The Express.
London, England, 1851-06-02 00:00:00

lIElt MAJESTY'S INTENDED VISIT TO THE

CITY.

it of her hiajesty having graciously
—the'

signified her intention of hononraig t-a Corporation of the
City of London with a visit on the 2nd of July, and being
present at a grand banquet which is to take place in the
Guildhall, in commemoration of the Exhibition of All
Nations, has produced no small anrdiut of interest and
gratification. As soon an it was known that her Majesty
had accepted the invitation of her loyal citizens, a committee
formed of the members of the Court of Aldermen and Com
mutt Council was appointed to carry out the usual arrange-
ments for the entertainment, which will be conducta4 on a
scale of great uovelty and splendour, far ourpassiug any-
thing that probably was ever seen within the walls of the
Guildhall, and conveying to the distinguished foreigners
who will be present a tolerable proof of the wealth and
liberality of the greatest city in the world. As fur as the
arrangements have proceeded, the hall will be laid out
almost in the same order as was observed on her Majesty's
visit in 1837, but with some very considerable and important
additions. The old Exchequer Chamber, the Courts of
Aldermen and Common Council will be divested of their
present fittings, and decorated in a very superb style as
additional banquetting and retiring rooms. The committee
chambers will be devoted to the exclusive use of the Queen
and the royal suite. In order to afford the greatest possi-
lila spare to the many distinguished personages who will bo
anxious to witness this great national scene, a light orna-
mental gallery, we understand, will be thrown up round
the western end of the hall. The exact number of invita-
tions that will be issued has not as yet been finally fixed,
but we may state that they will include the royal and
foreign princes, her Majesty's Ministers, the heads of both
Houses of Parliament, the Royal Commissioners for the
Exhibition, the Executive Council, and if room could be
obtained it has been suggested that the mayors of the
United Kingdom might be invited to meet their sovereign
on this auspicious occasion. With the aid of the Exelie-
quer Chamber, it is thought that little short of 2,00 n vi.ituni
might be accommodated. Her Majesty aud her royal con-
sort will proceed from Buckingham Palace to the City iu
semi state. At Temple-bar, the Lord Ma) or and the other
corporative •uthorities will meet the Queen, and escort the
royal cortige to Guildhall.—Ubserrer.

WINDING UP OP IttILWAT AND JOINT STOCK
COMPANIES.-ii is understood an attempt is about to he
made to remove the business connicted with the winding
up of railway and joint stuck companies from the tribunals
of the Masters in Chancery to the Courts of II uskruptey,
on the ground that they occasion interruption and delay to
the Progress of private suits. One of the results of this
would he to take away the appointments at present held by
the official managers, and confer them on the official as-
signees. The interruption and delay alleged to arise to the
progress of private suits, is thought to supervene from the
want of method adopted in the Masters' courts, where it
has long been suggested that one or more of the 10 masters
should solely devote their time to these inquiries, or that
lied days should he appointed, as in some of the offices is
the ease, for the purpose of proceeding with these matters,
which if nu better system were adopted, would be equally
c ilculated to cause interruption and delay to private cases
in the Court of Bankruptcy. One of the prinopal reasons
for the interruption and delay 11.11,e, from the circumstance
of the offices of the Muster. iu Chancery being only open
fur business about six months out of the twelve, or, if the
various holidays an deducted, about five months in the
year.

THE GREAT EXHIBITION.

Saturday last was the first tire shilling dnv at the
Exhibition since the reduct:on of prices. M-iny persons,
considering that on the p.-evieui Saturday more than 20,000
person: had been eager to visit the Crystal Palace upon the
same terms, had looked fur a large attendanco on that day.
But never since the Ist of May have sa few parsans entered
the building as on Saturday last. Immediately after the
opening of the doors at 12 o'clech, a great number of season
ticket holders entered the building, soon to he lost in its
vast avenues end compartments innumerable, and these
were followed by 7,086 visitors paying the admission fec of
the day. The number of visitors during the day was
between 13,000 and 16,000. The absence of so',
largo a proportion of the holders of season
tickets is not surpridng, remembering the coincident
attractions of the Queen's drawing-room, the Floral
Me, and the Review. Although the nave, aisles, and
galleries of the building presented a comparatively deserted
appearance, the social aptitudes of the transept so early and
instinctively discovered by the leisurely classes, secured for
it, especially daring the early part of the afternoon, the
presence of a gossiping, lounging, criticising :nultitude.
At four o'clock, Mr. Best repeat. d, on Wild:a Great Organ,
his performance of se:ections Item Uendol2c.llut,
and

