The Press.
London, England, 1858-12-25 00:00:00

Sttrogolitan.

THE NATIONAL PROVIDENT INSTITUTION held its
twenty-third annual g. neral meeting at the London
Tavern. on Tuesday, Mr. Lucas in the chair. The
report showed that, within the last twelve months,
1,188 propuwals have been offered to the board, of
which 1,007 have heen accepted and completed,
assuring the sum of 482,4891.. the annual premiums
on which amount to 13;913/. 4s. sd. Of the re-
maining proposals 943 have been declined and 83
are not yet completed. The number of members who
have died during the year is 214, the claims arising
thereon, including 7,4941. 18s. sd. as bonuses std red
to the original sums assured, amount to 109,3211.
Hs. 5.1 The total sum paid to the representatives
of deceased members since the establishment of the
institution is 809,6481. 143. 4d. Notwithstanding this

IMMM/INIMMMINEMMOII
1258 THE PRESS, DECEMBER 25, 1858.

its capital has largely increased

every year. The accounts for the year ending the
20th November last have been duly audited ; the
balance of receipts over disbursements in that period
is 121,069/. Ils. 9d., raising the capital stock of the
institution to 1,621.550/. lls. Ild., which is invested
on mortgage of real estates, government and other
securities, including the sum of 101,663/. advanced
on loan at interest to members, on the security of
their respective policies. Tha gross annual income
arising from premiums on 15,262 existing policies is
247,6931. Is. Id., and the annual abatement on the
20th November, 1857, to be continued for the five
years ending in 1862, 50,112/., leaving a balance
of 197,5811. Is. Id., to which must be added interest
on invested capital 69,8501. 7s. Id., making the total
net annual income 267,431/. Bs. 2d. The present
number of members is 12,647. The report was
adopted, and the meeting proceeded to the election of
directors for the ensuing year.

THE WESTMINSTER PLAYS, with Terence's comedy
of Phormio, took place at St. Peter's College, West-
minster, on Wednesday esening, and were honoured
by the presence of their Royal Highnesses the Prince
Consort and the Prince of Wales. Amongst the
gen(ral company we observed Lord John Russell,
who was seated on the Prince Consort's right, and
with whom his Royal Highness frequently held
familar conversation uetween the acts, the Turkish
Minister, Viscount Barrington, the Dean of St.
Paul's, the Dean of Westminster, Mr. Mowbray, M.P.,
Mr. Marsh, M.P., the Provost of Eton, Vice-Chan-
cellor Page Wood, Lord Courtenay, Sir D. Dundas,
Viscount Somerton, the Rev. Canons Jennings, Cure-
ton, and Repton, Sir H. Holland, Lieut.-Colonel
Maxwell, Professor Selwyn, Mr. Baron Channel,
Dr. R. Phillimore, dec. The acting of Balfour as
Phormio, and of Shadwell as Geta, was of a highly
finished character, whilst the peas of Demipbo
and Chremes were capitally rendered by C. Barnes
and A. T. Kerslake, and H. Salwey quite distin-
guished himself in the part of Nausistrata by its
perfect naturalness and feminine propriety. The
only alteration in the cast of the dramatis persona
was the substitution of G. Grumbleton for Cope, in
consequence of the indisposition of the latter. The
Prologue contained some flattering references to the
Prince Consort and the Heir Apparent, and was well
delivered by Goodeve, the captain of the school. In
the Epilogue the actors were all well up in their
parts. Balfour was even more at home as the
French dancing-master than on the first rehearsal,
and the success achieved was undoubted.

Mr. Tracy The charge is clearly defined in the
statute. The charge imputed to them is belonging
to an illegal secret society, and I do not want any
remarks made about any other society. No other
society has anything to do with it.
Mr. Rea : Part of my defence is that they are no
worse than their neighbours. If your worship would
fix Friday for it—
Mr. Tracy : I cannot fix any day. I have several
matters to do in connection with it that 1 cannot
explain. It is a very simple inquiry, I take it.
Mr. Rea: I believe the British Constitution has
left Belfast this last week.

Mr. Tracy : If these people had their way in Bel-
fast the British Constitution would have very little
to do in it in a short time.

Mr. Rea: Maybe we would have a far be ter one.
I have a clear duty to perform, and I like to perform
it against the Crown, because I do not think it has
done its duty to the people.
Mr. Tracy : That exhibits a very amiable propen-
sity. _ _

THE BIRTHS of 890 boys and 880 girls, in all 1,770
children, were registered last week in London. 'l'he
deaths, which were 1,531 in the preceding week, fell
to 1,442. Scarlet fever, though declining, is still
very fatal. Smallpox and measles increase.
THE SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEU3I was visited
during the week ending 18th December, 1838, by
5,329 persons.

Mr. Rea : I do not forget their services to myself,
and I intend to repay them.

