spect towards the working-classes, to whom, be thought,
the franchise should be extended, and about which he should
shortly have something to say is the house. He regretted
that the clam who bad obtained their franchise through the
efforts of the working-classes should seem so little disposed
to admit them to the same privilege. He then went on to
' explain and defend the :Inanities Bill, and said it was an
absurd cry to say
to was opposed to self-government. No
man was cow embrace its benefits unless be chew,
and if he did e could do that for himself which now required
a mast cumbrous, expulsive, and insecure machinery to do
for him. He was glad to bear the trades societies did not
oppose the bill, which, be believed, as it became better
known, wouldibe more appreciated.
The deputation, after some further remarks, then with-
drew, thanking the right hoe. gentleman for his courtesy.

Si/4—May I beg the favour of your announcing
that the funeral of the late Mr. Richard Roberts, the
celebrated engineer, will take place on Saturday, the 19th
inst. The procession will leave 10, Adam-street, Adelphi,
at 12.30, and arrive at Kemal-green Cemetery at 2. As
there are many who would wish to attend the funeral on
public ea well as private grounds, whose addresses are un-
known to me, I have roads this request.
The funeral is provided by his Manchester friends as a
mark of their respect and in recognition of his eminent ger-
rims to that locality.—l am, &c.,

THOS. EDW. SYMONDS.
10, Adam•atnat, Adalphi, Muth 16.

RAGGED &nom. Umow.—Yesterday evening
the eleventh annual distribution of prime to scholars of
ragged schools who bare kept their situations over twelve
moeths took place under the presidency of the Earl of
Shaftesbury, at Exeter Hall. Those who were to receive
prise. occupied a considerable portion of the hall, but the
only indication of their coo orates with the wont neighbour-
hoods in and about the metropolis was the display of a nein-
her of banners, bearing the names of the localities in the
city of London, in Westminster, in Lambeth, Camberwell,
Walworth, and Deptford, in which these schools have been
established. The prizes, consisting of email sums of mosey
sod certificate cards with a portrait of the Earl of Shaftes-
bury, are only open to those between the ages of 12 and 17,
but during the ten years no lees than 6,000 of these rewards
have been distributed. On the present amnion there were
from the 70 schools 530 application., from 244 boys and 286
girls, sod money prism were awarded to 174 of the former
and 206 of the latter, 40 boys and 56 girls receiving cards
only. Of the whole somber 362 had beset in their situa-
tions less than 2 years, 127 under 3, 48 tinder 4, 17 under 5,
12 under 6, and 3 under 7 years. Appropriate addresses
were delivered b 77 the Elwin! Shaftsebary, lir.J. Payne, the
Rev. A. Yacaoalad, and other gentlemen who &skean in-
terest io the Ragged School Union ; but the greet featured
the evenly( wee the reading, by Madame Ernestine, of Mrs.
Sewell's poem. " Mother's Lan Words," which was listened
to with attention and with evident sympathy in the hottest
struggles of the two motherless crossing-sweepers by the
children premed. filmed copies of the oertificate cards were
presented by the committee to the noble chairman end Mr.
Pare. Sir R. W. Carden, the Hoe. Cecil Ashley, Lady
Edith Ashley, and the Hon. Mrs. W. Cowper were amoept
these who awagiod oasis apes the panders'.

The North Australian Company (Limited) is
formed to occupy the field of business presented in
the northern territory which has been annexed to
the province of South Australia, and the
first portion of land in which is now offered
for sale by the South Australian government
by public advertisement in the London
and colonial journals. The directors of this
undertaking propose to take allotments of land
at the prices at which they are now offered by
the government, and to lease or sell them. Their
operatima will likewise comprise the following,
vu :--" Acting as agents for absentees and others,
purchasing, selling, and managing property upon
commission, and transacting any other agency busi-
ness ; receiving money in this country on deposit or
debenture, and investing the same in the colony at
increased rates of interest ; and making advances
on mortgage of real estates, and on government and
other securities." The capital proposed is 200,0001.,
in 20,000 shares of 10/. each, with a first issue of
10,000 shares, but it is not intended to call up
more than W. per share. The chairman is Sir
Richard Graves M'Donnell, C. Lt. , late Governor of
South Australia ; and the direction is otherwise
composed as follows :—Mr. G. A. Anstey, of Sussex-
gardens ; Mr. C. S. Begot, chairman of the Ka-
punda Mining Company ; Mr. A. L. Elder, director
of the Imperial Bank ; Mr. Edmund Levi, of
Messrs. P. Levi and Co., of London and Adelaide ;
and Mr. John Benjamin Graham, late director of
the Burrs-Burrs Mine.

The Dutch Tramway Company (Limited), has
formally issued its prospectus. The object is to
carry out concessions for tramways in Holland
and elsewhere, a commencement being made with
a double line from the Hague to the fashionable
watering place of Scheveningue. This line is con-
tracted to be made for 40,0001., and the present
capital of the company is accordingly fixed at
50,0001., in 5,000 shares of 101. each, a large number
of which have already been subscribed for in Holland.

ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION.
The auuual general meeting of the friends and
supporters of this institutioo was held on Tuesday at the
London Tavern ; Sir J. Elam:row in the chair. The
meeting was influentially and numerously attended.
I'DO CHAIRMAN expound the great satisfaction he felt in
taking the chair on this, the fortieth &naively/ay. of so im.
portant and national an institution. It was en institution
of which Englishmen might be truly proud. The clear and
important facts which were detailed in its annual report
could not fail to elicit the admiration of everyone. After
mom* further appropriate remarks, the chairman called on
lir. RICHARD LEWIS. secretary of the institution, to read
the annual report. It stated that during the past year
the institution bee been able to send no lees than 15 new
lifeboats to the coast, and numerous others were io course
of construction. The lifeboats of the institution numbered
one hundred and thirty-two ; and some of them
were the means of saving to les, than four
hundred and seventeen lives and seventeen vessels during
the past year, nearly the whole of them under dangerous
eircumataoms, amidst high surfs, when so other descrip-
tion of boats could have been launched with safety. For
these services—and for saving 297 shipwrecked persons by
fishing and shore baste or other means—the institution bad
granted rewards amounting to 1,351!. On occasions of ser-
vice and on those of quarterly exerase of the lifeboats, about
6,000 persons were afloat in them, yet not a single life had
been lost. Transporting-carriages and boat-houses had
been provided for most of the said new lifeboats. The cont.
mitt«, regretted to report that the number of wrecks during
the past year was, as usual, very large, and that the gales in
October and December were perhaps the most destructive
that ever visited the shores and seas of the British isles.
It was, however, most gratifying to be able to report, that
during the time that these storms lasted, the lifeboats were
providentially the means of rescuing no leas than 385 ship-
wrecked persons. With • shipping representing about
60,000,000 of tons, and 4430,000 vesicle which cleated outwards
and entered inwards from British puts during the past year.
a large number of shipwrecks had become almost a natural
sequence. Accordingly it war found that 1,602 casualties
took place last year on the shores and in the Nee of the
British Idea, accompanied with loss of 568 valuable liveli—
ness of the utmost consequence to the °Dormer°, and de-
-1 fence of the country. It was, however, gratifying to find
that during the same period 4,565 person, were rescued by
lifeboats, the rocket apparatus, ohms boats, and other
means. The total number of lives saved during the forty
years from the establishment of the institution, in 1824, to
the endof the year 1863, either by its lifeboats, or by spe-
cial exertions for which it bad granted rewards, was 13,568.
During the put year 15 silver medals, 26 votes of thanks
inscribed on parchment, and 1,2971. in cash, had been
granted for sewing the lives of 714 persona by lifeboat,,
shore and fishing boats. slid other means, on the coasts and
outlying bulks of the United Kingdom. Since the forma-
tion of the institution, it had expended on lifeboat esta-
blithmenta nearly 100,000/., and had voted 82 gold and 738
silver medals for saving life, besides pecuniary awards,
amounting together to 17.630!. The committee referred to
the cordial 00-operation of the local branch committees, the
Board of Trade, the coast guard, and the railway and steam
packet companies. The expenditure of the institution is
the year 1863, on its lifeboat establishments, was 11,3774
14s. Id. ; 1,351!. 6s. 4d. in rewards for services to ship-
wrecked crews - and 2,4411. 9e. Id. for coxswains' salaries
and the quarterly practice of the boats' crews. Legacies
amounting to 1,8622. 16s. 6d. bad been received by the is.
Winn.= during the pad year.
The report having bees moved sod unanimously adopted,
resolutions in furthersnoe of the objects of the institution, and
pledging the meeting to renewed exertions on behalf of this
truly benevolent national institution, were pared ; and
the usual complimentary vote of thanks having been given
to the chairman, the proceedings, which were of an into.
resting character, closed.

Tug BALLOT SocirrY.—At the weekly meeting of
the committee, held at 61. Cbeapinde, on Tuesday last, the
followiag subecriptious were reported:—W. J. Etches
(Derby), 5/. ; E. Potter, M.P.. 31. 3s. ; Alderman Lush,
3/. 3s. ; F. K. Doman. l/. ls. ; S. Alias. It. 10. ; Sterry
and &eery, 14 Is ; Thomas Ernmott, 11. la ; W. Turner,
I/. la. ; J. It. Jeffery, 1!. Is. ; W. Jeffery. 11. Is. ; Su E.
Armitage, 11. le. ; R. N. Phillips, 1/.ls. ;John Dale, IL Is.;
C. Robertson, 11, ; B. Westhead, M.P., 14 ; J. Speiser, 14;
Rey. B. Everest, 14 ; sod several smaller sums. The fol-
lowing resolutions were plated This committee invites
the attention of the liberal party to the result of the Hert-
fordshire election u another imams:sof the necessity for the
ballot, that election hawing beta scearionaly gained by the
most noacrupulous use of the election screw la every way
is which it could be brought to beer upon the more dopes-
dent portion of the constituency." " This committee also
cells public attention to the inquiry before the committee
upon Berwi.A.upon.Tweed election as smother evidence of
the inefficacy of the Corrupt Practices Amendment Act."
CRTIFTAL PALACZ. ONT 811ILLINO DAT. •—•
WCIMIIBDAT, NANCE 16.—Adiedeeiese ON payment, 977;
43141 e by NOM thiels. 340 ; 144 1,317.

lath littellignuu
COURT OF PROBATE AND DIVORCE.

MARCH 16.
Mahn the Judas Ordinary.)
WALLA Y. WILLA AND RODION.
After oar report ldt yesterday,
The Judge-Ordinary summed up the mar, and the jury
found for the petitioner, with 2001. damages.
Decree nisi, with costs.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.—?dAgas 16.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Holroyd.)
IN RH HOLLWAT, HART AND HART.
The bankrupts were timber and coal merchants, of Giudiv
in Lie*,loshire, and of King's Lynn. Their liabilities
amount to 15,000/. ; the assets are expected to yield up-
words of 7,0001. The younger Hart has absconded ; and It
is mid that the failure is owing to his defalcations. This wes
the sitting for examiliation ani discharge. There was no
opposition, sod the orders were granted.