The Press.
London, England, 1854-08-19 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

torio. Miss Clara Novello will be the prima donna
on the occasion, Sir Henry Bishop will conduct,
and Dr. Wesley will guide the organ—an instrument
so vast that it requires the aid of steam to bring out
its volume in perfection.

'ant ant( Ottani.

THE KING'S LYNNATHELEUM.

THE Atheneum in King's Lynn, projected some
time ago by a few local residents, and just completed
at a cost of 7,0001., and for the purchase of books in
which Lord Stanley had subscribed 1,0001., was
opened on Wednesday last in the presence of a
large number of influential inhabitants. The build-
ing comprises a music hall, museum, news room,
class rooms, &a. A library will be opened for the
working classes at a nominal subscription, the cor•
poration contributing 501. a year to its maintenance,
and another annual grant of a like amount to the
Athenreum generally. At the inauguration on Wed-
nesday an address from the working classes was
presented to Lord Stanley, expressing their grati
tude for his munificent donation. His lordship, in
an eloquent reply, enlarged upon the advantages of
such institutions, and entered into various topics in
connection with the educational wants of the coun-
try. In concluding his speech, which was through-
out listened to with great attention, Lord Stanley
alluded to the recent melancholy death of his col-
league in the representation of the borough, Lord
Jocelyn. He said:—
" There is one subject which is in all our minds, and to
which, though a painful one, I cannot forbear from allud-
ing. I refer to the absence, to the loss, not for a time, but
for ever, of one whose good wishes were with us on this
occasion, whose presence we confidently anticipated, and
who has been taken from us in a manner so sudden and
so unlooked for. In Lord Jocelyn you have lost a most
valued representative—l, a colleague, and dear friend.
Neither loss is easily repaired. To the interests of this
borough he was always devoted ; his courtesy, his kind-
ness, his amiable disposition, his love of labour for its
own sake, his unwearied assiduity in the performance both
of his political and military functions, will here be long
remembered ; and, since we were to lose him, it is some
consolation to know that he died by the noblest of all
deaths—a death incurred in the discharge of his duty.
You are aware that when the fatal disease which carried
him off broke out among the regiment which he com-
manded, he quitted his own residence, and went to live
among his men, in order to share their danger, to encon-
rage them by his presence, and to dissipate a panic which
might have aggravated the severity of the attack. In that
service he was struck down ; and that was as much a mar-
tyrdom to public duty as if he had fallen on the field of
battle. Our undertaking is indeed inaugurated amidst
marked and melancholy auspices. God grant that its
future may be marked by happier omens, and that it may
not only prove an ornament to our streets and an honour
to its founders, but serve to promote the well-being of the
people of Lynn, and help on the good cause of education
and knowledge throughout England."

ANOTHER SPLENDID VESSEL belonging to the long
famous class of "Aberdeen clippers" has been
completed by Mr. S. Thompson, M.P. This ship
had been named the Omer Pacha, and previous to
her taking her first departure from the river a dis-
tinguished party was invited by Mr. Thompson to
pay a visit on board, on Saturday last, when the
vessel was lying in the West India Docks. Among
those present were his Excellency M. Mussurus,
Turkish minister at London ; Vely Pacha, Turkish
ambassador at Paris ; E. Zhorab, Esq., consul-
general of Turkey in London ; Prince M. Dubomir-
ski, the Marquis of Clanricarde, the Earl of Harring-
ton, Lord Dudley Stuart, M.P., the Hon. Arthur
Kinnaird, M.P., S. Gregson, Esq., M.P., chairman of
the West India Dock Company; Captain Thompson,
commander of the ship ; and Mr. Routh, director of
the West India Dock Company. After having
viewed the ship, the visitors sat down to an elegant
collation, when the health of the Queen, the Sultan,
and the Emperor of the French were successively
given by Mr. Thompson, and drunk with enthusiasm.
His Excellency M. Mussurus returned thanks for
the Sultan. The figure-head of the ship represents
a handsome likeness of Omer Pacha in full uniform,
and the ship was on this occasion decorated with
flags, the Turkish standard flying at the main, the
French tri-colour at the fore, and the English ensign
at the mizen.
THE formation of a harbour of refuge at Padstow,
on the coast of Cornwall, has been actively projecting
in the West of England. The scheme is highly de-
sirable for the shipping interests of the Bristol
Channel, as well as the Irish traders. At present
there is not a single harbour of shelter on the
English coast from Penarth Roads and Kingroad
down to the Land's-end ; and the main feature of the
movement is the formation of a harbour which shall
be accessible for vessels in all winds varying from
the south-west to north-west.
THE HALF-YEARLY ACCOUNTS of the Eastern Coun-
ties Railway are before the auditors, but it is under-
stood that the dividend will be 3s. 6d. per share,
carrying forward about 5,0001.

