The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-06 00:00:00

1100It:11 SEQI ESTI&TIONS,

SonERT Ar.XSTltonn, Glasgow-, cotton card maker, March 12, at
the Faculty Hall, Glasgow.
ROBERT nrrill SHITH, Walkerton Mills, near Leslie, manufac-
turer, March 9, at Parker's Hotel, Cupar.
Bonita? wurric, Ferryport-on-Craig, contractor, Marsh 11, at
the Newport Hotel, Newport. Fife.
JOBS T11.11.4.N CLARK, Hftenock, grocer, March 11, at the White
Hart Hotel, Greenock.
ADAM DALotalsit ;deceased , BrockhlU, Selkirkshlre, mason,
March 15, at the County Hotel, Selkirk.
ALIAS :Malt MOWAT (daubed , Aberdeen, china merchant, March
14, at Douglas's Hotel, Aberdeen.
WtLuali BXVltunok, Latham, Fitahlre, baker, March 13, at
the Tontine Hotel, I..supar•Flte

ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. —At a meeting
of the society held yesterday in the Council-room, South
Kensington, Sir Philip De Malpaa Grey Egerton, Bart.,
M.P., RIM, in the chair, amongst other objects of
interest two most magnificent specimens of eymbhlium
eburneum and melogyne criatata were sent by Mr. Veitch.
Kr. Bull communicated several specimen, of a beautiful
and singular euphorbiaceous plant with rose-coloured
bracts from Vera Cruz, dalecbanipin roc:liana. A magnifi-
cent bunch of brownea grandicepe (a plant which very
rarely dowers in our stoves) was sent by Sir Hugh W.
hams from Bodelwyddan. Thirteen new fellows were
elected, and the Burble Parish Cottage Gardening Society
and Wotton.under-Edge Horticultural Society were ad-
ulated into union. The Rev. M. J. Berkeley, Mr. James
Bateman, Major Trevor Clarke, and Mr. Andrew Murray
addressed the meeting. _

