The Press.
London, England, 1856-03-22 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

wards of one hundred supporters of this charity.
The chair was tak.n by Lord Dufferin, whc was sup-
ported by the Earl of Eglinton, Lord Lilford, Sir ft.
Howard, Sir James Emerson Tennant, Bart.., Sir
Cusack Roney, &c. &c. After the customary toasts,
the health of the " Imperial Heir of the Crown of
France " was drunk with three times three and great
enthusiasm. Lord Dufferin then proposed, " Pro-
sperity to the Society," and in a brief speech ex-
plained its functions, which consist of annually
educating five hundred children of the indigent
Irish in the metropolis. The noble chairman, allud-
ing to the condition of the indigent Irish in London,
said:—
By some fatality, it would appear as if the natives of Ire-
land, whether living in their own country or collected in
great numbers in another land, created for themselves a
lower standard of destitution than that to which any other
people hut descended. A friend of his once remarked that
it had always been a matter of astonishment to him what
became of the rags of the English beggars after they were
worn out, but that at last he went to Ireland, when it
suddenly struck him that they must be given to the Irish.
(Laughter.) And anyone who was acquainted with the
haunts of the Hibernian population of this metropolis
must feel that they had introduced into the highways and
byways of London even a lower degree of degradation than
was natural to the native population of Ireland. He had
on several occasions spent his time, from midnight 61'. the
dawn of day, in perambulating the back slums and by-lanes
of the most disreputable quarters of London ; he had gone
over the most untenantable houses in Whitechapel, Wap-
ping, and Spitalfields, and, he regretted to say, he had
invariably found that wherever the provisions of the Model
Lodging-house Act were altogether contravened, wherever
five times the number of persons were congregated in an
apartment that the Legislature intended to be, wherever
dirt and filth most abounded, and the circumstances of the
locality were especially abandoned, there, invariably, his
own countrymen were the occupying tenants.

To account for this, he thought that the very vit tues of
the Irish character had a tendency to degenerate into
vices ' • but this tendency the society was striving to
check, and during the last few years with marked
success. The toast was drunk with great enthu-
siasm. The Earl of Eglinton, after returning thanks
on behalf of the Lord Lieutenant, proposed the health
of the chairman, and in doing so took occasion to
advert to the period of his own vicegerency, and to
the cordial attachment which he then formed for the
Irish nation at large. Donations to the amount of
6501., including one hundred guineas from the Queen,
were then announced, and the company shortly
separated.
THE THEATRICAL FUND held its eleventh anni-
versary at the London Tavern, on Monday evening.
Lord Tenterden presided. Mr. Buckstone, in return-
ing thanks for the toast of the evening, "Success to
the Fund," stated that the fund was in a highly
prosperous condition, and that its capital, after the
expected donations of the evening, would he hoped
amount to nearly 10,0001. In the course of his
speech, alluding to the puritanical hatred of actors
by certain sects, he related an anecdote in proof of
the remarkably sour intolerance of the directors of
Exeter-hall :

At that saintly temple, when rented by some friends of
mina for the purpose of giving concerts, the directors ab-
solutely objected to the singing of that thoroughly English
ballad, " Sally in our alley," unless the verse was omitted
which runs thus:—
Of all the days that's in the week
I dearly love but one day,
And that's the day which comes between
A Saturday and Monday.
They wouldn't have it (continued Mr. Buckstone) ; of
course not ; they would not allow the poor 'prentice on any
account on that day " to be drest all in his best to walk
abroad with Sally."
THE ARTISTS' GENERAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION
held its forty-first anniversary at the Freemasons'
Tavern, on Saturday The chair was taken by Lord
Stanley, M.P., who was supported by Earl Stanhope,
Sir Charles Eastlake, Sir Charles Barry, dcc. Lord
Stanley, in proposing the toast of the evening,
briefly traced the progress of the society from its
foundation, and pointed out the satisfactory state of
its affairs, the capital of 2,600/. in 1820 in 1855
having increased to 17,3001. The affairs of the
society he considered wete managed very economi-
cally. Since the establishment of the society
upwards of 18,0001. bad been granted in reliefs, while
the expenses fell short of seven per cent. on the
capital. Earl Stanhope, in the course of a speech
proposing the toast of " Societies Established for
the Promotion of Art," announced the proximate
publication of that part of the Peel papers which re-
late to the passing of the Catholic Relief Bill. This
portion of the memoirs, Earl Stanhope stated, were
written entirely by Sir Robert Peel, and would con
tain a full account of his opinions and conduct in
that transaction. The first profits of this approach-
ing publication, in accordance with Sir Robert Peel's
will, Earl Stanhope, as one of the executors, then
offered to the society, in the shape of a draft for one
hundrid guineas. The subscriptions were announced
as amounting to 6041. 135., together with the copy-
right of the two engravings from Turner's picture
"The Vale of Macon," and "The Wreck of the
Minotano," as a gift from Lord Yarborough.

