The Express.
London, England, 1862-03-27 00:00:00

SEAMEN'S HOSPITAL SOCIETY.

The anniversary festival in aid of the funds of
this institution took place last evening at the London
Tavern, Bishopegatnetreet, under the presidency of the
LORD !Giros. The attendance was much smaller thus
usual, but amongst the company' there were several gentle.
men whose names are well known in connexion with objects
of eharity, though (as was remarked by Mr. Green, the
eminent shipowner, in the course of the evening) it was to
be regretted that the representatives of the shipping interest
were not more numerous.
The LORD MAYOR, in commending the toast of the even.
inkto the notice of the company, pointed out the strong
claims which the institution presented to the support of
the charitable public, and stated that there was no society
in this country more deserving of that assistance which
such a charity alone could claim. His lordship made a
practical appeal to the benevolence of those present, and
drew attention to the statistics of the society, which showed
that during the post year the admission of patients
into the Dreadnought amounted to 2,244, whilst medicine
and medical advice bad been supplied to 1,539 out-patients,
making a total of 3,783. This was a larger number than
had beim recorded foe assay years, and this arose from the
fact that the dimes known as scurvy had prevailed to a
greater extent during the past year than had been the me
fora long time priaoally. In proof of the interest at.
inched to the iesittialim by the seamen themselves, it was
mentioned that during the past twelve months their cm.
tributions at the various shipping offices had amounted to
7381. 19s. 2d. The interesting and important fact that
people of all nations were admitted to the banditti of the
hospital was. as usual, particularly alluded to, and from
, the statement on this
all
it appeared that the total num.
her of patients of all nations received into the hospital
from the commencement of the institution amounted to

87,153.
The LORD MATOI having proposed "Prosperity to the
Seamen's Society,"
Admiral Bowing (the chairman of the committee of
masarenent), acknowledged the compliment, and in a few
=tsenteness urged the du= of the institution upon
o knew and felt the value of this admirable cha-

itTba amount al the sabasripaions announced was 1,0041.,
heist otis.third Ism than it had been in former years ; but
the Lord Mayor and others, who add/eased the company,
took comics to observe that tho friends of the institaticat
at sot augur from this nakiskad.tor circumstancw.

GREAT LUXEMBOURG RAILWAY.-(THIS DAT.)

The meeting of the English shareholders in this
undertaking was held to-day at the London Tavern, pre-
liminary to the gleam meeting to be held in Brussels on
the 15th proximo ; the Hon. Fitsticis Scorr in the chair.
The report has already bean published.
The OUTMAN moved the s&ption of the report. The
direction bad carried out *the wishes of the shareholders,
and he weal happy to am the public gaining confi-
dence in the endirtakhm. The prices were now 100 per
cent. in advance of this time lad year, and the rata
of the dividend was gradually increasing. The
dividend of 6s. W. wen not very large, but the whole pcsi.
tem of the compeny Ins OM at which they might justly
feel satisfied. The earnings from traffic other than parcel
Milk had incremed during the year from 66 per cent. to
'TOper mut.
The motion having been seconded, was agreed to, and the
proceeding. terminated.

The King of Bavaria will remain at Nice until
after Falter His Majesty will then go to the aka of

