The Express.
London, England, 1853-03-24 00:00:00

TIIE EAST INDIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO TILE

DUBLIN EXHIBITION.

At the special request of the Council of the So-
ciety of Arts, Mr. Winkworth, Chairman of the East Indian
Exhibition Committee, recently visited the Hague end
Leyden, in company with Mr. Roney, for the purpose of
soliciting the aid of the Dutch government in favour of the
Int.ian Exhibition ; and to request permission of his Ma-
jesty the King of the Netherlands, that selections from the
very valuable and unique collections of Eastern articles,
preserved in the museums of the Hague and Leyden, might
be entrusted to the society, for the purpose of being ex-
hibited in the "East Indian Department of the Great Dub-
lin Exhibition."

At the meeting of the council, on the 16th inst., Mr.
Winkworth reported the complete success of his motion,
and stated that the request with which he was charged
had been granted in the most gracious and liberal manner.
The following lettet from Mr.Winkworth, and the official
reply of M. de Thorbecke to the application of Messrs.
Roney and Winkworth, will he read with interest, and the
society may with reason be congratulated on the manner in
which their request has been met by the Dutch government,
which, at the same time that it adds a most valuable awl
important contribution to the increasing collection of
eastern productions, forming by the society, affords a
gratifying example-Of the friendly interchange of inter-
national civilities: _ _ _

"The Hague, March 6, 1863.
"Gentlemen,—l have received the catalogue of the
eastern objects contained in our museums which you desire
to exhibit In the Industrial Exhibition whieh is shortly to
take place in Dublin. The government -at Ids Majesty the
King of the Netherlands is happy: to be associated in an
enterprise which has the approbation of her Majesty the
Queen, his Royal Highness the Prince Albert, and the
British government, and which cannot fail to lead to the
most beneficial results. It is therefore with pleasure, gen-
Amnon, that I camply with your request, and shall place in
your hands the articles in question during the Exhibition.
I have entrusted M. Van de Kasteele, the director of the
Royal Museum at the Hague, with the care of conveying
and accompanying these articles. It is understood that all
the cost of packing and transit, both to and fro, as well as
the 'apneas of M. de Kasteele, are to be defrayed by you.
" The Minister of the Interior,
(Signed) " Tuonnxoln.
" To C. P. Roney, Esq., Secretary to the Industrie' Ex-
hibition at,Dutdin ; an T. Whitworth, Esq., Treasurer
of the Society of Arts, in London, and Chairman of the
East Indian Exhibition Committee."
" Paris, March 11, 1863.
" Dear Sir,—l have the pleasure to announce to you the
successful termination of the mission of Mr. Roney and
myself to the Hague. Immediately on our arrival, we pput
eureelvee in commosiestion with Sir Ralph Abereroto
her Majesty's Ambassador to the King of the Netteilan
by whom we were honoured with an interview this
same evenigg. We stated the object of our visit, into
which his Excellency cordially entered, and promised
us all the assistance which his position afforded.
We accordingly received from him, on the following
day, an introduction to the Minister of the Interior, IL
Thorbecke. We explained to him the wish of the Society
of Arts to have the means of adding to their inteuded con-
tribution of a collection of Indian and Estero products, to
the' Great Industrial Exhibition of 18.53; is Dublin, a se-
lection from the celebrated museums of Holland, of objects
of Japanese manufacture and design. This desire, we re-
presented, was the greater, from it being well known that
the collection at the Hague is unique, possessing also an
historical interest, owing to the early connection of the
Dutch with Japan, Java, and other Oriental settlements.
We stated that the proposed Exhibition, though
origi-
natins with, and being at the sole expense of, a patriotic
individual, Mr. William Deegan, was not • commercial
speculation ; but, being placed under the entire ma-
nagement of an independent committee, had received
great encouragement from her Majesty the Queen,
Prince Albert, and the government of Great Britain.
His Excellency listened with attention' and, atter •
short discussion, requested us to visit the Museums at the
Hague and at Leyden, and to give hint a list of the article,
we thought most suitable for our purpose. While doing
this, we availed ourselves of the advice and assistance of the
Directeur du Musee Royale, M. Kasteele, and finally pre-
sented to M. Thorbecke the catalogue he required. We
received shortly afterwards a verbal message of consent to
our application on behalf of the government, and which
has subsequently been coutirmed in wri'ing, as will be sees
I on reference to the accompanying copies of the correspon-
dcnce. It now only remains for me to bear geatcful testi-
mony to the kind assistanct, received from Sir Ralph Aber-
eromby and M. Kasteele, and to congratulate to Society of
Arts on heehaw been the medium of obtaining the loan of
a valuable collection of curiosities, no portion of which has
ever before been permitted, since its formation, to leave the
shores of Holland.—l am, dear sir, yours truly,
" Thomas WINIWORTR.
"Edward Solly, Esq., F.R.S."

DEATH OF Two MEN Fdtoll DRINKING RAW
Seturre.—A melancholy instance of death from drinking
raw spirits occurred at Cullompton, Devonshire, on Monday
last. It appeared that an innkeeper of that town, nailed
Silas Frost, entertained some of his customers with a quan-
tity of raw spirits—brandy, rum, and gin mined. These
men drank 01 freely, that two of them died almost mimedately afterwards. The case was brou4ht before the inogi-
strides sitting in petty sessions for that borough, and their
worships directed the police to keep a sharp look out en the
innkeeper's house for the tu tttt .