The Express.
London, England, 1847-09-16 00:00:00

DINNER TO THE EAJIL OF DALHOUSIE.

On Tuesday night • public dinner was given at Edin-
burgh to the Earl of Dalhousie, on the occasion of his
having to undertake the duty of Guyer nor-General of India.
The dinner took place in the music hall, the walls of which
were tastefully ornunected with flags and devices of various
kinds, while the centre of the room was lighted up with two
splendid candelabra. The gallery was occupied lay the band
of the 3rd Dragoon Guard; and the orchestra filled with a
brilliant company of ladies. The number of gentlemen who
tat down to dinner was upwards of 400. The chair was oc-
cupied by the Duke of Duceleuch, who was supported on
the right by the guest cf the evening. The usual loyal
toasts were hallowed by
The CHAIRMAN rising to propose the health of Lord Dal-
housie; he disclaimed all feelings of a political nature in so
doing, such feelings being quite apart from the nature of the
festieal. The company present, who were of all parties and
opinions, knew well the public life of their guest, and he
(the chairman) as his intimate friend for years, could bear
testimony to his private worth. He congratulated his lord-
ship upon the position he was about to occupy, and believed
that arduous as the duties were, they would be well and
efficiently fulfilled. He was no untried man, and he went
out with high opinions formed of him. The toast was drunk
with every honour.
The Earl of PALHOtellt, who was received with loud ap-
plause, then returned thanks, expressing his regret that his
feelings would not allow him to do so in a suitable manner.
He proceeded to say—lf there were a circumstance more
gratifying to me than another, more gratifying to my recol-
lections of the past, and my love of mildt, langsyne, ft is that
you are met to congratulate me on my noble appointment in
the very place where I
tint set out on my political career—
(great applause) —that as it is in the cite of Edinburgh
you are met now, so it was in the city of *Edinburgh that
I first entered on my public life. It is not so long ego
but the youngest of you may remember that it was in the
city of Edinburgh that my friends spread my political
cradle. Not to flatter you, I cannot in my conscience
say that you proved tho tenderest of mothers. (Cheers
and laughter.) I must acknowledge that, fairly spread
as that cradle was, you rocked it somewhat roughly,
although at the time believe me, gentlemen, you never
did any man a better tura. I remember when an old
East Lothian voter at whose door I stopped one morn-
ing—and a cold bitter morning it was—when setting
out to canvass that county, said to me, " A stout heart,
my lord, to a steep brae." (Laughter.) If at any
time of my career I have shown a stout heart, it was
you of the city of Edinburgh—yen who cordially sup-
ported me—and you also who cordially opposed me—
who first taught me how to make use of that stoutness.
(Applause.) I indeed believe that, if you had accepted me,
without a contest, as your representative, I would, is all
probability, hare turned out • spoiled child, and fit to
be trained for nothing but a carpet knight. (Great laughter
and applause.) Your treatment of me was, however. widely
different ; for you began by giving me an undeniable and
unmistakeable thrashing; and by giving me the wholesome
advice, as soon as I could to thrash somebody else. (Re-
newed laughter.) You sent me into the world hardy and
rough, and ready to fight anybody, until I find myself in thel
position in which I am now proud to stand. (Applause.) I
have erased to &eke wiledge, and I will never cure le
do so, that whatever may have been my success in public I"
the foundation of that success was truly and deeply laid iat
the contested election for the city of Edinburgh. After ale
yerting to the importance of the office to which he bad bete'
appointed, and has pride in being selected for the duty, he
said: I hare always held, that every public man who has
once served the crown is bound in duty not to withhold at
a future time his service, when invited on public grounds
to do so, provided he can do so without sacrifice le
the political opinions which he has maintained, end whisk
he still maintains, as sound and true in his Wimp
tion. (Great applause.) Twice since their accession Si
power have the present confidential advisers of the
crown invited me to give my advice, co-operation, and
aid to her Majesty's government—once as a member
of the administration, and once in another capacity. Tide,
have these offers been made to me, and twice have they
been declined ; and if the offer of the assent of the crown is
the appointment mode by the Court of Directors of the Rue
India Compauy had been accompanied by the condition that
I should give them political support, or should even ob-
serve political neutrality, I should have felt it my duty
once again to have declined. (Great applauw.) I am
sure that there is not a gentleman who sits at this table
that will not believe me —hen I that I would not

memory of this evenieg would have a like effect on him.
No prosperity, however bright, should ever dirde him to
forget it. No adversity, however dark, should ever obscure
his thoughts. They had shown him a beartsome cordiality,
they had encouraged him in his task, and had bid him
heartily God speed in the course on which he was about to
enter. (The noble lord sat down amid loud applause.)
A song•written for the occasion by " Delta " was here
sung with great taste and effect by one of the company.
The CHAIRMAN then gave " Her Majesty's Ministers," to
which Mr. Fox Maims returned thanks. A number of
additional touts occupied the remainder of the evening.

Exraittnnsyris 0e PAISONERS.--Soon after the new
prison board was appointed at Aberdeen a uniform diet was
prescribed fbr the prisoners in the gaol ; but, though substan-
tial, it was found that the prisoners fell off under it. Mr.
Hill having tried s:veral experiments on his own system
proposed to vary the diet considerably, and the effect hai
been, as stated in the report just published, that the pri-
soners, on the average period of their confinement, have
gained three pounds weight each, thus showing, that how-
ever well the unikrm principle may do in the world of let-
ters, it does not answer In the economy of diet and
digestion.—Aberdeen Herald.

PROVINCIAL.
LANCATIBE, _

EXPECTED ARRIVAL OP• HER MAJEsTT AT FLEET-
woot—lt is now pretty confidextiv expected that her Ma-
jesty will not arrive at Fleetwood before Monday next. and
in the meantime the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Company, who hold the keys of the only railway aiprcrich,
are preparing to make a " grand card " of the royal visit.
No stone is to be left unturned that the event may be
chronicled as a great one in the future history of the county
palatine of Lancaster. The chairman and vice-chairman of
the company have been at Fleetwood most of the week
superintending arrangements (or the landing of the royal
party, and a huge platform for visitor: on either side of a
covered way, along which the Queen is to be conducted to
the railway carriages, has been erected. The covered way is
to be handsomely carpeted, so as to protect the royal feet,
and all ceremony and etiquette—or at least as much as can
be expected so far north—is to be observed on the auspicious
occasion. •Fleetwood itself is quite great with expectation,
and the inhabitants in public meeting on Monday agreed to
an address which is to be presented to her Majesty.
ANOTHER FAILURE IN LIVERPOOL—There was a
failure reported here yesterday of a house in the Rio Janeiro
trade. It was fora small amount, and the difficulti,s were
brought on by the stoppage of Gower and Co., in London.

BIRKENHEAD Does.—The Ltrcrponl Journal says
considerable anxiety prevails in Birkenhead repecting the
arrangements for the free opening of these docks; and the
result of the special meeting lined for Friday is looked for
with considerable interest. The assertion in the Jennie: of
Saturday, which asserts that the authorities do not intend to
throw open the docks free of c •st to shipping, is, however,
so far as we can learn. not authenticated by any authority
worthy of credit. The great body of shareholders in the
railway, who are not otherwise connected by property
with Birkenhead, we have reason to know would not op-
pose the project, on the ground that it would increase the
traffic on the line to a great extent, and of csnase increase
their dividends.