Geneva.
At the late review at Vicenza, when the Duke of
Modena presented his troops to the Emperor, his Majesty
praised them for their fidelity to their legitimate sovereign,
which conduct, he said, might serve as an example to the
people of Italy, and to the whole of Europe.
The Malta Times of the 20th says :—" We be-
lieve we are omen in stating that the Neapolitan conga,
Chew. Ramirez, who had hitherto been allowed, without any
interference on the part of the Malta government, to die-
play the arms and flag of the ex-King of Naples on his re-
sidence, was ordered on the 7th inst. to take them down."
A few days ago, on the mountain road between
I Viterbo and Roaciedloae, about 45 miles from Rome. when
the Rev. Mr. Capper, with his wife, daughter, governess,
and two female servants were achieving the journey under
the guidance of a attain°, who had brought them safely
from Nice to that point, six men, masked and armed with
muskets, heeseht the equipage to • sudden stop, and, present-
ing their weepoes at the travellers, demanded their money.
There was of cans no attempt at resistance, and Mr.
Capper at once gave up what cash he had about him,
amounting to 20 napoleons, more or less, in various coins.
The robbers then indicated a wish to rummage the family
dreesingeases ; but, without rudely breaking them open,
they civilly waited for the keys to be produced, and finally
abstracted nothing. Indeed, they would accept nothing
but cash.
A Washington letter of the 11th says :—" To the
great regret of the diplomatic world, M. Mercier, the
French minister, and his wife were burnt out of their hams
at Georgetown on Shrove Tuesday night, losing papers,
library, and even clothing. We expect a good many British
officers—as many as can get leave—down here to look at
the battle which is now likely to occur immediately, and
several have come here already. Colonel Comity, Major de
Winton, R.A., Captain Massey, Lieutenant Stevenson,
Colonel Shaw Kennedy, do. It is probable Colonel Wether-
all will be here in a few days, and if Sir Fenwick Williams
could give longer leave many others would come to witness
• very remarkable sight in its way, and the largest army of
volunteers ever seen in the woad. It is well worth ask-
ing, both for its defects and its manta."
The Spanish papers state :—" The Queen of Spain
had sat the Duke of
hennaAhu and Marquis of Oamana to
Yamaha to welcome in me and to accomjsroll
the capital their Royal Highnesses the Duke and
of &shant • but the Duke declined to visit the capital, ie
oonsequeem; of ill-health, and tail that when her Majesty
is to Arsnjues„ where the climate is more temperate, he
will, if his health permit, place himself at the feet of her
Majesty, to whom he will make excuses by letter."
SOCIETY POIL THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE FINN
Ants.—The mooed conversation° of the season of this so.
Dirty took plies hot evening at the galleries of the Architea
tural Exhibition in Conduit-street, when there was a
numerous assemblage of members and their friends.
Amongst the more interesting features in the Architectural
' Exhibition of this season was an entire set of the sketches
of the late Augustus Welby Pugin, between 800 and 900 in
number. The musical programme, under the direction al
Mr. Alfred Gilbert, was • considerable improvement upon
throe on former occasions.
GroLoorcsr. SocIETY or LONDON.—The next
meeting of the society will be held at Burlington-house,
es April 2. The following papers will be read :—L
"On some Remains of Chitnu from the Mountain-limestone
of Yorkshire ;" by J. W. Kirkby, Esq. ; communicated by
T. Davidson, Esq., F.G.S. 2. "On the Occurrence of
Mesozoic and Permian Faunae in Australia ;" by the Rev.
W. B. Clarke, F.G.S. 3. "On some Reptilian Remake
from the Coal-measures of the South loggias, Noes
Bootie;" by Prof. Oren, F.A.S., F.G.S. 4. 'On some
Fossil Foot-prints from Hastings;' by A.
F.
Taylor, Fol.,
AN AGED WOMAN Burxr TO DEATH AT From&
—Mrs. Ann Humphries, a widow, 71i years of age, mat
with a shocking end on Saturday. She had for three or
four months past been lodging at the house of Mr. and Mts.
Dace, in Palmer-street, Frome, and has latterly exhibited
some symptoms of insanity, often attempting to ignite her
clothes at the fire, and there is ground for the belief that
the unfortunate creature became a victim to this dangerous
propensity. During the night of Thursday she twice
attempted to set her nightclothes on fire, once by igniting
the string of her asp and next the sleeve. ()a both
emeasions the sister of Mrs. Deuce, who was attending her,
eseeseded in putting out the fames. On Friday evening
the young woman, at the request of Mrs. Humphries, west
out to fetch some gin, and during her absence the shocking
occurrence took place. Mrs. Drew, hearing the decessw
ay " Fire," went upstairs and found that her lodger, with
her clothes blazing, had come down from her own room.
I With admirable presence of mind Mr. Dace procured s
piece of carpet, which he wrapped around the deceased,
and, receiving severe injuries himself, succeeded in utile
guishiog the flame'. A medical man was sent for. bat the
woman had sustained such very severe injuries that after
suffering great agony the expired at an early hoer on
Saturday morning . AD inquest was held the same after-
noon at the Old Mechanics' Hall, before Dr. Wybrants, the
coroner, and the jury returned an open verdict, to the effect
that deceased died from the effect of burns reoeived on the
previous evening, but whether those burns were accidents'
or otherwise there was no evidence to show. Deceased wet
possessed of some propery.--Sherenene Journal.
A COLLIERY ON FlRS—About half-past one
o'clock on Sunday morning, the fire-tester at the Womb-
well Main Colliery, belonging to Messrs. Bartholomew.
Baxter, and Company, was alarmed by a vast quantity of
smoke issuing from a " slant" between the south levels. and
through which they are ventilated. He, with nnotherrosn,
went to the spot from whence the smoke appeared to
seed, when when they discovered that the coal had by some
means ignited. The men at once left the colliery to obtain
oanistitooe, which was speedily accomlished. The brat
object was the rescuing of the horses at the bottom the
pit, and in that respect they were no far successful. that all
were got out but two, when the vast volume of emote cane
pelted the workmen to cease their labours. Roth the shafts
were then sealed up, so that no air could permeate
the
pit, and in that state the place now remains. It is seepage
that from sixty to seventy yards of the coed has lemma
ignited. The colliery is one of the largest in the Santa
orkshire ooal-field, and employe rather more thou fr
hundred hands, who will be thrown out of employmect if
this unfortunate event. The aocident is aerostat to hare
arisen from a quantity of the refuse of the stables booming
ignited from the snuff of one of the oil lames.—Afalicnoter
Guardian.