The Express.
London, England, 1848-05-22 00:00:00

Sc Court.

The Queen and nine(' Albert and the ladi?s and
gentlemen of the court attended divine service yesterday
morning in the Military Chapel of the Wellington Barracks.
The Count and Countess of Neuilly and family came
up from Claremont, and paid their respects to her Majesty
and Prince Albert, at Buckingham Palace, en Saturday.
Her Majesty, accompanied by the Prince of Wales
and the Pnneetis R•tyal, and attended by the Hon. Matilda
Paget and Colonel the lion. C. Grey, visited the Queen
Dowager, on Saturday, at Marlborough House.
Prince Albert, attended by Colonel the Hon. C. B.
Phipps and Captain the lion. A. Gordon, dined with the
dames of his regiment, the Scots Fusilier Guards, on Satur-
day evening, at. Ordlion's Hotel.
The Duchess of Kent dined with the Queen at
Buckingham Palate on Saturday evening. The Queen, ac-
companied by the royal duchess, afterwards honoured the
performance at her Majesty's Theatre with her presence.
The royal suite consisted of the Countess of Charlemont,
Lady Augusta Bruce, Hurl of Morton, and Colonel the Hon.
Charles Grey.
The Duchess of Cambridge, the I)uchess Bern-
hard of Sane Weimar, and the Prinoemes of Saxe Weimar,
honoured the performance at her Majesty's Theatre, on 94-
Outlay evening, with their presence.
Lieutenant Montagu O'Reilly, RN., was presented
to the Queen at her Majesty's Levee on Wednesday, on his
return from foreign service, by the Berl of Auckland.
Charles Searle, hI.D., was presented to her Majesty at the
Levee by Lord Duncan.
The Quern Dowager attended Divine Service yes-
terday, in the Chapel Royal, St. James's.

A deputation consisting of the Rev. Thomas Dale
(Vicar of St. Palters.), Mr. E. 8. Bigg, and Mr. Scudding,
with an address to her Mummy, from St. Papers', bad an
interview with Sir George Grey on Saturday, at the Home
office.

The Governor of the Bank of England, had an
interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer ou Saturday,
at his official residence in Downing•street.
The Marquis of Breadalbane had an interview
with the Right Hon. H. Labouchere, on Saturday, at the
office of the Board of Trade.
Despatches were received on Saturday, at the Colo-
nial.office from the Governors of New South Wales, and
New Zealand.

Sir W. Magnay, Bart., and Col. Moore, arrived at
Blackwell Pier yesterday morning by the General Steam
Navigation Cimpany's steam-shin Triton from Ostend.

CONFIRMATION OF SOLDIERS BEFORE HER MA-
JISTT A 311) PUINCE ALNEKT.—Yesterday morning her
Majesty and Prince Albert, the Prince Royal of Prussia, the
Duke of Cambridge, and the Duke of Wellington, attended
the chapel of the Wellington Barracks, to witness the confir-
mation of about 197 nos-commissioned officers and privates
of the Horse, Grenadier, Coldstream, and Suites Fusilier
Guards. The bands on her Majesty's arrival played the
national an,hena. The men who were appointed to be con-
firmed were placed round the altar, and after the usual
church .ervice, the Bishop of London proceeded to perform
the solemn ordinance. At the termination of divine service
the men who were at chapel and in barracks were drawn up
on the parade within the gates, and underwent en in-
spection by her Majesty and her Royal Consort, and Field-
Marshals the Dukes of Wellington and Cambridge, and
which lasted about a quarter of an hour. After which the
Wm:nous party returned in the same private manner as they
had arrived. Although the attendance of her Majesty was
not generally known, there were from 4,000 to 5,000 persons
present, the great mass of whom placed themselves from
the entrance of the barracks to the pain.. None of the
public were admitted into the chapel. With respect to the
confirmation, it is a general practice for an inquiry to be in-
stituted of all the non-commissioned officers and men,
whether they have been confirmed previous to their enter-
ing the army; and in those instances where it has not been
done, the ceremony is performed at the place of worship
connected with the barracks ; but on no previ .us occasion
has it been performed in the presence of her Majesty.

