The Express.
London, England, 1848-05-19 00:00:00

be Court.

The Duchess of Kent visited the Queen yesterday
morning at Buckingham Palace.
Prince A:bert, attended by Colonel the Hon. C. D.
Phipps and Captain the Hon. Alexander Gordon, went
yesterday morning to inspect the model lodging-house.
Her Majesty and Prince Albert, attended by the
Countess of Charlemont, Earl of Morton, Colonel the Bon.
C. Grey, and Captain the lion. A. (I..rilon, honoured the
performance at her Majesty's Theatre with their presence
last evening. The Duchess of Kent (attended by Lady A.
Bruce) and the l'rince of Prussia also honoured the per-
formance yesterday evening with their presence.
Major llagart, of the 7th Hussars, was presented
to the queen by the Marquis of Anglesey on Wednesday at
the levee.

The Rector and Churchwardens of St. Margaret's,
Westminster, with an address to her Majesty. had an inter-
view with Sir G. Grey. yesterday, at the Home-office.
The Hey. W. H. Iliedermann had an interview on
Wednesday with Sir George Grey, to present an addroa.
Mr. Cunard, Mr. Macarthy, and Mr. Wyse, had
interviews with Earl Grey, yesterday, at the Colonial-office.
A deputation, appointed at a public meeting of the
ratepayers of the borough of Birmingham, consisting of Mr.
G. P. Jaunts, M.P., Mr. J. Allday, Mr. W. KerkbufT, and
Mr. J. Corbett, had an interview, yesterday, with Sir G.
Grey.
The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England had
a general meeting, yesterday.
Despatches were received yesterday at the Colo-
nial-offiee, from the Governors of the North American pro-
vinces.

The Mayor of Liverpool, Sir T. l'hillips, Mr.
Hindlay, and Mr. Pollard, had interviews, yesterday, with
Sir G. Grey, at the llome-otitee.

The Hon. Francis Scott, M.P., Messrs. J. W. So-
therlAnd, Mark Boyd, and Browning tninsacted business
yesterday at the office of her Majesty's Commission, is of
Emigration.

SOCIETY FOR IMPROVING THE CONDITION
OF THE WORKING CLASSES.-PRINCE ALBERT.

