The Express.
London, England, 1847-07-20 00:00:00

Che Court.

The Rev. Mr. Protheroe had the honwir of joining
the royal dinner circle at Osborne on Sunday.
The Duchess of Gloucester entertained the Duke
and Duchene of Cambridge and a select party at dinner yes-
terday evening at Gloucester•house. The Duke of Cambridge
visited the Royal Hospital at Chelsea yesterday.

Viscount Duncan, M.P., bed an interview with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday at his official residence
in Downino-street. Captain Fit/Maurice had an interview
with the Rieht Hon. T. Milner Gibson yesterday, at the
office of the Board of Trade.

Despatches were sent off yesterday evening from
the Colonial-office for the Governor. General of Canada ; and
also for the Governors of the other North American provinces.
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council had a
meeting yesterday in the Council Chamber, Whitehall, to
give judgment on an appeal from the High Court of
Admiralty, " Shersby v. Hibbert," relative to the " Duke
of Manchester." The Lords present were the Lord President,
the Master of the Rolls, Lord Brougham, and Lord Camp
bell.—Judgment was given by Lord Campbell. The court
then rose.

The Baron Langen and suite left London on Satur-
day by the General Steam Navigation Company's mail
steam-ship Princess Royal for Hamburg.

LONDON CUTANEOUS INSTITUTION.—The cemmon
council of the City of London have voted 1001. in aid of this
institution.

, ROYAL
ILOYAL NAVAL BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.—The usual
quarterly court of governors was held yesterday at the
Thatched-house, St. Jamea's-street : Lord ftadstock pre-
sided. The financial condition of the company was re-
ported to be as follows : Receipts during the last quarter,,
1,2171. 10s. 7d., out of which a balance remained of
0591. 9s. 4d. The chairman called attention to the fact, that
a committee hail been appointed to prepare a report of the
progress which had been made by the society from its com-
mencement, and its present state and prospect.. The report
was read, and adoired. After some other routine business,
the case of Miss Hoare, who claimed relit( from the society
as the daughter of a naval officer, was again brought for-
ward. It was stated that the lady in question had entered
an action against Captain Dickenson for certain expressions
which he had used at the lard meeting, calculated to do
her general injury, and especially to preclude her from
receiving the relief which she claimed from the society. A
discussion ensued as to the propriety of the defence of Capt.
Dickenson being undertaken by the society, which ended in
a resolution being carried in the affirmative, and that 1501.
should immediately be advanced for preliminary expenses.
Mr. Marsh gave notice, that at the next meeting, he would
move, " That in the event of a re-marriage of a subscriber,
or the marriage of a female orphan of a subscriher, both
those marriage' shall close their claims to grants from the
society, and they shall he considered as having married
civilians unless the marriage should be with a subscriber."
The proceedings closed with the voting of 4301., to be din.
tributail between eighty•eight applicants for relief.
THE UNION BANK OF AUSTRALIA.—The ninth
annual meeting was held yesterday, at the offices in Old
Broad-street; Mr. Cummins in the chair. The report stated
that the affairs of the bank were in a highly satisfactory posi-
tion, the Wi.,%/1 colonial branches indicating a steady and
general improvement in trade, despite a loss in wool. The
particular attention of the directors had been paid to the
doubtful and bad debts; all those that might be looked upon
en hopeless had been s'ruck off the accounts. No loss of any
importance had arisen during the past year ,• and many debts
previously considered doubtful or bad had been recovered.
Two directors now retired by rotation, but were eligible, and
offered themselves for re-election. A dividend of 6 per cent.
on the entire paid-up capital was declared. The following
was the general statement of the accounts :