273

A MOVEMENT IN THE CHURCH of some importance
is said to be in active progress at this moment. The
object is to promote union with the Church of Eng-
and on the part of those Christians who at present
are not in active communion with her. A petition
to Convocation will be presented in April, pointing
out that the retention by the Wesleyans of their
system of class meetings need not be an insuperable
obstacle to their union with the Church. That the
usual probationary course shall be reduced, no longer
time being required than may be necessary to enable
the bishop to satisfy himself as to the qualifications
of the candidate. That the property and patronage
of the Wesleyan body shall remain intact, and that,
if possible, the Wesleyans be induced to revert to
the principles of their founder by receiving the iacra-
ment of the Lord's Supper in the parish churoh
only. The petition, after setting forth the advan-
tages which would result from Wesleyan ministers
receiving episcopal ordination, calls upon both
houses to take the matter into serious consideration.
It is stated that thisdinovement has been set on foot
by some well-known preachers of the Wesleyan body
who desire to become minister, of the Established
Church, but who are at the same time disinclined to
sever their connection with their present congrega-
tions. On the part of the Church, Lord C. A. Har-
vey, Mr. T. Chambers, M.P., Rev. J. E. Kempe,
rector of St. James's, Rev. Dr. Burgess, rector of
Chelsea, and other clergymen and laymen, are men-
tioned as the principal movers.
THE METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS, at their
general meeting on Wednesday, decided that the
Committee of Works be called upon at once " to re-
port on a comprehensive plan for making, widening,
and improving streets, roads, and ways for facilitating
traffic." The new site for the offices of the board is
not yet determined upon. It is anticipated that, if
possible, a site will be obtained in the neighbourhood
of Whitehall.

THE QUARTERLY COURT OF PROPRIETORS OF TUE
EAST INDIA COMPANY took place on Wednesday, Mr.
Macnaghten in the chair. Mr. Lewin, having been
called on to bring forward a motion of which he had
given notice, for a committee to consider the expe-
diency of obtaining a more suitable body for govern-
ing India than at present, said that, not having
received some papers which he considered necessary,
he should postpone the motion until the next court.
Mr. Jones proceeded to call attention to the claims
made by the representatives of the late General Sir
J. M'Caskill for remuneration on account of the
general's services in Affghanistan and Cabul, where
he was appointed to a brigade by General Sir G.
Pollock and a divisional command. Mr. Jones
moved that the documents connected with them
should be brought up and printed, but the court
negatived the motion. Mr. Lewen then moved for
the despatches received from the Governor of Madras
relative to the suppression of torture in India. The
chairman said that the moment the paper in question
arrived, it would be laid before the Court.
GREAT ALTERATIONS are said to be designed by the
Government with respect to theiState buildings. With
respect to the Ordnance-office, Pall. Mall, it is proposed
to erect upon the site of Buckingham-house, and of
those other houses intervening between the Carlton
and the Ordnance-office, a set of buildings to be
appropriated to the War Department. It is also pro-
posed to purchase and pull down the whole block of
buildings commencing from Downing-street to Great
George-street, including the north side of Parliament-
street, and to erect a range of public offices in a
line from the Treasury-chambers to George.street,
Storey's-gate. Thus the road from the Horse Guards
to Great George-street would be of the same width.
By this means Westminster Abbey and the New
Houses of Parliament would be brought prominently
forward, and the " finest site in Europe " would un-
doubtedly be much improved in more senses than
one. It is believed that Sir Benjamin Hall will,
early after Easter, bring these plans before the house