The annual meeting war held yesterday, in the
Freemasons' Hall, which was crowded by a large auemblage
of persons, many of whom were of high rank and position.
Among the ladit s was the Duchess of Sutherland.
Prince Albert occupied the chair. supported by Lord
John Russell, the Marquis of Westminster, Viscount
Ebrington, and other gentlemen.—The Bishop of London
having offered prayer,
Prince ALBERT, who was received with considerable ap-
plause, rose and said : Ladies and gentlemen, when four
years since the Society for the Improvement of the Condi-
tion of the Working Clieses was first established on its pre-
sent footing, I accepted the offer made me of becom-
ing its president. (Cheers.) I saw in this offer a proof of
the appreciation entertained by the society of my feelings of
sympathy and interest for that class of the community which
has meet of the toil and least of the enjoyments of this world.
(Cheers.) I conceived that great adventures would
accrue to it from the endeavours of influential people,
who were wholly disinterested, to act the part of
a friend to those who require that advice and
assistance which only a friend can render with advantage.
(Cheers.) This society- has always this object before its
eyes, and has ever been labouring in that direction. You
are all aware that it has been established to erect model
lodging-housi s, loan funds, and the allotment of ground in
different parts of the country. It bas been careful only to
establish examples and models, mindful that any real im-
provement which was to take place must be the result of the
exertions of the working people themselves. (Cheers.)
I have just come from the model lodging-house, the
opening of which we celebrate this day; and I feel convinced
that its existence will by degrees cause the erection of others,
and that it will lead to a complete change in the domestic
comforts of the labouring classes—as it will exhibit to them
that, with real economy can be combined advantages with
which few of them have been hitherto acquainted, while
it will show those who possum capital which they are (tulle-
ons to invest that they may do so in connexion with this
institution with profit and advantage to themselves, dispens-
ing, at the same time, those comforts which I have enumerated
to their poorer brethren.(Cheers.)Depend upon it the interests
of those classes which are so often contrasted, are the same, and
it it only ignorance which prevents them from uniting for
each other's advantage. (Cheers.) To dispel that ignorance,
and to show how man can help man, notwithstanding the
complicated state of civilised society, ought to be the aim of
every philanthropic person. But it is more peculiarly the
duty of those who, under the blessing of Divine Providence,
enjoy station, wealth, and education. Let them be careful,
however, to avoid any dictatorial interference with labour
and employment, which frightens away capital, destroys that
freedom of thought and independence of action which must
remain to every one if he is to work out his own happiness
—(cheers)—and to induce that confidence under which alone
engagements for mutual benefit are possible. God has
created man imperfectly, and left him with many wants, as
it were to stimulate each individual to exertion, and to make
them all feel that it is only by united exertions and com-
bined action that those imperfections can be supplied and
those wants satisfied. (Cheers.) This imposes self-reliance
and confidence in each other. To show the way in which
these individual exertions can be directed with the greatest
advantage, and to foster that confidence on which the
readiness to assist each other depends, this society
considers as its most sacred objects. There has been no osten-
tatious display of charity or munificence, no pretensions to
become the arbiter of the fate of thousands ; but the quiet
working out of practical schemes of social improvement, for
which the society has only established examples for the
country at large to follow. The report of the society descrip-
tive of its proceedings during the past year will be laid before
you, I should say—l hope I may say—that the society has
proceeded satisfactorily towards the accomplishment of its
objects, owing particularly to the kind feeling, great expe-
rience, and indefatigable seal of Lord Ashley. (Cheers.)
The next stage that we anticipate is the erection of a model
• lodging-house for families. I hope this meeting will enable
us to carry out this step, and will all engage to do the utmost
' in their power to call the particular attention of the public
to the objects which we have in view. His Royal Highness
sat down amidst loud applause.
r Lord Ali/ILET then addressed the meeting, and read the
principal points in the report. The great object of the so-
, ciety was not so much to support the poor man as to enable
' him te support himself. Three of their principal objects
• were: the formation of loan funds, the allotment of land,
and the model lodging-houses. With regard to the first, the
committee regretted to state that owing to numerous ilifficul-
, ties they had done nothing ; but with the second they had
been more successful. They had allotted 117 acres of land
' in eleven different parishes, to 660 free tenants, so that be-
' tween 500 and 600 persons, and families depending on them,
were enjoying the benefit of the society's work. Through
the instrumentality of this and the Labourers' Friend Society
allotments had been made in 2,000 parishes, and he rejoiced
to say that no tenant was in arrear of his rent to the extent
' of one shilling. After describing the condition of the com-
mon lodging-heusee for the poor, his lordship adverted
. to those which the society proposed, and were substitut-
ing for them. He rejoiced to say that those which had been
erected were constantly tenanted, and had answered every
expectation which had been formed of them. They had
I erected 23 small houses in Bagnigge Wells, the rent of which
was from 3s. 6d. to Gs. a week, for the better class of
mechanics, and also accommodation for poor widows et Is.
to Is. Gd. a week. They had also houses erected in King-
street and Charles-street, Drury-lane. The lodging-
' house in St. Giles, which had that day been visited
by Prince Albert, had been constructed on an
entirely new principle. It was capable of accom-
modating 104 persons at a cost of 6,6001. It was
gratifying to state that out of 13,0001. or 14,0001. which
had been laid out by the society, they were deriving an in-
come of 1,5001. a year—and this by taking no more from
working men than they had been in the habit of giving for
all that was most revolting to comfort and decency.
The report was adopted on the motion of the Duke of
Argyll, seconded by the Rev. Hugh M'Neile.
Resolutions soliciting the co-operation of the clergy, of
the nobility, and gentry in the objects of the society were
also adopted. They afforded occasion for the delivery of
addresses from the Bishop of Oxford, Sir T. Acland, the
Bishop of St. David's, Mr. Colquhoun, Lord Effingham,
and the Rev. Dr. Howell, all of whom spoke in high terms
of .she society and its objects.
Thanks were then voted to Prince Albert, on the motion
of Lord Fortescue, seconded by Mr. Labouchere. In reply,
his royal highness expreseed the pleasure which ho felt is
presiding upon the oocs,'ion, and assured the society that they
had the hearty sympathy of her Majesty and himself in
their labours.
the asaembly
The National Anthem was ,ben sung, sn4
broke up