The Express.
London, England, 1855-05-09 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 9, - 1855. -

red a squadron of ofilopholders from the Curtow-hoosc,
stand godfathers to the new erns, which Is to be osEed the
" Wow* Logien." So fa: flan prevearimg forays upon
Cabs, it NHS that the government at Washington is the
lap:cid patron of the basins's.

PORTSMOUTH ROYAL SAILORS' HOME.
PROPOSED ENLARGEMENT.
--•--
A public mating was held on Monday afternoon
at Willis's Rooms, St. James's, Rear• Admiral Earl Spencer,
K.G., is the chair, in furtherance of • scheme for the en-
lagensent of the above institution.
The CADMIUM, in opening, the proceedings, said the
advantages of sailors' homes bad already become notorious
throughout the laud. La nearly all the great ports
such institutions had been established, and the benefits re-
stating from them were seen is the morel and physical ad-
vantages which they; secured to the seafaring population.,
TM were assembled in conaexion with a special hume—the.,
Royal Sailors' Home at Portsmouth. That home began
heft very smelt things in 1851 ; it had, however, rapidly
hienese.,, and it was manifest that seamen appreciated the
benefits which it was now proposed to extend. He held in!
his hand a document headi d, " Returns of boarders. casual
inmates, and others sleeping at the institution from the
opening in April, 1831." It appeared that in May, June,
and July, 1851, the number of inmates was as follows :
Bowlers with beds, 456; e Lima inmates with beds, 547 ; ship.
wrecked mariners, 27. From the let of August, 1851, to I
the 31st of July, 1852, there were of boarders with beds,
2,487; casual inmates, 10,769; shipwrecked mariners, 44;
casual inmates sleeping on mats in day-ball 2.749. From the
Ist of Angust,lBs2, to the 31st of July, 1863, the inmates
wan—Boarders with beds, 2,220; casual inmates with bwis,
11,846; ehiowrecked mariners, 61; casual inmates sleeping I
ea mats, 2 6.53. From the Ist of August, 1853, to the 31st
N July, 1864, the number of boarders with beds was 2,061 ;
of creel inmates with beds, 8,316 ; t f shipwrecked niannen,
65 ; and of cased inmates 'leering 0.. mats, 1,442. From
the Ist of August, 1851, to the 30. h of April, 1866, the re-
turn gave the following melt :—lssarders with beds, 4,123;
sang inmates with beds, 16,125 ; shipwrecked mariners, 79;
weal inmates sleeping on mate, 1,628 Toe total from the
eseamesonnent was—Boarders with beds, 11,346; casual
image with bed , 47.602; shipwrecked mariners, 266;
casual inmates sleeping on mats in day hall, 8,363.
Re thought the last item, the number of those who
had slept on the floor rather than resort to
places of doubtful character, afforded a striking proof
that the home wee appreciated by seamen, and ought to be
extended. Es would now speak of the patronage and an-
eouragement besmwed upon the institution by her most
gracious Majesty. His Royal Highness Prince Albert
visited the home during the spring, and was pleased on that
amnion to 'epees his approbation; bat the best proof of
royal approval was to be found in the following letter, ad-'
dressed to Captain Gambier, the Ashman of the committee,
and dated the very day of Prince Albert's visit:
" Osborne, March 19, 1865.
Sir,—l have received the commands of her Majesty the
QOM'S, and his Royal Highness the Prince, to inform you,
that holing deeply the importance at the present time, when
so many seamen are employed in her Majesty's melee, of
providing a mach larger extent of accommodation to the
Portsmouth Sailors' Home, than at present exists, it is the
intention of her Majesty and his Royal Highness to contri-
bute a joint donation of 30u1. towards the expense of the
present proposed Mermen of available room. lam further
directed to inform you, that in the event of so considerable
a slam being collected, as to give al early prospect of your
being able to make use of the next boons belonging to the
establishment, for the purpose of affording a still larger
number of seamen a clean, safe, sod respectable lodging,
when on shore—her Majesty would be willing la addition to
give 2001. more, to ensure so desirable • resuit.—l have the
honour to be, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,
" Captain Gambier, R.N." " C. B. Poiret.
It was to forward an object in which her Majesty had
expressed so crest an interest that that meeting had been
convened. Her Majesty wished that in the absence of the
Baltic and Blaca Sea fleets great exertions should be made
