The Express.
London, England, 1859-05-23 00:00:00

NENDIOI7 7 soczzrr.

The annual general meeting of the inbeeriltees sad
friends to the bleedielty Society was holden eedurday, at the
room of the institutioe, Red Lion-aquaria The Marquis of
Wtsrm HOTLY presided, and was supported by, among others,
Captain Stinfori, MN., Sir Arclubeld Murray, Bert.; Sir
John Peter Boileau, Bart. ; Lord Cslthorpe, Lord Egerton
of Tattoo, and Earl Grosvenor. The report stated that the
year 1868 was one in which the pressure of pauterisos and
distress upon the funds of the society had been unusually
light. The low price of bread, the great demand for recruits
for the army ooraitoned by the Indies mutiny, the nousuel
mildness of the weather, and the consequent general em-
ployment of the labouring classes, have greatly diminished
the number of mendicants, and especially of those who were
driven by real distress to begging in the street', or writing
besting letters. The eependiture of the lest year was
3,1241. 18e. 3d., whilst the average of the seven rani
g was 8,7421. 16s. 2d. The income had been
tri;711.14._,. which included a balance in hand of 4661.
9e. 10d. 2,9011. 4e. 6d. of this income was desired from
soheraiptions and donations, showing an increase
on this head of 137/. ls. as compared with 1857.
321. 19s. 3d. bee been received for begging letter pound-
ac:: account of those subscribers for whom the sc-
ams as almoners. The cases which were considered of
t importance to be regietered in 18.58 were 329. The
Reregistered came, or those which were disused of in a
more semery war, were 6,166. The meals have been
43,836 in 1868. The amount disbursed in relief of reendi-
casts 8461. la. 13d. in 1868, the comparison showing on
each head a comiderage diminution in the last year, as com-
pared with the year 1867, and a still larger one as compere'
with the average of the preceding seven years. Of 691
vagrants apprehended by the society's constables 299 were
committed by the magistrates, and the law bad been very
suceesefully enforced against a number of professional
beggers of long standing. These vagrants who were
not committed by the magistrates were sent to
work at the society's estabialumests, sent house
to their parishes, or otherwise, it was
memenently removed from the streets. The numlwr of
sing lettere met for investigation war 3,187. 8631. 17e.
had been disbursed through the society to applicants by beg-
ging letter, besides the money which bad been given by sub-
scribers, who preferred administering relief themselves to
such cams as they find on the report of the society to Le de.
serving; and it was o satisfaction to the maetuers to think
that the large sum had been so bestowed as to afford, in many
cams of neamideble misfortune, permanent and effectual re-
lief. The difficulty in reseeding persons who have beat
iespotei upon to sive evidence belle the mei/iterates which
would lead to the detection sad punishment of impeetwe pre-
vents the coercive pert of the institution from being se useful
as • more general co-operstion on the part of thew subscri-
bers would make it; but of 33 begging-letter Impostors who
have been apprehended, 25 were convicted, and sentenced to
terms of imprisonment varying from two yeers to 21 days.
The report having been adopted, the amnesia .tatemeut was
also reed. It showed that on the 31st of December last the
society had 7,3131.4 e. 24. Three pr Cent. Consols standing
is the names of the trustees, and an Exchequer-bill of SOW.
in the Mines of the bankers. The Reel receipts for the past
' wyear had been 4,074. Hs , end the expenditure 3,1M1. 19e.,
ing • Minim in the hands of the assistant manger and
the bankers of 9401. 16e. Thanks to the noble chairman ter-
minded the proceedings.

THE PROPOSED EXHIBITION OF 1861.—1 t was
announced a abort Use since that arramementa were in
progress for holdion • Greet Exhibition of the Fine end
ledue nal Are is 1861. The opinion of many of the princi-
pal manufactureis of the metropolis end of the country was
taken on the ptopriety of hold ng the pm:wined Exhibition.
The feeling among those who were the principal t xhibiters
Is 1861 was generally againtt the proposal, or incases where
not opposed to the ahem.. • very loge amount of snaky
was nranifastei en the subject. The reminiscences of the
display of 1861 wire by no means agreeable to teeny who
were then exhibitor., and titer evinced a very natural dread
of embarking Is en underrating of • similar character. Trani
were, however, eeveral eminent firm who stetted that If the
Exhibition ware to be held they would consent to contriblt•
spiciness of their manufaci are, though upon the whole they
would rather that they were not rated upon to do so. TM
result ol the appeal has been, we believe, that about 300
maaafecturers in London and is the country contented to
become exhibitors. Added to this want of wire aympethy
with the objects of the promoters of the undert thing, on tie
p•rt of English producers, there is now the difficulty Wee-
pmed by the state of aff tire on the continent, nod it would
be Idle to euppose that the European ustioas would entertain
with much favour a proposal just sow to become competitors
in the peaceful steno of art and induvhiy, while their atten-
tion is eggrowel with the more momentous struggleof mili-
tary power.. Under these circumetinces It has beet decided
that no further steps be taken towards carrying ota the prow
reed Enhibifire oillsl.—Werrver.