HORTICULTVRAL SOCIETY.—The first public prize
thew of this society, ter the season 1848, took pl.ice
On Saturday, at the gardens at Chiswick. Were it cot
that the weath.r is always uncertain, or rather that it
is certain to be showery and cold, this exhibition would be
the most agreeable of the three fetes to which the scientific
gardeners of London annually invite

Each passing traveller that can pay.
The out-of-door enjoy meats are much greater in May than
in June or July, as far as the gardens themselves are con-
cerned. The flowering shrubs are then in their prime.
The beautiful blue acacia that screens the wall to the right
on entering from Chiswick-lane. the rhododendron., the
hawthorns, laburnums, horse.chcanuta, and other of the
later flowering trees are generally in full bloom
about the middle of May, and combine, in scent
and gayful attire, to rival the more delicate and
gorgeous displays of flowers and fruit that are ranged
under the marquees. Notwithstanding some severe
showers in the early part of the day, the company assembled
en Saturday in very considerable numbers. The freshness,
tot to call it coolness, of the air, caused the visitors to seek
the shelter of the flower and fruit tents, where, occasionally,
highly interesting group" might be seen inspecting the prize
plant., being themselves in turn the objects of marked
tsnoeity. One of these groups comprised the Princess Met-
ternich, M. Guizot, his two daughters, the Dukes of Devon-
shire, Argyle, and Beaufort, the Duchene. of Beaufort and
Sutherland' Lord Worcester, and a numerous train of acces-
Mira ; whilst in another marquee the Duke and Duchess of
Northumberland, Sir It. Peel, and others of perhaps equal
lurk, though not so notable, attracted the passing stare of the
Wintry gentlefolks. The b..nd of the let Life Guards, the Royal
Horse-Guards (blue), and the Royal Scots Fusiliers, were sa
attendance, and went through the same series of evolution.,
in revert to marching about the grounds, &c., that they
hare of late 3 ears been in the habit of executing. The show
'Agent's and shrubs we. very unequal. In some respects
fu exceeded those of former periods ; in others it fell
ikon of them. The azaleas were, however, of se fine and
deUeste a colour, form, and texture, as amply to atone for
the falling off that was manifest in what, as far u semblance
tonctrard, may be styled the sister-shrub, namely,
Ike geranium, or pelargonium,. The marquee under
which the azaleas were placed was the great
object of attraction throughout the day. Next
61 point of beauty may be specified the families
cryptogamous and orchidaceous plants, with all
their curious imitations of mock butterflies hovering over
their leaves, dragon flies, and other resemblances of living
"lure. The heaths and cactuses were also very good, and a
4'lly-introduced class of ornamental plants of various orders
excited in sue specimen great admiration by the classical
urangement of its leaves, which took the form of a cluster of
irMian volutes, wanting only the slab to complete the
Itit7- The fruit and cut flowers were not in very large
~
'""ailits, but what there was of both was of very excellent
ql. The roses in particular of Mr. Francis merit high
!;:i-ee- The following is an enumeration of the names of
.nexteaful competitors for the prizes at the disposal of the
„7", • The list LI copied from the official announcements
tatted at the garden
tk? or rrtr I._Fummui, for which Yoram,-
ir„:1•°. Pro ate grower exhibit independently of each. other t—Pe-
iliXVlm, rolls:twos of 12 new and lust-rate varieties, with per-
lb:s t colours, cultivated with superior skill, in 111-umb pots,
Staines, Robinvo, Dotson, Gaines; Pelargoniums, in
nx varieties, in 11-Inch polo, Megan. Parker, Staines
Eb qin pate, in collections of I:: distinct varieties, Messrs
'1.6,11. Francis Lane, Dohnon, and Paul ; Yellow Roses, best
t, L'.
Mr. Francis; Cape Heaths, in collections of 15 entirely
ig;:,,,...±rv.ties, Hewn,. May, rairheina, flothason; Cape Heath& in
" nine catircy distinct varieties, Messrs. Mylam, Taylor,