to enlarge the sooommodatioa in the Portsmouth Sailors'
Home, in order that when the fleets returned, the seamen
who manned them might find that those who had been
living in England bad not been uamindful of their welfare.
(Cheers.)
Capt. OAMBIZII, R.N., they made a statement on behalf
of the committee with regard to the preemie position of the
home and the necessity for *alleging it. He contended that
the institution ought not to be regarded as a mere local one,
as it was eatablishea for the benefit of seamen who came
erally from parishes scattered all over the country, end
its scuts were not confined to seamen belonging to the
royal navy, but wore extended to the sailors of the whole of
this country end its dependencies. He then gave a minute
description of the Sailors' Home as it at present exists. The
institution comprised, he said, • lugs hall In front, where
the men assembled for smoking, reading, and other pur-
poses, and a very fair library, which was presented to it by
the Admiralty. Th.:* wee also • diniag-room where 140
poisons could dine at the same time. Above, there were
three stories of dormitories, principally in wings, and these
wings, in accordance with a plea approved by his Royal
Hiatuses. Prince Albert, they wished to carry on so as to
joie the old baildiug with the new one, there being at pre-
sent an open space between the two. Mat of the bed-rooms
were small cabins—en arrangement which afforded security
for the clothes and other property of the inmates;
but, there being a number of rooms in the house
which were too small to be turned into cabins,
these were fitted up with open beds for the use of
men belonging to vessels lying at Spithead, who, owing to
stress of weather, or any caner cause, might happen se be
detained on shore. There was also provided for the amuse-
ment of the inmate, a skittle-ground, where each man
who entered was allowed to have while he remained a single
pint of beer, so that it was impossible for the players to got
intoxicated. The entrance of the building was very near the
dockyard gates. With • view to enlargement, the committee
had minhased • small house abutting oa the dining-roem,
and three or four adjoining houses might be obtained for
the same purpose for about 4001. emelt. The seenring of
these woe all that we required to make the hese essplete,
and to provide the requisite aememsmededes even for the
large number of seamen that frognosted Petlesesth. The
sum for which he now asked on behalf of theeommittee wee
3,0001.; and it was in order to bring into operation the pre-
miss. in Hanover-street that her Majesty's additional NU
had been graciously promised. The pliant captain
then showed the need of a sailors' home by rm
(erring to scenes of drunkenness and debauchery
which, he said, were frequently. witnessed among sailors at
Portsmouth ; and to the drugging of liquor, the extort:ices
and the robbery which they habitually suffered at the
hands of wimps. To illustrate the beneicial working of I
the institution, be observed, that • boat which had been
employed by the semantics of the Home is visiting Healer
Hospital, had completely driven away the crimps who
need to waylay the invalids that went there on their arrival
from abroad. At Spithead, too, he remarked, when nasals
arrived at the anchorage they were visited by the best of
the institution, and if pomible induced to pat their ellelles
on board and to avail themselves of the shelter and pester.
Um provided for them. The charges made to the *MIR
for all that the Home afforded wise 13s. • week, or t• •
day for men, and 10s. 6d. • week fee boys. Salem
weld use the place just like as heals taking Min
• single seal • day, or all their
ma:4.l staying Maw
se es Um two, an Mn knee .
ansbos of Names led bees In *UM
Yeas sad ease the loss given by the drdsman, an sae
genii Nat thee est were full sena& elf the ben et
the estaMlarinerS I. by essenseing the hi.
to Ma Sewer& the eilassesist :—Earl lei
of Matied. the Mat. Od. Degas' Petwastil
and s reduced Rear-Aihakel, MK auk; Me sari of Ellis-
mere, 26L; the Biallsop Wleoboellek
_Berl Clanwilllam,
and Rear Admiral otela es* ; Lea Romney, Ad-
miral Sir C. Ogle, AJmiwl Meerles, Captain Gladstone, Mrs.
Banks', and Joseph Hems, Ift.„ melt; Lord Radstock,
Rear Admiral Sir E. Perry, Me W. Poll, Admiral
Sir G. Seymour, Captain Trmmhsell, and J. Barrow, Esq.,
51. seek; sad other emus of saeler estenet.
Admire! Bowles, Lei Meinessfs. Ailed Sir G. Soy-
soar, Lord Byron, sad 110.41111 ethse ssaliesen, addressed
the meting.