The highly agreeable eir,ct probated in the French
departanna: of the Exhibition by tho suspen.ion of
flags from the galleries facing the main aveone, has
suggested to the royal commissioners the propriety
of a similar decoration on the Baiti.lt site. It is
proposed that each corporate town exhibiting should send a
homer bearing its arm., not too costly, yet sufficiently
handsome to be worth pm. Tying is it. tov:a hall or other
public place as a memorial of the gmat industrial event.
Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bradfind, noel Hud-
dersfield, have ordered their several ilags, whieia are to be
of silk, the arras painted on both silks, 6 feet 3 inches long,
by t feet 6 inches wide, attached to a bloc stall; with a gilt
spear head.

liur Majesty his purchased, at the Expotition, a tiara of
sapphires of great lustre and size, and a brooch, consisting
of tW 3 enormous rubies, set round with iii4.llo//aS, by Lc-
munnitre, of l'aris.

Majesty visited the ,^•.z`.dhiti in this In'ruing at an
early hour, attended by her royal visitors and suite. On
the opening to the public a largo crowd poured in, and it
WWI very evident that the heading would be very crowded.
'rho roads were crowded with omnibuses, carriages, and
cabs.

From Albert-gat a (1,.n 4e procc,sion hap fur porno hoary
horn pasAiug acruts the u,,,n lurk t the caskru cutranc: of
th Cry.tol Palace.

'flak is decidedly the greatest day yet, and the belief at
the Crystal Palace is that all London is on the way there,
and that the distant streets era empty. Within the build-
ing it is evident many are mil vlsitors, as the side depart-
ments are better tilled with groups of curious inquirers.
The steamboats yesterday brought many visitors, and
cabs have been driving shout with luggage. This morning
the railway omnibuses tilled at once with passengers for the
Exhibition. ludced throughout the day omnibuses and
cabs have been pouring in visiton by thousands.

. .
TOTAL. RECEIPTS AT THE p00rt.4.--The fol owing
is a correct statement of the minis tairen at the doors of the
Gress Exhibition since its openius, Ma.. 1 to May 31 :
Date. Ii An,nint.
Thur.:lay .... May 1 .. Szatwei tickets only admitt d.
Friday
Saturday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday „ 8 .... ss. .... 2,018 0
Friday
Saturday
Monday
Tursday
Wednesday
'Thursday „ 15 .... .ss. .... 2,426 0
Friday
.... os. .... 2,536 10
Saturday
Muaday
Tuesday
Wedne.day
Thursday „ 2'2 .... ss. .... 3,797 11
Friday
Saturday „24 .... ;is. .... 6,078 0
Monday
Tuesday
.... 1.. .... 1,317 17
Wednesday
Thursday „29 .... Is. .... 2,373 18
Friday
Saturday

LW,990 1 6
Amount received fur Season Ti heti .... 64,871 Id

Total..

E 123,861 16 6

PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAM
NAVWATION CUMI'ANY.