GREENwicii HOSPITAL.—We have to congratulate
the committee of the Dreadnought Hospital on having at
length succeeded in obtaining from her Majesty's govern-
ment &partial recognition of their just claims by the per-
mission accorded them of removing the patients front the
old ship to the vacant wards of Greenwich Hospital. An
influential deputation had an interview on Monday with
Lord Derby, Sir John Pakington, and Sir Stafford North-
cote, the object being, as stated by Sir William Bowles, to
ask for so much of Greenwich Hospital fronting the
river as would be necessary for the purposes of the Mer-
chant Seamen's Hospital Society. The government are
not prepared to make a gift of the required accommodation,
but Lord Derby has intimated their readiness to grant it
as a loan—which, in point of fact, is alithe society require,
for there is little chance of the patients being disturbed,
except in the event of a war, which might necessi-
tate the re-appropriation of the hospital to the sea-
men of the fleet. We offer our congratulations on the
success of the application the more readily, because, as our
readers well know, when the Duke of Somerset's memo-
randum projecting the withdrawal of the pensioners froui
Greenwich Hospital first appeared, we advocated the
appropriation of the vacant wards to the Dreadnought
patients, and since then have lost no opportunity of urging
our views in this matter upon the government and the
public. The grant just conceded may be said to have
saved the Merchant Seaman's Hospital as an institution.
The committee bad already expended 10,000/. on the pur-
chase of a site for a building in the immediate vicinity of
the old hospital, and the outlay necessary for its comple-
tion would have literally drained their coffers. This cruel
waste of the resources of a really valuable institution has
been happilly averted, and the Dreadnought hospital
enters upon a new phase iu its existence, with every pros-
pect of a successful future. Lord Derby, at the recent in-
terview, was careful to hint that if money was asked for by
the society it would not be granted. If the society, acting
on the part of our merchant seamen, have any claim to the
wards of Greenwich Hospital, they have a still stronger
claim to the money in the hands of the government actually
belonging to the mercantile marine, to say nothing of the
large fund contributed by our merchant seamen to Green-
wich Hospital, and for which they have received no con-
sideration whatever. " One thing at a time "is a wise mode
of procedure. The Senmens' Hospital Society have got the
accommodation they require in Greenwich Hospital, and
if they persevere, as we have no doubt they will, we van
tore to promise them that they will get a parliimentary
grant to aid their excellent institution.—Shipping Gazette.
ACIRICIJLTtRAL HALL COMPANY (LIMITED).—
The sixth ordinary general meeting was held yesterday at
the company's offices ; Mr. John Clayden in the chair. The
directors in their report state that the net amount to the
credit of revenue, with the 1,0.12/. 4s. balance of last year,
is 4,885/. Oa. 10(1., out of which they recommend a dividend
at the rate of 8 per cent. per annum, clear of income-tax,
which will leave a balance of 1,711/. Os. 10d. They
further recommend that HMI. 16e. Pd, due from capital to
revenue, as shown by the last balance-sheet, be written off.
This will leave 782/. 4s. ld. to be carried forward. The
results of the past year have been most satisfactory. The
profits of the horse show exceed those of 1865 by more
than 1,0001., and those of the cattle show by more than 11001.
The Metropolitan and Provincial Working Men's Exhibition,
which was visited by nearly half a million persons, pro-
duced a net rent of nearly 1,0001. The working expenses
have been reduced ; 1,2101. 7s. Id. has been expended out
of revenue, in the maintenance of the hall and
additions to the fittings and stock. The direc-
tors have considered the desirability of creating a
sinking fund to meet depreciation by the gradual expira-
tion of the lease, and of adapting the minor hall for con-
certs and exhibitions, and have also under consideration
the propriety of paying off the debenture loans by issuing
shares at the premium of the day ; but before any definite
course is taken on these points the shareholders are to be
consulted. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the
report, congratulated the meeting on the remunerative
return they were still obtaining for their money invested
in the undertaking. He called attention to the several
points in the report, and referred to an offer of Mr. Rud-
kin to rent the hall for fourteen years at 1,5001. a year.
or 5,0001. a year for the whole premise., which the board
did not think it advisable to accept ; and he trusted the
shareholders would confirm their decision. Mr. Makin
had put a notice on the papei condemnatory of Mr. Sidney,
the secretary, which was in effect an attack by • sidewiud
on the directors, who were thoroughly satisfied that in
Mr. Sidney they had a most efficient and zealous servant,
and were quite prepared to take issue with Mr. Itudkin,
either in regard to Mr. Sidney or their own conduct.
Some exception was taken to the proposal for issuing new
shares at • premium, it being contended that the share-
holden ought to have the option of taking them at par.
Mr. ltudkin said his offer amounted to a guarantee of 10
per cent., and he would go further and guarantee 12 per
cent., because he was sure that under efficient management
it would pay at least 15 per cent. He advised that the
required additional capital should be raised by a debenture
stock, to be paid off in a given number of years by means
of a sinking fund. He complained that the expenses were
70 per cent. on the returns, and that while they paid in
1883, when the profits were only 8,0001., 10 per cent., now
that the profits were 11,000/. they only paid 8 per cent. for
the year. A personal discussion between Mr. Ruilkin and
Mr. Sidney and the Chairman in reference to the fitting
up of the hall by Mr. Hudkin for the tournament sprang
up, but ultimately the report was carried unanimously.
The dividend was declarefL Mr. Dodd was elected a director;
and the retiring director were re-elected. Mr. Itudkin
then submitted his motion of complaint against the secre-
tary, but amid great impatience, the meeting being evi-
deutly indisposed to listen to what amounted to a per-
sonal attack, which, however, Mr. Sidney was allowed to
answer, and he did so so satisfactorily that the resolution
was met by an amendment, moved by Mr. Shuttleworth, ex-
satisfaction with Mr. Sidney's conduct, and cor-
dially thanking him in the name of the meeting, which
was canted by 25 against 4. Thanks to the Chairman con-
cluded the business.

ADMIRALTY. MARCH N. —APPOINTMENTS. —Lieu-
tenant--A. K. Wilson, to the Rodney, additional, for the
instruction of the Japanese. Masters—C. W. McConachy,
to the Fisgard, for service in the Nymph ; and R. J. C
R .
Grant, to the Rodney, additional, for the instruction of
the Japanese. Midshipman—H. Cranford, to the Virago,
as supernumerary.