Li amnia, Bite payable, 44,743 J. 1, led.: sundry balances,
4,6371.0 a. lid.; rose-ve fund (10 per cent.), 30,0063.11.. 3d.; profit
and los, 37,6771. 10s. 11d.; pald-up capital, 520,0001, total,
537,066/. Id.—Psorns : Matlee of undivided profit at June, 1816,
44,622!. 7,6, ; profits 1,,r the year ending, et the branches, Dee. 31,
1546, and at the nocelon office, June 30, 1847, 37,0371.1 a 3d., which,
deducting 10,3091. IP, lid., the amount transferred 4s toter total
amertained loss on bad debts to above date, and 4,6721. IS, Ild.,
being one tenth for reserve fund, leaves 42,0531. 3a. 5d., making •
total of 56,877/. 10, I id., whkh, Ims 34,600/ , being the dividend paid
at Midsummer, 1846, end 21,6001. paid at Christmas in the same year,
leaves a balance of undivided profit at this date of 37,6771. les. I Id.
AMR. Branch aerosols (balance), 392,3311. 3a. 3d.; bills receivable,
32,8321. Os. 3d. ; investment, government stock, and loans on secu-
rity, 321,2081.45. 10d.; insurance, open policies, he„ 3,7311. Se. 4d.;
cash, 6,7434. Be. 3d. total, 037,0641/. 5, 111.—The reserve fund at
June, 1846, was 43,3331. 135 gal., to which add that of June, 1847, as
above, 4,672/. 13, 11d. t present total, 50,003/. I 3d.
One or two questions were satisfactorily answered by the
chairman, who, in reply to Mr. Wilson, said that the amount
of investments, government stock, &c., as above given in the
list of meets, was not the present market value of that pro
perty, but the value of it when purchased, it being deemed
unnecessary to alter the accounts as often as the funds fluc-
tuated. Mr. Levy thought it would be better to divide the
sum, stating how much of it was in the Three-and-s-Half
per Cents., how much Reduced, and how much Consols.
The report, which appeared to give general satisfaction, was
unanimously adopted, and after the re-election of directors
a vote of thanks closed the meeting.
BRITISH ORPHAN ASYLUM.—Yesterday a general
meeting and fortieth half-yearly election took pine at the
London Tavern, when 7 children were elected from a list of
28 candidates—The Lord Mayor in the chair. At the con-
clusion of the election several of the children who had been
educated in the asylum attended, with testimonials of good
character from their employers, and received pecuniary re-
wards, varying in amount according to the number of years
they had remained in the situations in which they had been
placed. There are now (irrespective of yesterday's election)
47 boys and 37 girls in the establishment at Clapham-rise,
where they are boarded, clothed, and educated until they
are qualified by education to fill useful stations in life. During
the past year a legacy of 9001. had been bequeathed by
the late George Bangley, Esq., of St. John's-wood.
THE LONDON COFFEE-HOUSE KEEPERS' ASSOCIA-
TION.—The half-yearly meeting was held last evening, at
And, rton's Hotel, Fleet-street, to receive the report of the
committee, and to elect two pensioners on the funds of the
society ; Mr. J. Conneybeer, the preeidentof the emaciation,
in the chair. The report of the committee rated the insti-
tution to be in a most satisfactory state, the funds being each
as to justify the election of two additional pensioners. The
amount of the funded capital of the association was
1,9161. 31. Bd., the annual income from which was
701. 19s. 10d., and the balance in the hands of the treasurer,
and sums since received, make the total fund of the associa-
tion 1,9161. Bs. 4d. Since the last meeting, the committi e
had succeeded in adding thirty new subscribers At the last
annual dinner the subscriptions amounted to 761., and the
committee felt that, with renewed exertions on the part of
the subscribers, the intentions of the association will be car-
ried out to the fullest extent. A ballot for the election of
two pensioners recommended by the committee had taken
elder. and the result was that a kin. Mary Callender and L.
W. Williams were declared pensioners of 131 annually. The
report having been received and adopted, and the officers for
the year ensuing duly elected, thanks were voted to the
chairman, and the meeting then separated.
BUILDERS' BENEVOLENT INSTIITTION.—A public
meeting in aid of this charity, which was established only last
month. but which already nowhere amongst its supporters
most of the principal building firms of the metropolis, was
held yesterday, at the Freemasons Tavern. The chair was
filled by Mr. Hugh Bien; and, besides a large attendance of
persor.s connected with the various branches of the building
trade, there were present, Lord R. Grosvenor, M.P., Col. T.
Wood, M.P., Sir B. Hall, M.P., Mr. D. Sulomons, and Mr.
Cochrane. The Chairman, in opening the business of the
meeting, observed, that although almost every other trade