The twenty-first half-yearly meeting of the pro-
prietors of this company was held on :Saturday, at the
offices, Lcarlenhall-street. Sir Janus Matheson, Hurt.,
chairman of the court of directors, presided at the meeting.
The report was unanimously adopted, and a dividend de-
clared at the rate of 8 per cent. per annum tree from income
tax. The discussion was entirely ..f a complimentary cha-
racter, and the resources of the company, it was stated,
were ample to meet any contemplated rivalry, from what-
ever source it might spring. It was announced that the
Pashaol Egypt was pursuent, is the most satisfactory man-
ner, the improvement of the transit route through Iris ter-
ritory, and this was most clearly confirmed by the prelimi-
naries arranged for the construction of a railway, which,
under the superintendence of Mr. Stephenson, will, it is
expected, be completed in about two years. For the Own-
tioa manifested by Ow Pasha is securing protection to
life and property through this previously terilous
journey, a special vote of thanks was accureLil, and
the directors were authorised to present it in an
appropriate form. The extension of steam commu-
nication with India and China, the increased speed of the
company's vessels, the revision and reduction in the rates
of passage, the adoption of auxiliary screw propelled
Teasels, the resumption of the north coast of China service,
the augmentation of the fleet, and the further tender fur
the Australian contracts, were all topics treated of at length
in the report in a manner which elicited the full approba-
tion of the shareholders, and led to an aluminium. expres-
sion of confidence in the general management. A feeling
tribute was paid to the memory of Sir John I'irie, law the
deputy chairman of the company. Referring to the in-
creased speed of the company's vetwela, the report says :
" For a considerable time past, the directors have devoted
their attention to the improvement, in point of speed, of
such of the company's vessels us were required to be laid
up for repairs, and which were constructed prior to the
discovery of recent improvements in swan navigation.
Their efforts have been suecessful—the Iliudostan, Oriental,
and Pottinger afford 'satisfactory instances of greatly in-
creased speed. These vessels now attain, under favourable
circumstances, at the rate of 13 nautical miles per hour;
and during four consecutive voyages, from Suez to Calcutta,
the 'Latium:en and Oriental (constructed about tea years; ago)
averaged ten nautical miles per hour, making the voyage in
eight days less than the time stipulated in the mail contract.
The directors intend to adopt a similar course with others
of the large ships of the company. Improvements are
being now introduced into the Bentinek, at present under-
going a thorough repair, which will, it is expected, insure a
rate of speed superior to both of the former vessels. The
two must recently constructed ships of the company,
the Singapore and the Ganges, each of 1,200 tuns
and .500 home-power, have proved themselves not to be in-
ferior to any ocean steam ships of their size afloat. These
vessels have steamed at the rate of 14 nautical miles per
hour, under favourable circumstances, and their average
speed may be calculated at II nautical miles per hour.
The Gauges has this month made a v.lage from South-
ampton to Mills. performing the whole distance, 2,162
miles, in 187 hours, being at the rate of Ili nautical
miles pat hour." With regard to auxiliary screw
propelled vessels, the report states :--•"fhe pro-
gressive improvements which have been made iu the
propulsion of vessels by auxiliary steam-power, with sets se
pnmeUers, have fora long time: past engag -d the watchful
attention of the directors, who have contracted for, and
have now under construction, two vessels of 1,204 tons
each, with screw propellers, and engines of 310-liorse
power each, and one vessel of 1,800 tuns, and 400-horse
power. They are u:so in treaty for a vessel for the north
coast of China service, which will be very shortly ready for
sea. In addition to these vessels the directors had it in
contemplation to construct two paddle-wheid iron steam
ships, of about 2.000 tons and 800-horse power each, with
which they had little doubt of conveying the India mails
between Southampton and Alexandria in eleven days,
or within one day of the time now occupied iu trans-
mitting that portion of the mail which is forwarded
through France and via Marseilles, thus saving to tire
public the heavy cost of that branch of the service.
A recent intimation, however, of the Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty that they entertained objections to the
employment of iron vessels in the postal service, has in-
duced the director* to suspend, for the present, the con-
struction of these intended vessels, because they consider
that wooden vessels cannot ho constructed, of the dimen-
sions required, to obtain such speed, with duo regard to
strength, durability, and safety."

APPOINTMENIS.—I.icut.-Governor Hamilton is ap-
pointed to adminiger the government of Barhadom and
the Windward I..landk, in the place of Sir William Cole-
brooke, the governor-in-chief, during his leave of abnener.

Josepl:Pop;, E is appointed tr...m.-urer of Prince Ed-
ward's Island. George Poles, Charles Young, W. Swabey,
J. Warburton. J. l'upt W. Warren Lori, J. Jardine, E.
Whelan, and Stephen hies, Esqrs., are appointed member;
of the executivo council of Princo Edward's Woad.—
Odurver.