DEFEAT OF THE PRO•RUSSIAN PARTY AT
LEEDS.

11 On Monday evening Int. Mr. Osorp Thompson
wooded a large meeting at Leeds, kr the purpose of lee-
turieg upon the meet war. The di* tem arespied by
Mr. Joint Awrizaw, jun. ; sad Mr, Tbumpess, in a
speech two hours long, argued that the people of England
are profoundly ignorant of the muse owl aegis of the pre-
sent war ; that the war really vith Frame, is
the &meads made by that power hi moppet to the hely
places; that Turkey had throughout reed with duplieity.
head, mad tergieenatios ; that imols had sever demanded
anything more then that power wisbody entitled to by
trestles; that the semis* of Promis hid bees
leissteierste is
the estrum ; that the blae basis poem. to be t,
aad ?Grimmer( ; fres duellist, Mogi& and French
diplomats had poNslall easiest Me essolsol of Turkey,
and poled Met of Reis; mid thee Ingked end Prase,
bad sot the shadow of pretence for deekdag war against
Birds.
Mr. Oesseillor Cuter. Mr. Orford, Mr. Lloyd Jones,
and Kr. J. lenhaw replied to the misinonts of the lee!
terwrondosplaised the eggrestive sad deeps* palsy of
Reeds, whom territorial enrsedisemeut it wee essestial to
the freedoms of Winters gimps to arrest.
Mr. OA/MIL at the gall of his speech, proposed the
following isolation :—" That is the opisios of this meeting
the war with Bond} is
the sad wessazy war, sad ought
to be prosecutid with reatest viper satil materiel
iesuse against future eggremio• cm the pert of Buser
, Es Tosecured."
this realsticW Mr. Thomson proposed the following
ssedAaht; rho* oceptiogibeertily deplerisg the
hest wr;sa ergs
rho sehmilens less of llto whisk
he. ollonied She gssmonties el MIS meat war, world rm-
. meetly wogs es gemommt *sty of employlag tsar
. utmost inner peweesW inilltmam of so boseerable
sad }comma pease."
Alas a Messed= st tsar hems, mist hilt-past Mesa
ealook Weigh% lie sorgisal modes for *cross proems-
dm of the war wee serried by or mujsrity.

CRYSTAL PAL/As—Return of admindoss fo;.,iiiz
dam ending /day b.—Number iaeladiag omen
tieket holden, 16,779 ; snout received irr adadeeleeldi
lbbl.lo.

ROYAL MEDICAL BENEVOLENT COLLEGE.

Yesterday the annual general meeting of the
governors of this institution was held in Hanover-square
Rooms- In the absence of the president, Earl Manton,
Lord Viscount SIIIIIMOTON, M.P., was called to the chair.
Dr. Btrtvimma, Monetary Becretary, read the report of
the council, which stated that the general result. of their
labours daring the past year were of a most gratifying cha-
racter. In the first place, they had obtained for the insti-
tution the patronage of her Majesty the Queen, who had
been graciously pleued to allow of its being ;ailed the
Royal Medical Benevolent College. At the anniversary
dinner, held en the 28th of February last, under the proof-
Mosey of his Itheelleng the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, the
eabicriptione amounted to 2,3031.—a tangible proof that the
institution was assuelleg a permanent character. Its funds
had also been Increased by legacies to the extent of 7001
and by a donation of 6001. There was at present before par-
liament a bill for the incorporation of the college, which the
council were confident of having passed into a law. The
buildings at Epsom were fast appoeshlog completioa' and it
was proposed to open a portion of them on the Ist or Octo-
ber neat for the reception of pensioners and foundation
scholars.