Sow: intelligence of the Arctic-searching opera-
tions has been received from Captain Inglefield,
who had reached Disco Island, in the Phanis, at
the end of June. The report of the season was
highly unfavourable, both as to the preceding
winter and present season. For many years it had
not been known so severe, and there is some fear
that Captain Inglefield may not be able to cross
Baffin's Bay, and so reach Beechy Island, in which
case the absent vessels, and especially Captains
Maclure and Collinson, will not be relieved this
year, and we must remain ignorant of what has been
done in prosecution of the search for Sir John
Franklin's expedition. It seems possible, neverthe-
less, that the unusually large quantities of ice which
have been seen in the Atlantic during the spring
and summer may have been occasioned by the dis-
ruption and descent of large bodies in the northern
part of Baffin's Bay, leaving it comparatively free,
while the narrower portion at the southern outlet
has been choked. As Captain Inglefield proceeded
to the northward be might accordingly find the less

hindrance to his progres-s.
THE RETURNS OF THE AGES OF LADIES have
given some trouble, says the Census Report, and a
slight correction has been necessary. Those who in
1851 were between 20 and 25 must have been be-
tween 10 and 15 at the previous census ; but the
number of girls between 10 and 15 in 1841 was not
large enough to grow into the goodly company who
in 1851 say that they are but between 20 and 25.
The return also between 30 and 35 in len is too
small as compared with the return for the tavourite
age of 20-25 in 1841. After allowing for imtnigra-
Lion, and comparing the numbers with those of the
men, the Registrar-General and his assistants are of
opinion that about 35,000 lathes who have entered
themselves as between 20 and 40 really belong to the
next age, 40-60, to which the body of delinquents
are transferred in the calculations and tables accord-
ingly.
A RETURN of the names of all governors and
lieutenant-governors of the British colonies, with
the amount of their salaries, dates of their appoint-
ments, &c., has just appeared. There are 45 places
at which we have governors, lieutenant-governors, or
persons acting in that capacity. Their aggregate.
salaries amount to 118,8461. per annum. The highest
salary is 7,0001., which is given in two cases only—
viz., to the Earl of Elgin, Captain-General and
Governor-in Chief of Canada; and to Sir G. W. Ander-
son, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Ceylon.
Ft om this point they range downwards as low as
5001., which is the salary at Montserrat, Nevis, and
Heligoland. There is one 6,0001. salary, to ames
Macaulay Higginson, at the Mauritius; and 5,000/.
is given at Jamaica, to Sir H. Barkly ; at Gibralter,
to Lieutenant-General Sir R. Gardiner ; at the lonian
Islands, to Sir H. G. Ward ; at the Cape of Good
Hope, to Lieutenant-General Cathcart , at New
South Wales, to Sir C. A. Fitzroy ; and at Victoria,
to Captain Sir C. Hotham. The salary at South
Australia is 2,0001. Amongst the present governors
there are twelve holding military, and four naval rank.
The remainder are civilians. The Earl of Elgin is
the only peer.
PROFESSOR AIREY, the Astronomer Royal, paid a
visit on Saturday last to the colliery district of the
Tyne in pursuit of curious and important astronomical
observations. For that purpose be was taken
down Harton pit, the deepest in the Tyne,
1,260 feet deep, to examine if it were possible
to make arrangements in it for a series of delicate
experiments and observations in reference to the
pendulum, and the earth's action upon it there,
simultaneously with similar ones on the surface,
with a view to determine the weight of the earth and
planets. Mr. Anderson and the other proprietors
and officers of this splendid mine gave every facility
to the Astronomer Royal, and tendered not only the
use of the mine, but their own personal services for
any future occasion.
THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY DIRECTORS' REPORT
for the past half year shows a disposable balance of
168,0741. 12s. 7d., out of which it is proposed to
liquidate a claim of 30,0001. by the Shrewsbury and
Chester, and the Shrewsbury and Birmingham share-
holders, thus reducing it to 138,0741. 12s. 7d. The
half-yearly dividend will, in consequence, be reduced
to V. lOs. per cent., which will require 123,5441.
2s. 10d., leaving a balance to be carried over to next
half-year's account of 14,5301. Os. Od. Appended to
the accounts is a circular statement, in which the
directors explain the reason for the proposed payment
of 30,0001. to the two Shrewsbury companies out of
their revenue for the halfyear, which will prevent
the payment of the usual half-yearly dividend.of '2/.
per cent.
A FEW months ago Mr. Cox, a surgeon of Bath,
brought an action for libel against Mr. Carrington,
the editor and proprietor of the Bath Chronicle. The
proceedings terminated a short time since, and Mr.
Carrington was cast in damages to the amount of
one farthing. His friends now, to show how highly
they esteem him as citizen and journalist, propose
giving him a handsome testimonial.