in London had some charitable institution for its members to
fall back on in the hour ordistrese, the builders—beyond those
local societies connected with the corporation of the city—
bad nose, although the number of families dependent upon
the earnings of thou connected with that branch of industry
could not be lees than 30,000 in the district included within
the limits of the new building act. The present institutien
was principally intended for the relief of aged and decayed
master builders and their widows, and in this respect it was
Proposed, as far as the subecriptions would allow, to extend
its operations to all parts of Gnat Britain, and that non-
subscriben u well as subscribers should be eligible to be
recipients of its funds; but by one of the rules any work-
man rendered incapable by any of those numerous accidents
to which this class of artisans were liable from following his
employment, and recommended by a subscriber, might be
allowed • weekly sum for the support of himself and
family until he should be enabled to resume his labour.
It was also proposed to establish a building fund,
apart from the relief fund, for the erection of a
number of almshouses, for the reception of persons who
from their misfortunes, previous character, and connexion
with the trade should be eligible. The pension in no case
to commence until the applicant should have attained his
sixtieth year ; and the annual amount to be 201. from 60 to
68 years of age ; 251. from 68 to 73 ; and 301. from 73 up-
ward,; widows to receive two-thirds of that rate. It was
intended that 4,0001. should be raised before any relief
should be given. At present the list of subscribers num-
bered upwards of 200, though the fact of the existence of the
institution had only been circulated in private. One object
of the meeting was to make it publicly known, and to elitist
the public aid in ito favour. The rules of the society having
been read and confirmed, Lord R. Grosvenor, who moved
the first resolution, that such a charity was expedient and
necessary, and merited support, having urged the obli-
gation of those who were above want to assist in
their misfortunes those who, while in health and full
employment could do no more than barely support
themselves and their families, expressed his astonishment that
the builders had not established such an institution long be-
fore, especially as being engaged in erecting so many cha-
ritable asylums, they could not have been ignorant of what
was doing by other trades.—Sir B. Hall, Col. T. Wood, Mr.
D. Salomon, Mr. Cochrane, and others, spoke to this or
to the several other resolutions that were passed in favour of
the institution, and pledging the meeting to support it, and
a liberal addition having been made in the room to the list
of subscriber., both to the building and relief fund, the pro-
endings terminated,
ANOTHER FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE EIeiTER.N
COUNTIES RAlLWAY.—Yesterday afternoon as William
Colewcll, a porter in the service of the company, wan pro-
ceeding down the line, he was overtaken, when about 200
yards from the Shorediteh terminus, by an engine that ins
going out for a train. The driver used every precaution to
awaken the unfortunate man toe sense of hi, danger, but
he took no notice. He was knocked down by the buffer,
and the engine passed over him, severing his head in twain.
When picked up the lower jaw was attached to the neck,
the other portion of the head being crushed to atoms by the
engine wheels. Deceased had frequently been warned of
his reckleuness by the station muter' Mr. Grinishaw, who,
only five minutes previously, cautioned him against crossing
the line upon the approach of the trains.
ACCIDENT AT THE HOUSE OF LORDS.— A man
named Michael Hogan was killed here yesterday. He fell a
' height of sixty feet front one of the towers, striking against
several rafters as he fell, and trying in vain to catch hold of
them.

iNiarEST, YESTERDAT.—DEATH WHILE BATHING.
—ALLEGED NEGLECT OP THE POLlCL.—Before Mr. Carter,
at the Mitre Tavern, Broadwell, Blackfriars, :on the body
of E. P. Gibbons, aged 16.—Mr. West, of Southamptin-
street, Strand, stated that on Friday night, at half-past
11, he went with the deceased, who was hit apprentice, to
bathe in the baths in Oakley-street, but found them cl:sed
Deceased wanted to go into the water at Watt rloo bridge,
and asked witness to go in, which he dtd, and swam beyond
him, and then showed him how to wrike out, while witness
held up his chin. He got up to his full depth near the
bridge, and asked witness to leave him. As they were
simultaneously striking out, the witness left hold of deceased,
who was cari ied down. Witness made for the spot where he
thought he had fallen, but could see nothing of him. Help
was called for, and the Thames police and an other boat camo
up. Witness got into the letter, and asked if the boy was
found, and they replied "All right." Witness supposed he
was in the other boat, or he would not have left. Having
changed his clothes at home, he went to the pi lice-ship, and
was told the boy had not been found, and the superintendent
expressed his surprise he should have left, He replied he
should not, had not the men called out " all right." He
pointed out to them the spot where he sank.—The jury re-
turned a verdict that the deceased was accidentally drowned.
—The Coroner hoped there was some mistake as to the
Thames polict, for they were generally most ready to afford
assistance.