The Press.
London, England, 1854-05-06 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

(Sergeant TaHowl) whose loss they all so deeply de-
plored. (thar, hear.) In geology and classical learning
they had the Deans of Westminster and St. Paul's, and it'
they looked to the higher ranks of the Church they would
find letters most worthily represeneed in the persons of a
Thirlwall or a Whately. (Hear.) Again, iu turning to
the politicians they arrived at the same results. There
were politicians who read nothing but blue-hooka, some
who looked down upon literature with contempt, and some
who looked upon literary men from the point of view taken
by Goldsmith in The Good-nairred Man. They might
remember in that play that when somebody mentioned
Waller to Mr. Lofty, the latter said, " Waller, is he in the
house? " He feared that there were still some Loftys left,
but where did they find them? Not amongst the higher
classes of politicians. Fox always clung to his Dryden
and Shakspeare, or indulged in the composition of Italian
canzonets; and Pitt never ceased in his attachment to
classical literature. But where could he find a more
appropriate instance than the case of their own president,
the Marquis of Lansdowne, who, having obtained a seat
in the Cabinet forty-eight years since, held one in it at the
present moment? (Cheers.) He believed that such a
ease was wholly without precedent, but of each men it
might be said, as was said of Mr. Pitt, that their love of
intellectual pursuits, independent of political avocations,
flowed pure and undefiled as the fabled fountain of
Arethuss, through all the bitterness of party. Such were
the intelt.ectual advantages of institutions like the present,
bat other and more substantial ones ought also to be men-
tioned. The noble lord proceeded to allude to the well-
known cases of Milton, Otway, and the early days of Dr.
Johnson, and concluded with a powerful appeal on behalf
of the charity."
Lord STANLEY, in proposing the health of the chairman,
complimented his lordship on hie long apprenticeship in
the noblest political school in the world, the British House
of Commons. In that house the three great leaders of
political parties, the three most eminent men in the House
of Commons, were men not merely of literary sympathies,
but were distinguished in the literary walk themselves.
Lord J. Russell was not only an author, but an historian ;
Mr. Gladstone was responsible for a great deal of pub.
lishers' ink ; and Mr. Ihsraeli had, as they were all aware,
made his early reputation solely by his literary efforts.
The noble lord concluded with a compliment on the chair-
man's history of England, which he said was moot popular
in all the mechanics' libraries.
A list of subscriptions, considerably exceeding
1,0001., was read during the evening by Dr. Russell,
the treasurer, who announced that in the course of
the past year 1,4001. had been dispersed to various
recipients, under the auspices of the society.
THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY held their
annual " May meeting" on Tuesday, in Exeter-hall,
with the Earl of Chichester in the chair. From the
report, read by the Rev. J. Venn, it appeared that the
amounts received by the society during the past year
had been as follows :—General fund, 110,4781.135. 2d.;
fund for disabled missionaries, 2,0161. lls.; China
mission, 8031. 2s. ld. ; total received in the United
Kingdom, 113,2981. 6s. 3d.; local funds, raised and
expended in the missions, 10,(.171.125. tid. • making
the gross income for the year, 123,915/. 18s. lid., being
tm J.ncreitee over that of last year of 2,983/. 15e. The
expenditure, including general, special, and local
funds, amounted to 181,7831.135.11 d., being an excess
over the income of 7,8071.155. The following were
the principal statistics of the society's missions pre-
sented in the report :
Number of stations, 11a; English clergymen, lea; foreign
clergymen, 44; Native and East Indian clergymen, 24; European
laymen, 30 ; European female teachers, 14; native catechists
and teachers of all classes, Len ; attendants on Christian
worship in the society's missions throughout the valid, esti-
mated at, 107,000; number of conununicants, 17,124. The
report dwelt at length on the extension, effected or contem-
plated, of several of the society's most important missions; to
the success attending the labours of its agents; the promising
character of many of the converts (especially those in the Pun-
jab, the fifths, and the Mulrie); and the probable effects on
missionary enterprise of the various movements at present
agitating she world. Of the revolution in China a hopeful, yet
anxious, expectation was expressed, it being stated that the in-
surgent leader kept 400 men constantly employed in printing
portions of Gutzlaff's version of the Scriptures, making his
• soldiers colportetira, and his oilioers expounders.
