The Express.
London, England, 1864-03-18 00:00:00

BENEVOLENT SOCIETY OF ST. PATRICK.

I Yesterday being Bt. Patrick's Day, the 81st
anniversary festival of this society was celebrated at the
Freemasons' Tavern, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's Inn-
fields, under the presidency of Major-General Viscount
Tinetrrown, C.B. The attendance wee not so numerous
as it was wont to be in years gone by, and the enthusiasm
which was awakened daring the evening wee not of such
a character as to lead to the belief that the majority of
the company were true sous of the Hibernian soil. The
shamrock was not so conspicuous as is usual on this axe-
sioo, and the general feeling of nationality did not display
itself in those outbursts of patriotism which are VlM-
rally associated with gatherings of the Knights
of St. Patrick. The benevolent object of the
meeting, however, was never lost sight of, and
when the girls and boys who are receiving their education
in the schools made their appearance, according to custom,
they were greeted in a manner which showed that they were
surrounded by some of their beet friends. The guests at the
principal table included the Earl of Courtowo, Sir H.
Hervey Bruns, Bart., M.P., General Down Mr. Morgan
John O'Connell, Mr. Hantiltoo Creole, Mr. C.
11•Garel, Mr. W. Newton, Mr. C. Latouchir,
Dr. O'Connor, &c. The chairman, in giving the
toast of the evening, made an earnest appeal to theoompany
on behalf of the society, and a report was preeeoted from
the sub-committee, which showed that the schools continue
full to their utmost capacity, and, as in former years, the
500 children they contain have been educated aod clothed,
and, during the winter months, provided with a daily
meal at the society's expense. This latter is an
additional boon which has only beep conferred
of late years, and it is one that has proved most beneficial
to the recipients, many of whom doped, in great massive,
on the meal they receive in these schools. In so large an
establishment, however, this measure necessarily involves a
very considerable increase to the expenditure of the charity ;
but the sub-committee relied with confidence on the
liberality of their supporters, conscious as they were of the
eudeavours which the society cautioned to make to improve
the coodition of the labouriog Irish population of this city.
The subscriptions announced by the secretary, after due
honour had been done to the toasts which bore more par-
ticularly upon the interests of the society, amounted to
about GOO/. _ .

The musical arrangementa were under the able direction
of Mr. Land, who had secured the assistance of several
members of the Loudon Glee and Madrigal Union, repre-
sented by Mims Eyles, Miss J. Wells, Mr. W. Cummings,
and Mr. Winn.

In the course of the evening the band of the Irish Volun-
teer Rides performed a variety of national airs under the
superintendence of Mr. Cowen, and the majority of the
songs snag by Mr. Nod's corps of vocalists were either
Irish melodies ar were hued upon subjects suggested by
Irish traditions.

Swiss SYMPATHY WITH DENMARK. —A OOPTe•
spoedent of the Independawe Beige, writiog from Some on
the 10th inst., says:—" fu seeing the increasing develop
moot of the Danish question more and more satisfaction is
felt in Switzerland, especially in the French partv, at the
manifestatioes, of which the initiative was taken by the
Lausanne committee, in favour of • small nation which
presents certain striking analogies with Switzerland. If, as
• Vaudois writer justly observes, small states may be dis-
membered which are not homogeneous, or which have be-
lieved they had a guarantee of liberty and independence
in the alliance of various nationalities, what is the future
reserved to Switzerland, surrounded by three groat powers
representing the three races to which the different nation-
alities that compose it belong! Far from halting in the
generous initiative it has taken, the Lausanne committee
actively pursues its labours. It is encouraged in this more
than ever by the expreesioos of grateful sympathy which
reach it from Denmark, where, according to the journals of
the country and private letters, the Helvetic manifestations
make a deep impression.'

Soule gunnery experiments of an interesting
nature took place at Shoeburynees yesterday. In the first
instance it was resolved to test the plan which is said to
have bad so much sitcoms in America of employing coin.
praised cotton to resist the impact of artillery shot. As oat-
ton is,'we suppose, too valuable just now to be wasted on
such experiments, a quantity of wool was tightly mimed
into an iron tube. eleven feet in length ; and it was found
both that the Gd-pounder and Sir William Armstrong's
110-pounder sent their shot through this yielding and elastic
mama from end to end of the eleven feet, end then through
the bottom of the iron tube and twelve feet of the earth
embankment. Shells, plugged with Colonel Boxer's new
wood fumes, were then fired, both against an earthen em-
bankment and a solid mass of timber, when it wee toned
that the shells loaded with this fuse burst satisfactorily in
each case, blowing up the earthwork and destroying the
wood target in a way which, if it had been • ship, would
have scattered death sad denti action all round.
The annual billiard matches between the two
universities will take place this evening sod to-morrow even-
ing at the Volunteer Billiard Saloon, Leicester-square. Play
will commence at 8 o'clock.
RUMOURED OCCUPATION OF BLAIR CASTLE BY
TBt PRINCE Or WALES.—U is rumoured (writes our Perth
correspondent) th►t his Royal Rightism the Prince of Wales
will become the teasel of Blair Castle for some time during
the summer—the Duke of Atholl having shortly to proceed
to Canada to rejoin his regiment. —Ed/stun/a Courant.
DAND4I Rai.iz, FUND.—Tbe Mansion-house
committee of the above fund met yesterday. The lord
Mayor was in the chair. It appeared that the
total sum received by the Lord Mayor ee■ 1,51 if. is. Gd.,
of which 1,0001 bad been remitted 'minims to the resolu-
tion of the committee last Thursday. It was itemised yes-
terday to forward • further sum of 500/. to the general
committee, and that the chairman be requested to inform
Lord Clanriearde of the resolution.

THE SHABFAPEAREAN TERCENTENARY CELEBRA-
TION AT STRATFORD-ON. %VON. —At the meetizg of the com-
mittee. on Wednesday. the Mayor (Mr. E. F. Flower) in the
chair, it was aononoced that Herr Gervious had accepted
the office of Vine-Preeklent. The Mayor .rated that a com-
munication blaring been made by the committee to the
Town Council, accompanied by a copy of the report of the
Monumental. Memorial Committee, the Council unani-
mously resolved that the Market-house (the property of the
corporation) should be removed, sod the memorial be
allowed to be erected on its site. The proposal that the
ground door of the Town-hall should be set apart during
the festival for a bazaar. exclusively devoted to objects of
Sakespearenn interest, having received the sanction of the
Mayor, was approved by the committee. The Building
i Committee reported that the Pavilion had been inspected
and approved by a competent engineer, and would be first
tenanted by the artisans and workmen dieing in it, to the
number of 150, oo Saturday next.
THE PIT INUNDATION AT CHL^ITERFIELD.—Yester-
day the water in the mine at Chesterfield was reduced to two
feet below the arch, and on ao exploriog party wading
through the water all the men were found and brought out
alive, baring taken refuge in the upper levels, which were
free from gas or water.

THE ACCIDENT TO Ma. FECHTEE.—It bag already
been announced by advertisement that in mince of
Mr. Feebter baring met with au accident he will unable
for a short time to lemma his part of Angelo, in Bel De.
14 on io, at the Lyceum Theatre. It appears, from inquiries,
that on Saturday evening last, as be was escaping by the
window, in the 'Nine between himself and his beloved, be
tab Sonic portion of his clothing caught in the soccer y
and be was for an instant suspended bead downwaids, but
then fell to the ground, and received thereby severe con-
tusions over the bead, face and other parts of the body.
His hand wax also penetrated by his sword. It is believed,
however, that he will be able to resume his professional
duties on Eisler Monday.