The Express.
London, England, 1846-10-20 00:00:00

ROYAL NAVAL BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

The usual quarterly meeting of the committee of
this society . which was founded fur the purpose of affording
relief to officer; in the navy who may have fallen into dis-
tressed circumstances, and also to render assistance to their
widows and families) was held yesterday at the Thatched-
House Tavern, St. James's-street. Admiral Sir C. Malcolm
waa called to the chair, and the minutes of the last quarterly
meeting having been read and confirmed, the secretary
(Commander Dickson) communicated a letter which he had
received from Admiral Sir R. Stopfurd, resigning the office
of president of the institution on the ground of ill-health pre-
cluding the possibility of his attendint to the interests of so
deserving an establishment. The re;ignation of the gallant
admiral was ac opted with the expression of the deepest re-
gret on the cause of his retirement from a post he had so
zealously and ably filled; and the chairman undertook to
convey the sentiments of the meeting to his gallant brother
in arms.

On the motion of S:r E. Codrington, seconded by Admiral
M'Kinley, Admiral Sir Thomas Brain Martin, G.C.8., was
unanimously elected as the successor of Sir R. Stopford in the
presidential chair.
The statement of the quarterly account+ from the Ist July
to the 30th Soptember, showed that the disbursements
amounted to 6681. 28.; the receipts to 1,4071. 10s. lld ;
leaving an available balance of 839/. Ss. 11d. We have
already recorded Fiat the minutes, including the audit
of the accounts, were read and confirmed.
The real business of the day, how, ver, was the antici-
pated discussion upon a motion of which the Earl of Cadogan
had given notice, with reference to the case of Min Hoare,
who, some two years back, was a claimant upon the benevo-
, lent funds of the charity, but whose claim was rejected on
I grounds which involved allegations against her private repu-
tation. The matter has already been before the public in
the records with which they nave ad interim been furnished
through the usual organs of intelligence. A lengthy war-
fare, in the shape of publications of accusations and contra-
dictions, ensued, and, at last, a special committee was ap-
pointed to inquire into and report upon the claims of the
lady and the conduct of the secretary in the matter. That com-
mittee reported that they were unanimously of opinion that
Miss Hoare was not entitled to " present relief." It must
be mentioned that the secretary, in accordance with the
rules of the society, had caused inquiries to be made respect-
ing the character of the claimant, which he communicated
to the committee, and the ninth has been already stated.
The motion which the Earl of Cadogan now brought forward
waster the effect, that a committee of the members of the
society, of any number not less than five, to be chosen by
ballot, be appointed to inquire into the circumstances of the
charges preferred against Miss Hoare, and that Miss Hoare
be furnished with copies of the correspondence upon which
those charges were founded. The gallant and noble earl
said he did not appear as the vindicator of the claimant, or
es the accuser of any individual, but he came fora ard simply
to afford a lone and-unprotected female an opportunity of vin-
dicating her character against aspersions and accusations
which had been widely spread among the public, and which,
if true, justified the rejection of her claim upon the fund. of
the charity. But Miss Hoare had not been allowed the
opportunity of a reply to the grave imputation, ss.d he was
anxious (actuated solely by a pure sense of )justice) that the
accuser and the accused should be brought face to face. 'the
secretary had made the accusations, and he ought to substan-
tiate them.
. . _

Commando. Dtc►sos denied that he had made any accu-
sation against the claimant, or that he had done anything
more than his duty in submitting the information he had
received to the committee to which Miss Hoare's claim was
referred. _ _ _

- --- : -
Sir E. ConatNoTors, in seconding Lord Cadogan's motion,
said that the secretary stood in the position of accuser, from
the fact of his having purchased and circulated copies
of the Morning Herald, which contained not only
charges against the claimant, but violent aspersions upon
the members of the committee who took a different view
of the caw.—A lengthy aad somewhat acrimonious discussion
ensued, in the course of which Captain Drew moved, and
Captain Sherwin seconded, an amendment to the purport
that, inasmuch as nn accusations had ever been preferred
against Miss Hoare by the secretary, or any other member of
the society, the motion of the Earl of Cadogan was uncalled
for, and that all letters and communications made to the se-
cretary being of a confidential character, could not be com-
municated to the claimant without a breach of confidence, or
without rendering the society and its agents open to litiga-
tion.—The original proposition was energetically supported
by:the Earl of Cudogan, Sir E. Codriogten, and others, while
it was as warmly opposed by Captain Dickinson, Admiral
i‘l‘Kinley, Captain Frail, and others. At length the chair-
man took a show of hands, when the numbers appeared—
for the amendment 49, against it 8, majority 41.—A motion
made subsequently by Lieut. Gardner, and seconded by se-
veral members of the committee, to rescind a previous reso-
lution to refuse all further communication with Miss Hoare,
was lust by a majority of 13, the numbers being—for the mo-
tion 15, against it 28. The Earl of Cadogan, Sir E. Codrington,
and others, complained of a denial of justice, and expressed
their determination to retire from all connexion with the
society.—The remainder of the sitting was occupied in dis-
posing of memorials for assistance, and in voting about 5001.
in aid of the claimants upon the funds of the charity.