The meeting was addressed by Lord Haddo, Lord
Benholme, the Bishop of Sierra Leone, the Hon. and
Rev. S. Wakiegrave, the Rev. Hugh Stowell, and
other gentlemen.
A ItIEETINte OF THE AUSTRALASIAN PACIFIC STEAM
COMPANY took place on Tuesday, whenit was formally
agreed to wind up. The sale of three vessels to a
French steam company has been completed for
170,0001., and the directors intend to make a first re-
payment of 5/. per share in June. The ultimate li-
quidation is expected to show a profit.

Yabr plan.
ANoTrirr: " Thu." Aeries came before the Exche-
quer Court on Tuesday, the endorser seeking to re-
°over its amount, 1001., earl the acceptor pleading
that he had received no consideration for the bill, and
that the plaintiff knew that fact
The defendant, Mr. John }halm, was it seems a young gen-
demon. the in 01.,issarias of large fortune in Scotland, end had,
at the request of a person named Elliott, entrusted hint with a
bill at two month* for KM to get discounted for him. Elliott
brought this bill to one Newoome, clerk to some attorneys in
Paper-buildings, and gave it to bias on the understanding that
he was to "get it aura:- to akw daps. Newsome and his bro-
ther, who kept a betting-oMce, gave Elliott 111. as a loan to him-

self, but he understood that it was to oome out of the bill. New-
come returned the bill ie Elliott skean Mips before it. was due
and Elliott took it to a man of the name of Welshman, who re,
fused to discount it at so short a date. Elliott then returned the-
bill to Newsome. Nothing more was heard of the bill until
Sherwood, the present plaintiff, wrote a letter to hitiiklam stating
that he held an overdue acceptance of his, had sued the drawer,
and obtained judgment against him, but wee now obliged to pro-
ceed against the acceptor.
The defendant's counsel now submitted that enough was shown
to entitle him to call 011 the plaintiff to prove consideration.
Mr. Baron ALM:II9ON, after consulting the other learned ba-
rons sitting in IWI meet, said that. they were of opinion that, the
consideration should be proved.
Mr. PrTLIMOIIII, for the plaintiff, laid that nothing mild
gratify him wore than the opportunity of proving his case.
Mr. Baron ALDEZION If I had known that I should not have
troubled the Court. 1 thought he was a reluctant man. (Great
laughter.)
Mr. PtiTZMIDOIFT then eontendedthat emisidenition had beet
given for the endorsement. Mr. tiherwood's cane was that New.
come was In his debt to the amount of nearly Set and being im-
portuned for payment handed over the bill without communi-
cating to him the circumstances under which it was entrusted
to him.
Some evidence was called to substantiate this view of
the case, but ultimately the plaintiff was nonsuited,
the learned baron describing the case as a gross
fraud. The bill was ordered to be impounded.
