The Express.
London, England, 1851-06-13 00:00:00

'CORONERS BILL.

The following members were nominated the select com-
mittee on the Coroners' Bid:—Mr. Fitzro, Mr. Fresh-
field, Mr. John EMU, Mr. Sotheron Mr. Child, Mr.
Beckett Denison. Mr. Bremridge, Mr. f'iicholl Mr. Boa-
eerie, Mr. Legh, Mr. °each, Mr. Wakley, Sir. Napier,
Mr. Corbally, and Lord Dudley Stuart.
The house adjourned at half-past one o'clock.

CHOIR BENEVOLENT FUND. Yesterday West-
minster Abbey was the scene of a remarkably interesting
gathering of the choirs of the English cathedrals and oolle •
gate churches for the purpose of inaugurating a society to
afford aid to the widows and orphans of that meritorious
and not overpaid body of ecclesiastical officials. No fewer
than 25 choirs were represented, and the ordinary musical
staff of the Abbey was thus swelled to 122. Divine service
was celebrated at noon, the vesicles, preces &c., being
sung to the magnificent harmonies of Tallim:; and the
psalms of the day to that version of the first tone, which is
commonly known as the chant of the same master. Tho
Te Deum and Benedktur were by Orlando Gibbon, and the
anthem, " God is gone up," by Crofts. The service was
admirably performed, and, in fact, the liturgy has seldom
been rendered with such gravity breadth, sad grandeur as
on this memorable occasion. The service being over, the
choir performed a selection from the works of our
great anthem composers since the Reformation. The list
comprised, " Lord, for thy tendermercy's sake," by Farrant,
• gentleman of the Chapel Royal and organist of Windsor,
who died 1d85; "hosanna to the Son of David," by Gib-
bons, organist to James 1., and who died in 1625; "0 give
thanks unto the Lord," by Purcell, organist of the Chapel
Royal and of Westminster Abbey, who died 1695 ; " I was
in the spirit on the Lord's Day," by Dr. Blow, organist of
the Chapel Royal and Westminster Abbey, who died 1708;
" 0 give thanks," by Dr. Aldrich, Dean of Christ Church,
Oxford, who died 1710; " This is the day," by Dr. Croft,
organist of the Chapel Royal and Westminster Abbey, who
died 1727; "In thee, 0 Lord, have I put my trust," by''
John Weldon, organist and gentleman of the Chapel
Royal, who died 1736 ; " I will arise," by Dr. Creyghton,
canon of Wells Cathedral, who died 1738 ; " 0 clap your
hands," by Dr. Green, organist of St. Paul's, who died
1756; and"o give thanks," by Dr. Boyce, organist of the
Chapel Royal,who died 1779. MeTurle presided Utile organ,
and nothing could be better as &specimen of English Ecclesias-
tical music. There was an exceedingly large and distinguished
congregation, and the collections at the doors of the Abbey
amounted to 811. To. 9d. The choirs afterwards adjourned
to the Jerusalem Chamber, where, the chair having been
taken by the Rev. Lord John Thynne, the subdcan, the
i society was formally established. In the evening the choir
and a considerable number of the lovers of church music
dined at St. Martin's Hall, Long Acre, Lord John Thynne
again presiding. The usual toasts were drunk, as well as
the health, of the bishops (and particularly of the Arch-
bishop of Armagh and the Bishop of Bangor), the deans
and chapters, particularly the Dean of Bangor (who re-
turned thanks), the chairman, " Success to the Choir Benevo-
lent Fund," " the organists"(to which Dr. Wesley responded),
" the precenters and choirs of England and Wales " (for
whom the Rev. Mr. Haydn, precentor of Westminster,
returned thanks; "the Ladies," &c., &c. Amongst the
rest, the health of Mr. Grey, of Westminster Abbey, to
whose exertions the formation of the fund is mainly attri-
butable, was drunk with loud applause ; and in returning
thanks, stated that it was proposed to divide the country
into seven districts; that each district should have frequent
local gatherings, to be held at each cathedral in its turn ;
and that, every three or four years, there should be an
aggregate meeting, like that which they had had that day.
Donations, besides a liberal amount of annual subscriptions,
were announced, amounting to 3121. Is. 3d. During the
evening a large number of the best madrigals, glees, arid
other pieces were performed by the compaiay with admira-
ble effect. The selection comprised the bon Nobis, the
National Anthem, and pieces by Beak, Gibbons, Aldrich,
Ward, Elvey, J. S. Smith, Waikent, Festa, and Stevens.
Altogether a most delightful evening was spent ; and
the new society commences its existence under the most
favourable auspices.

THREE LIVES LOST.—HOYLE MILL, BARNSLEY,
JUNE 11.—T. Lee, Esq., held an inquest at the above place
on the bodies of Thomas Bell and Charles Pickard, who
were killed on Monday by an explosion of fire-dame at
Aidsley Maine or Oaks Colliery, at the place where 73 hues
were lost on the sth March, 1847. The government in-
spawere ter was present. Several witnesses examined, but
the substance of their evidence has already been given in
the account of the occurrence which has been given in the
Express, and the jury returned a verdict of " Acci-
dental death." The colliery is now on fire, and It is stated
to be impossible to prosecute any search for the body of the
man who Is missing.