THE BISHOP OF LONDON'S CHANGE. —The Lord
Bishop of London delivered yesterday his triennial charge
to the clergy of his diocese in St. Paul's Cathedral,
There was a large number of the clergy present,
and nearly all in the archdeaconry of London. The
sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. M`Caul, from 3rd chap.
2nd Timothy. The usual formalities having been disposed
of, the Right Rev. Prelate proceeded to deliver his charge,
which was of great length. He commenced by expressing
his regret that the recommendations contained in his last
charge h d tilt been more generally carried out.
He cm:Ceased that to the propriety of those re-
commendations he still adhered. He had been con-
vinced, and he was still convinced, that a much more strict
adherence to the rubric than had hitherto been observed
was extremely desirable; but yet as ill-informed per-
eons had taken offence at what they regarded as
the introduction of new forms, he would not recommend
the clergy in such cases to oppose themselves to the
wishes of their parishioners. In no case, however, could
he condemn the clergy for adhering strictly to those
laws which, by their ordination oath, they were bound
to obey. His lordahip proceeded to express his
reasons for condemning the ne ly-formed Evangelical
alliance, He recommended the general principle of kindly
concession; but de tutted the means adopted to secure
that end by the alliance. After enlarging u; :nn the ne-
cessity that existed for increased thumb accommodation,
and referring specially to what had already been done in
Bethnal green by the munificence of the laity and others.
His lordship proceeded to remark upon the Government
scheme of education. He condemned, in the strongest
terms, the idea of the state providing a secular education for
the people, and leaving their religious instruction to the
voluntary exertions of the clergy, or the ministers of other
sects. He contended for the necessity of all education being
based upon religion. With regard to the recent conversions
to Popery, his lordship remarked that though they could not
but be regretted, he had much rather that me* eateru•mng
•
the inherent notion, of an infallible church should
at once go oat from aninnrt them, and appear in the
ranks of their opponents as open enemies, than that
they should remain with them under the mask of
friend=. Though there war much to regret in the
events which had transpired since he last addressed them,
yet there was undoubtedly much cause also far rejoicing to
be found in the increased and increasing munificence of the
laity as a body, in the extraordinarily devoted and continuing
energy of the clergy, and in the great measure of success
which as a consequence had attended the ministration of
their labours. His lordship concluded an affectionate ad-
dress by calling upon his rev. brethren to root out all
animosities front their minds, and to unite in furthering the
good cause of the Gospel.
THE STEAM-SHIP GREAT BElTAlN.—Yesterday
morning, says the Liverpool Albion of yesterday,,
Captain Harken, R,N., the commander of the Great
Britain, arrived here, rid Belfast, from Dundrum Bay.
He will remain, during his stay in Liverpool, at the Adelphi
Hotel. Yesterday he was waited upon by several nautical
gentlemea, and, to-day, he will hate an interview with the
agents of the vessel, Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, and Co. We
believe that, after a brief stay here, he purposes going to
Bristol, to communicate personally with his directors.
LORD Rouses TELESCOPE.—The Dublin Leaning
Pest publishes a letter front Mr. Dobbin, of Armagh, with
whose name the account of the attempt to deicer, Lord
Rosee's telescope was signed, stating it to be a forgery. We
are happy therefore to state that neither Lord Rome's nor Dr.
Roberston's telescope have been injured, as was conjectured.
The forger of the letter to the Belfast Chcemicir will have
the insane satisfaction of having perpetrated • very silly,
but it must he admitted, a very successful hoax. The ma-
chievous paragraph has been copied into nearly every news-
paper in the three kingdoms.
CAVENDISH SOCIETY.—A new re-publication so-
ciety for the works of the mod celebrated chemical writers
has just been formed under this title. There are now no
fewer than nine societies in existence in the metropolis for
restoring the works of the earlier authors in the different
departments of literature and science—the Camden, Parker,
Cavendish, Ray, Percy, Shakspeare, and Sydenhata societies,
besides the Oriental Translation rand.