THE SOCIETY FOR IMPROVING THE CONDITION OF
THE LABOURING CLASSES invited a number of gentle-
men this week to inspect the present condition of
Tyndall's - buildings, Gray's-inn-lane, a block of
houses just purchased by the society. Tho Earl of
Shaftesbury, Dr. Southwood Smith, Mr. Chadwick,
and several other gentlemen were present. Tyndall's-
buildings consist of twenty - two houses, each
having about four habitable rooms. Every room is
occupied by a distinct family, and allowing five pas•
sons to a family there would be twenty persons in
each house, or 440 persons in the whole court. The
underground cellar contains the general cesspool,
the water-butt, and the house refuse. The stairs are
steep, slimy, and shaky; the walls smoky and sordid;
the roofs rotten and rain-worn. In one house, No.
10, there were twenty -one cases of typhus and
eighteen of cholera during the last outbreak of that
disease, all fatal. The inhabitants of these wretched
houses are of course of the lowest class and in the
deepest poverty, and their appearance excited much
commiseration fri.m the gentlemen present. It is
the intention of the society to construct suitable
dwellings on the spot with all haste.

274

THE REGISTRLR-GENERAL'S RETURNS for this week
show an increased scale of mortality, the deaths
rising from 1,082 the previous week to 1,118 in this.
This sudden increase is ascribed to influenza and
bronchitis, with other diseases of the lungs. The
births for the same period amount to 1,744-242
above the average.

THE FAMOUS BOWYER BIBLE was sold by auction
on Saturday last to Mr. Heywood, of Bolton, for 5501.
This bible was published by Mr. Bowyer in 1800. It
consists of forty-five volumes, and is illustrated by at
least 6,000 engravings from the works of the first
roasters. Its original cost was about 4,000 guineas.
The bible was encased in a richly-carved antique
cabinet, given in with the books.

A FIRE broke out on St. Andrew's-hill, Doctors'
Commons, on Wednesday night, and threatened at
one time to destroy the whole block of buildings. It
was, however, fortunately got under. The inmates of
the house escaped in time.

MR. ROBERT ORRIDOE, late Governor of Cam•
bridge Gaol, met his death by a frightful ac-
cident on Tuesday even*. Walking down
Gracechurch - street, he dropped his stick, and,
stooping to pick it up, he either became giddy
or had a fit, for he fell forward into the road
at the moment a laden coal-van was passing, the
hind wheel striking the unfortunate man, crushed
over his neck and chest, breaking in the bones and
producing instant death. An inquiry was held, but
as no blame was attachable to the driver of the van,
a verdict was returned accordingly.
THE ASSYRIAN EXCAVATIONS 80 long expected have
at length arrived quite safe. They comprise about
a hundred tons of sculpture, considered the finest
specimens hitherto found. There has been much
anxiety about these relics, in consequence of the loss
sustained by the French nation of a much larger
quantity, sunk last year near Ghornat, on the
Euphrates, by the Arabs. The same vessel also
brings home two living lions from Southern Babylon,
procured by Mr. S. Lynch when there, which are
about lo be presented to the Zoological-gardens,
in Regent's-park. These are the first specimens of
that animal brought to England from the valley of
the Euphrates.

THE VISITORS TO KEW GARDENS during the last
year amounted to 318,818 persons. Of their general
conduct, says Sir W. Hooker in his Annual Re-
port :

I have in former reports expressed great satisfaction, and
especially of that of the middling and lower classes, who
come generally in family parties, and whose dress and de-
meanour are creditable and praiseworthy; and, though im-
proprieties are now and then committed by persons of these
ranks, I have generally remarked that grosser misconduct,
rudeness, pilfering, &c., are committed by people appa-
rently of better education, and a higher grade. During the
fifteen years that I had the charge of the Royal Gardens at
Kew, there is not one to which I can point with more satis-
faction than that which is past, on account of the benefits
which the public in general have derived from them, both
in healful recreation and instruction.