Sesk Mirk Orws, Trmr, Awls Tanre, TimAett CI". Haag'''.
sbrell=ass diplaybis airy superlstereation, nom Illnroo.
Ifswp, Tear ; Wassidas, Sobs% la Gish g lsa,s
zee
=ene. Otheelns elsensmis et.Wirtaiir
swirbis es be sews Wher
sr Is .seer,am tar rr% resnes, •
Gui°M2ark einslikii all psiuu ws sindlled to equal
awardrwe—rowsr rwslisses Owe, Is wiessiims al SO plants,
Mess. ham asi Disahl ; Stwo of re oberenWin sainnin"
of le pissis Mown. Gras. Oils we lbws ;ewe or stswhown
eato sillswlsse W 111=imgMerne. Ours" Taw*,
Aaiwti /MI
lierigarenri hue, awl D Own
EW ; Greenhouse
llaseso, MOMeerlYars Meows liwrise, HIM% awl
Imes Oredds, MI spode et war Me of
leery
likawn. Vetch, ass win ; IsseN Ofabils Is solisilwr of 10
=4l=lor muss WMlsaas, Ms" and Ouse ;
sallsWass Innen. Bros, Dobson, and
Green; Keels OribMblingisspelmss."%playing very superior culti-
vation, Mr. het; haw Wimpaless,lissirs.Orines and Ambrose;
New Hybrid Passisise Mr. Whirls; ex distinct midis, of tall
Orli Is Sew, Mama Green, Brom ; lam of bu mistime Is hem
lissems, amisiftst thee usser lbw ars in
indom as to
'ark as be as ths hatrbit of the variety, in ►varieties.
Mows Paris arri ; Mindy Pane, Is 0011.0(1.08of ten"Mt
at very superb. snitlestices, Mama Tare, Walser; Seisrrlisk
seas, M. Reap t weft introduced or ertremely rare ornamental
pews is lower, Mows. leen, Vegas, and Myism ,• miaorlisneous
autgreta, Mews. Omen, Waterer, Standliti and Malin Williams,
htitnon Seedling lishrld kelargootuma, of entirely new mores, Mr.
Gaines.

Cara lll.—Faorr, Ihr which Market Gardeners, o. 'dowers, not
Fruiterer", in the rem a the Market, and Private Gar-
deners, cabildt af sash other.—Umuaimon tropioal
fruits, Mr. Deem— Is single apectmens: Queen, Mr.
Lawrence; Providing/4 Memo , quo, Brown, and Lae-
num.—Grapes In pole, ISr. Iliad; grape" the heasiest single bunch,
Mears. Turnbull end Doyle; peps, in three bunches for private
growers, and sir Wachs* tor meglnt gardeners : Black hamburg,
Black Frinae,Mciers. Fleming, Ingram, Turnbull, Davis, and Mitchell;
White Muscadine., Sweetwater" is., Messrs. thins and Busby ;
Frontignans, Mr. Davis.—P ia sizes, Mears. Gardena. and
Ontoin.—Neetarinee, in sixes, Chapman and Gardener.—
Choreic% in dishes of Db. each: Mask, Mr. Ingram of Windiur.—
Strawberries in pots, Mr. Howe; ntstwherrisa, one dish each: British
Queen, Meows. Davis and Toy; ins sea' Seedling, Memo. Bruin and
Toy.—Oranges, doom, to, in pit% Mr. Munro.—Melons, one speci-
men each: the Market, Mr. Drummond; the best flavoured, Messrs.
Fleming and Drummond.
DOTAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY
TO ANIKALL—The 24th anniversary met Ling of this society
was held on Saturday, at the Hanover-square Rooms. The
Bishop of Norwich, on taking the chair, expressed his satis.
&aim at so full en attendance (it. however, consisted princi-
pally of ladies), and upon the fact that the society had a be
lance in hand of 3301, notwithstanding that there was •
deficiency on the year's income, owing to their having only
reeeived • legacy of SOL, while in former years the legacies
amounted to 3,000!. and 4,0001. They should not repine at
that circumstance, because the leas they received in that way
this year, the more they might expect hereafter; and many
who had willed legacies were still living, and would, he
hoped, live for many years to come. If asked what the society
bad done, he would say • great deal, although not all that
was to he desired. lie might say that they had put down
bull-baiting and dog fighting, and removed in a great de-
gree the nuisances of that Augman stable, Smithfield
market. It was to be hoped that in a short time that market
would be done away with, at least for its present purports,
and that abattoirs would be established in other parts of
London, abating the nuisances now complained of, and the
consequent cruelty to animals. They were informed on high
authority that the merciful mallets* merciful to his beast. The
right rev. prelat having enforced the necesaityof impressing,
particularly on the young mind, a love of the brute creation,
terminated his address by denouncing Wines. Those who
praetised them did not so for the benefit of their health, nor the
pleasure of exercise, but with numerous attendants forced the
game into • small compass and slaughtered them by hun-
dreds. In his younger days this would have been called ui,-
English and barbarous practice. Mr. Thomas. the secretary,
then read the report, describing the lumen of auxiliary so-
cieties. A communication had been received from Brussels,
stating an intention of establishing a gaiety there. A new
bill was to he introduced into parliament, increasing the
penalty of 405., which was most inaid quite to meet ouch
acts of cruelty as that of Mr. Nunn, who rode a hors from
Leamington to London in 111 hours, the death of the ani-
mal being the consequence. The report was unanimously
received, after an addreu in its favour from Lord D. Stuart,
M.P., and resolutions adopted expressing pleasure at the es-
tablishment at Devonport and elsewhere of auxiliary so-
cieties, and declaring the deficiencies in the last year's income,
called for increased exertion to give effect to the objects of
the society. Thanks having been voted to the right rev.
chairman, the meeting separated.