Ely Ottr.Q.

THE SUB-DEANERY OF ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL has
been conferred upon the Rev. W. C. F. Webber,
M.A., incumbent of St. Botolph, Aldersgate.
THE BISHOP OF LONDON, in consequence of a
representation having been made by the church-
wardens of St. George's-in-the-East, relative to the
continuance of Tractarian practices by the rector,
the Rev. Bryan King, has addressed a letter to that
clergyman, transmitting a duplicate to the church-
wardens. In the course of the letter the Bishop
observes :—" As to the green vestments, stoles, or
whatever they may have been, which it appears you
yourself and Mr. Burn wore on the occasion of
the anniversary, I very deeply regret that you
should think it right to assume the unusual gar-
ments you described to me. I am convinced there
is no sufficient warrant for it, and if you continue it
this is against my express order. Surely, if in any
matters a bishop is entitled to require the canonical
obedience of his clergy, it is in such a case as this.. .
As to Mr. Burn's wearing such garments, I am glad
to have been assured yesterday, both by you and him,
that he will discontinue them, and I shall be truly
glad if you will resolve to do the same yourself. I
have only allowed him to officiate on his probation
under very peculiar circumstances, and require
obedience as one of the conditions of his probation.
As to matters brought before me by others, and not
by the churchwardens, it was very satisfactory to me
to be assured by you that the catechism complained
of as teaching Romish doctrine had never been dis-
tributed in the parish, or used in the school, with
your knowledge or sanction. I understand your
curate, Mr. Lowder, to have given me before the
same assurance as to his district of your parish. I
take leave to advise, that you should let your people
understand that you disapprove of this catechism,
if it is still circulating among them through any
dishonest influence of those two of your curates who
ately joined the Church of Rome. I was glad also
to be assured by Mr. Burn that he was not in the
habit of distributing the Manual of Confession '
which was complained of. 1 understand him to say
that he had only given it in one instance, and that
only because he was requested to give some such
book to a person who was troubled in mind, and that
he very incautiously gave this book without having
read it, and that he has not read it even now. I
would strongly urge upon him, through you, the
impropriety of his giving to any of your people a
book on such a subject without having satisfied him-
self that its contents are accordant with the word of
God."

Williams, and other distinguished officers of various branches of the service, then proceeded to inspect
the cadets, who were drawn up in review order, and
his Royal Highness and staff subsequently took up
a position at the finstaff, when the several classes
of cadets went though a series of evolutions in a
masterly style, the manual and platoon exercises
being under the direction of Gentleman Cadet
Anderson, who performed his task with such tact and
skill as to elicit the marked approbation of his
Royal Highness. After performing a series of gun.
nery exercises, the gentlemen cadets assembled in
the spacious dining hall, where it was arranged
that the distribution of prizes should take place.
His Royal Highness, in appropriate terms, presented
to Gentleman Cadet Anderson a handsome sword
for exemplary conduct; and also to Gentlemen
Cadets Woodward, Johnson, Haig, Caroll, dc,
prizes, consisting of mathematical instruments and
valuable books, for marked proficiency. His Royal
Highness then addressed the officers, professors,
and cadets in most impressive and instructive terms.
His Royal Highness observed the duties which the
cadets now assembled might hereafter he called
upon to perform were of a nature which demanded
the highest consideration and required the utmost
perseverance and energy with ugard to their present
studies. He was happy to find that these qualities
had been evinced in no small degree by the gentle.
men cadets during the past half-year. He would
strongly impress upon the cadets that it was cnly by
persevering in their scientific studies, even after they
had obtained their commissions, that they could
hope to turn to good account the education they
had received at that institution. He was certainly
gratified by his visit on that day, and should look
forward with pleasure to future visits. His Royal
Highness and staff then proceeded to the residence
of the governor, and partook of refreshments; and
after a subsequent brief inspection of the Royal Fuot
Artillery, returned to town.

TIIE CJILIRCH RATE CONTEST at Greenwich has been
brought to a close, after a poll of two days, by the
rate being carried by a majority of 594. The
numbers were, for the rate, 820 ; against it, 231

gain! an rtilitarg ittelligtact

THE EXAMINATION OF CADETS of the Royal Military
Academy, Woolwich, took place on Tuesday. The
event was more than usually interesting, Colonel
E. L. Wilford, R.A., the governor of the institution,
having previously received an intimation to the effect
that his Royal Highness the General Commanding in
Chief intended to be present on the occasion, and the
usual arrangements were also carried out for the
inspection of the troops in garrison. His Royai
Highness, accompanied by his aide de camp Lieu.
tenant Colonel 'Afton, Major General Cameron, C. 13.,
vice president of the council of military education ;
Major General Portlock and Colonel Elwin, of the
council of military education ; Colonel Wilford,
governor of the institution ; Major General Sir W, F.