The Express.
London, England, 1849-11-08 00:00:00

SOCIETY OF ARTS.

The first oriinery meeting of the Society of Arts
was held in the great room or the society's home, John-
street, Adelphi, yesterday evening at 8 o'clock, W. TOOLS,
Esq., in the chair.
Mr. SCOTT RUSSELL read the following report :
" The council congratulate the members assembled upon the
commencement of the96th year of the society's proceedings.
They congratulate the toddy upon their increasing means
of usefulness, and the cordiality with whisk their exertioes
foe the public good are met on ell sides. Their ordinary
revenue has increased in seven years from 8001. to 1,8001. ;
the whole of which is directly expended in the promotion of
arts, manufactures, and commerce. It is a remarkable fea-
ture in the present state of the society, that it now expends
no more money upon its establishment of oMcen and servants
than it di.l in 1841, when its condition was the reverse of
prosperous. The present list of fifty-one candidates fur elec-
tion as members may be appealed to as en event altegether
without precedent in the history of this society, and sweets
its growing power and usefulness. The council have
during the sessile issued • prize-11st for 1849. in its
various departments of agriculture, arts, mechanise, and
manufactures, in which it will be observed that up.
wards of 8001. worth of premiums and medals are offered
for competition. They are happy to add, that at the head of
the list stand the two gold medals of his Royal Highness
the President. The society has to be congratulated on the
admirable exhibition of paintings which clothed the walls of
the great room during the summer. It was visited by thou-
sands of person+, who then saw for the first time these great
historical pain:tugs. We believe that, until that exhibition,
Mr. Etty*. tren•cendent merits were only fully appreciated
by the limited circle who had hitherto been fortunate enough
to see his greatest works. The council think height to express
once more their sense of the liberality and enlightened real
for th, promotion of art, with which Sir William Allen, the
President of the Academy of Painters of Scotland, and the
members of the council, allowed their great works to be
exhibitad bete for the first time : and to all the pose:sore of
these paintings public thanks are due for their liberality and
readiness in sending them for exhibition. It is a matter of
pride to this socir y that they have already been the means of
making be ter known to the public the character and genius
of two living painters so distinguished as Mr. Multeady and
Mr. Buy. The council feel it their duty to allude, however
briefly, to a great undertaking, which, originating with his
Royal Highness Prince Albert, has long tot en an obect of
deep interest and gradual preparation, and to which allusion
was made in this room at the last geueral meeting. The
members recollect that it was stated on that occasion that
the great object of a National Exhibition of Industry was
more likely than it bad ever iset,r• appeared to be tarried
out t; • succustul Issue. This anticipation is now in • far
w-y to be r. alt+ed. But as the council have the inten-
tion of summoning a special general meeting for the
purpose of 1 tying before the society the past history
and pre ens p.aition of that great undertaking,
they will not go further into that subject, be.
caws it is one of too great importance to be treated in a cur-
s ry manner. But as an appropriate preliminary to such a
statement, the council have thought it well to place before
members the report of Yr. Digby Wyatt on the great
French sip ei'ion of last summer. The council thought it
wise that the- society, having entertained from time to time
this national s..bject, should pat itself in possession of what
ther a untriee bad dune towards such an undertaking,
although nothing at all approaching to the grandeur of the
eign and the extent of the exhibition had hitherto been
undertaken in any country. In Mr. Digby Wyatt the Gotta
cil sound a gentleman possessing the requisite professional
talent, and the taste and judtment required to carry out this
view with the greatest benefit to tee public. You will find,
when you hear the report, that he has done it she in a man-
ner most creditable to himself.

Mr. DIGBY WYATT then read the announced report.
It gen a sketch of the progress of industrial and art expo-
sitions fik France, from the Ant limited attempt in 1797, up
to the magi.iftcent, but still very tar from perfect display of
nit year —a display, the imperfection of which was mainly
avributabls to that short- eightednese wf ieh excluded fo-
reign pr •dui lions, an omission which the great exposition in
Lord a, of 1861, is designed, among other essential objects,
to remedy.
This was received with much applause, and the motion
of Mr. Tots, that the thanks of the meeting be given to the
' auth.v, wee carried with unanimous cordiality.
The thanks of the meeting were also given to the exhi.
biters of the porcelain, bronzes, itc., whose names we did not
catch.

THZ CONVICT MARIA MANNING.—After the decl-
aim pronouneed in the Court of Exchequer Chamber rater.
day on the appeal of this convict, Mr Solomon, her solicitor,
proceeded to Hotsemonger-lane Gaol, and bad an intstvisw
with the chaplain, the fire. Mr. Rowe, whom kw mauled
to communicire the result to hit unhappy client. Especial
care had been taten not to inform the wretched woman of
the steps in progress for prosecuting the appeal and the an-
nouncement of its failure, made to her by the rev. chaplain,
was the first intimation she had had of say movement in the
matter having b-en made. The °Devitt received the infor-
mation 'ninon' any remarkable mattifestatitn of feeling.
inertly observing, as she boa frequently dose, that "every-
body was against her, and that justice had not been done
her." The wretched women's conduct is marked with great
outward propriety of demeanour, but she manifests little
matritios. _ .

WRICRED.—The Carmarthen Journal
Ares the* on Wednesday morning lent, the schooner Con-
stant*, of N.intes, Barbeau, master. which arrived hem la t
we k with • cargo of wheat end flour, dropped down the
river with the intention of proceeding to sea by the nest
tide. When the vessel rot nearly opposite Towy Cantle she
grounded not a ledge of rock, and all efforts of the crew to get
her front this awkward position were unavailing. At low
water she heeled over and lay on her side ; the crew from this
time seemed to homiest all presence of mind, and the captain
being absent. not having accompanied her in her voyage down
the river, very little or nothing wee done to right her. lust
irsfore the evening tide c mmenced flowing, tht captain
arrived on the spot, and awing the perilous position of his
ship, took the boat for the paves' of reseeding to Pilroath,
near which place another French veinal was lying, to request
the assistance of the are. • instead, however, of proceeding
to the other ship in his Mgt, be was merely landed oo the
Llansteph,n road, and walked down, thus causing a waste of
valuable time. Before he returned, the tide had timed to a
considerable height, and had Jutted the Constanceside down.
wards, to the centre of the stream, where, having gradually
filled, she sank in deep water r. The steamers, on their passage
to this port, came up shortly afterward, and one of them came
right over her, knocking in her aide, this, making her almost
a perfect wreck, bat we are glad to say the steamer was not
damaged. Ship carpenters were busily employed on
Thursday la endeavouring te Best her, but without me-
ccas as yet. The crew were all saved, and they also suo•
*Wed in meening their clothing and valuables, which
were 'scarily lodged at Towy Castle, at which plate the
crew were wit hospitably treated by D. Evans, Req., sad
his family, who, having heard of As mad essidoss, has•
toned to the spot and rendered all the aeeiatance they
coon. The captain and crew showed a great want of skill
in not endeavouring to right the vivid before the worn of
the tide, arid in net making her fast to the shore, so that she
might soti float out Into the stream.