TORY I'ANIC.—We re-publish the following note of
alarm struck by the John Buil on Saturday, without either
vouching for or calling in question the averments made in
it :—" UPFICAL SALARIES—TiIitEATENED HAVOC. —The
special report of the committee on the miscellaneous esti-
mates will not be communicated to the public for some time;
but we are enabled to inform our readers that the reforms
which it proposes are of the most sweeping character.
Messrs. Hume, Bowring, and Co., have been triumphant in
the committee. The offices of Junior Lords of the Admiralty,
Treamry, &c , are either entirely done away with or
most materially cut down—the salaries of cabinet ministers
wotully diminished! The obj.ct of the above-named gentle.
men may be simply that of decreasing the expenditure of
the country, but we shrewdly suspect that the clamour for
retrenchment means something more than it professes, and
that the blow they have now struck is the first and not the
last to be aimed at ' things as they are.' "
REFORMATION OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS.—The
sixtieth anniversary of the Philanthropic Society's operations
wu celebrated at the institution, St. George's. fields, on Satur-
day. The Marquis and Marchioness of Westminster, Lord
Ashley, Lord Morpeth, Lord Courtenay, the Right Hon. W.
o.oladstone and Mrs.Olubitone, and a numerous company of
the society's supporters were present. The Bishop of (Word
preached in the chapel of the institution, and afterwards ad-
dressed the boys and youths who were assembled. Among
these were upwards of 100 who had been placed out from the
institution during the lit two or three years, and who had
maintained goad characters M their places. The boys were
addressed also by the Right Hon. W. G. Gladstone (who
presided in the unavoidable absence of the treasurer, Mr.
W. Gladstone). Thri: looks and manner spoke well for the
efficacy of the society's reformatory agency. In the report
which was circulated, the following statistics of the society's
operations were given. During the year ending May 1,1848,
the kindness of the society's friends and supporters has
enabled the committee to open the doors of their asylum,
and to afford the opportunity of repentance and reformation
to 126 boys recommended to the society's care from various
prisons or police courts. Of these, 98 had been once, up.
wards of 60 had been twice, and above 30 more than twice,
imprisoned for their offences. Upwards of 32 have lost one
parent, and 43 are entirely orphans, or have parents who
have neglected and injured them. In the same interval, 96
have left the society's care—of whom 61 have been appren-
ticed to various masters in town and country, 11 have gone
to tea, and 19 have been placed out under their friends'
care, with assistance in clothes and money towards their
after provision. Of 213 placed cut or lett during the last
three year+, the committee have good reports of above 160.