Mr. °LITITZ/. M.P., moved the adoption of the report.
The Tassel:inns (Mr. Propert) then stated that since the
founding of the College the council had received 21,6081.
71. sd. and had the promise of subscriptions which would
bring le amount up to 30,809!. The expenditure up to
the present time had been 16,4651. 7e. 4d. 83 that there
was in hand a balance of above 8,0001. The liabilities of the
institution amounted to 24,000!. The proems which the
council had made dating the last three years was perfectly
astonishing, and showed that the dears was favoured by
the Almighty. lilted been mermaid from the pulpit that
medical men had opened the way for the clergyman to
many a sick room, from which be would without their aid
have been excluded. finch conduct brought with it the
blewing of H , and he felt sure that the Almighty would
in His infinite goodness continue to foster the insti
tution—of the permanent success of which he had
sot the slightest d übt. When he considered that
there were in England and Wales 16,000 medical
prtctitioners, • subscription ot 10e. 6d. from each of whom
would give to the College a revenue of 8,000 guineas a year,
and he did not think it would ever require more than 2,0001.
per arena.
Mr. Paoesav received the dusks of the meeting for his
indefatigable exertion' ; and some routine titulary, having
been disposed ot, the proceedings terminated with the
usual compliment to the chairman.

BRITISH AND FORRI9N SCHOOL SOCIETY.

The annual general meeting of the members and
friends of this society was held yesterday at the lestitution
in the Bovesgh-road. The pomading* began With IC
examination of the children, sad at 12 o'clock the busi-

nese of the meeting commenced, the Doke of ARGYLL, one
of the Vice-Presidents, in the chair.
His Onsca, in opening the proceedings, referred to
the great progress the schools had made during the lest
few ye►rs, and then dwelt upon the value of the society
as the mouthpiece and the standard of important edu-
cational principles. It mast be gratifying to the friends
of education, that five, if not sin, measures of education
were at present before parliament, competing fur the
favour of the representatives of the people. Re
thought, if these schemes were well disatmed, it wool.'
be Sohn] that t►e differences were small, and that all
_

Effie Lies would vanish. The first treat party of educa-
tionists to which he would allude was the sectarian party,
sgainst whose views great clamour bad been raised. He
thought it was a mistake to accuse that party with being
adverse to religion. He knew several persons who sup.
ported the menhir plan of education, who set a high value
upon the inculcation of religious prii.olpies. They said
that, considering the division of religions opinions, all they
could down to unite in giving secular education to the
children, leaving religious instruction to the parents and
gaudisarof the children themselves. Bat he thought that
in the secular plan the advocates forgot that they had to
deal with a large number of children whou parents and
guardians bad no means of education to give them. Of
course secular education might be conducted religiously
or irreligiously ; but if there were no strong party bias on
the part of the teacher, he believed his mode of instruction
oould not have an injurious effect upon religion. The neat
great scheme was that under which, while religious educa-
tion might be strictly attended to, secular education might
be entirely neglected. A third party was that to which the
British and Foreign School Sung, belonged, conveying re-
ligious teaching on the basis of Scripture alone. That eye-
tem he believed to be the beat. He was quite sure that re-
ligion weld be thoroughly taught by Scripture alone, and
without reference to catechisms and creeds; and he trusted
that some measure would pus through parliament this
session which would overtake the " waste places" that
existed, and whioh would be the means of educating the
poor in a scriptural and yet liberal manner. (Hear, hear.)
The reportestated that the total ren eipts of the year have
been 17,369/. 16,. 6,1 , and the expenditure, Including a re-
payment of loan, 16,69 U. 19s. Id.
Several resolutions in support of the society were unani-
mously adopted.