A Nome preliminary to a new trial in a curious
libel case was made on Tuesday in the Court of Ex-
chequer :
The plaintiff is a surgeon of Bath, named Cos, and the defen-
dant is Mr. Carrington, the editor of the Bath Chroniele. In leail
Mr. Cox was attending iu his professional character upon a boy
named Bourne, who was under age, and dependent upon hie mo-
tber. The lad upon his recovery made arrangements to gu to
Australia, and, having made application to the plaintiff as to the
amount of his bill, was given to understand that it was between
21. and 31. Just as be was going to start, however, the plaint ff
Lad him arrested under a claim of 211. Ss., and he was fumed to
pay 151. before he was allowed to go. An action for a malicious
arrest was afterwards brought at Taunton, sad a verdict wits re-
covered against Cox, who took no steps whatever to set it aside,
and, when the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association took
steps to investigate the case, Cox withdrew from the society, and
the defendant gave in his paper a correct account of what took
place at the meeting. Shortly afterwards • municipal election
took place. Parties grew warm--Conaervatives were arrayed
against Liberals—the Balk (Armtek against the Bath Journal;
and Coe, it was insinuated, seized the opportunity to put down
ell that had occurred to conservative) persecution. Thus pro
voted, the Bath Chronicle stated in retaLation that the buy had
made an affidavit before a magistrate hi Australia, denying the
attendances of the surgeon altogether, or that the operation
charged for was ever performed. This wan the libel complained
of, sad the deli in his justification, alleged that the emu-
tuition atrainst the Conservatives formed a proper occasion for the
publication, and that he believed the contents of the afildavit to
be true. This, it was contended, was • euticient defence, al-
though it was not averred that the facts were absolutely true, ou
which issue might be joined and the trial proceed ou the merits.
The Court granted a rule to show cause.
TIIE POLEMICAL CONTEST IN ST. PAUL'S, KNIGHTS-
BRIDGE, has resulted in some practical manifesta-
tions, which at length came under the cognisance of
Mr. Broderip, at the Westminster Police Court.
Since the election for churchwardens of the parish
came off on Easter Tuesday, the excitement among
the opposing parties increased rapidly, and some
riotous proceedings having taken place, summonses
were obtained against the functionaries of the churches
in question, for taking an active part in the matter.
At the hearing on Tuesday last the court was crowded
by many noble and influential inhabitants of the
parishes :
The care heard was one against the Rev. Charles F. Lowder,
senior curate of tit. Barnabait. The defendant had warmly es-
poused the ranee of one esadidate, and the consplsinant, a board-
man, named Ledwitch, was emploled on the other side. Com-
plainant was carrying a board in Ebury-street, where he was at-
tacked by several boys, who threw scores of eggs at him, the oust.
tents of which covered him from head to foot. The defendant,
it was stated, not only incited the boys to throw the eggs, but
had also furnished the Inieelles. The rev. gentleman had ad-
mitted it in a letter, and had promised to make reparation to the
boardman. It was thought, however, so far to concern the pub-
lic that a public apology was called for. There was no vindictive
feeling against the defendant, and if he now made a similar apo-
logy to the one contained in the letter the complainant offered to
withdraw the charge.
The defendant said he was prepared to do en. In a moment of
intemperance be had supplied the eggs to the boys, and be hoped
the ease would be snowed to drop.
Mr. lieoeeeir : The case is at an end, and I can
only say that I hope that no more of such unseemly
scenes will take place. The parties then withdrew.
THE LATE FROSTS, according to the Gardeners'
Chronicle, have committed terrible destruction among
the fruit crops. On the night of the 24th the ther-
mometer fell to 18 deg., or 14 deg. below freezing,
the frost being what is termed a black frost, of the
most pervading description. Apple, pear, plum, and
cherry blossoms were everywhere killed. There may
be a few from later blossoms, and a few naturally
late-blooming apples, but all the most valuable are
completely destroyed. The shoots of walnuts are
hanging wet, black, and soft, as if parboiled. There
is no record of the thermometer having been thus low
in April, near London, in the present century at least.
Accounts from the surrounding counties are to the
same effect. Near Tunbridge Wells the most abun-
dant young crop of apricots, peaches, and pearswhich
bad been seen for several years was entirely de-
stroyed. In Hampshire the whole of the blooms on
the cherries, pears, plums, and apples totally perished ;
also the young apricots, which were larger than
damsons, and all the greengage plums, as well as
rhubarb, and every asparagus heed which was above
ground. At Sawbridgeworth all the wall fruit which
was not well covered, all the standard pear, plum,
and cherry blossoms, and the greater part of the
apples, if not an, utterly perished.

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