The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-06 00:00:00

MAURY TESTIMONIAL.

Yesterday evening about 130 gentlemen as-
sembled at Willis's Rooms, on the occasion of a banquet
and testimonial to Captain Maury, formerly of the United
Statesnavy, the object of this tribute being to make a suit-
able public recognition of the brilliant services unfenced
by that officer on the cause of maritime science. Sir .1011.11
PAKINGTON, M.P., presided.
It was the declaration of Humboldt, that to Captain
Maury belonged the distinguished honour of having
founded a new department of human knowledge, viz. the
"Physical Geography of the Sea ;" and the motive which
actuated the promoters of last night's testimonial 4-
pears to have been a desire that the United Kingdom
should no longer be the only maritime power in Europe
I
that had not publicly and officially recognised the ern'4 t
services of this distinguished nautical geographer. e
conception of floating observatories, and the conversionsof
" s legion of ships into a legion of such observatories," mu
Captain Matu7's an was also the celerated Brussels
conference, held in 1853. At that conference Rngland,
France, Russia, Portugal, Belgium, Holland, Denmark,
Norway and Sweden were represented, and one of its mast
eminent and practical results was the establishment' in
London, by the advice of the Royal Society, of the Meteoro-
logical Department of the Board of Trade. It was esti-
mated by the late Dr. Bight, in speaking before the British
Association,that charts and sailing directions for the Eastern
seas, such as Captain Maury had at that time prepared for
the Atlantic Ocean, would produce a saving to British
commerce of from a quarter to half a million sterling.
Since that time Captain Maury has investigated and
mapped out the prevailing winds and currents, not only of
the Eastern seas, but of all the great oceans, and the
result has been what Dr. Built predicted. The
sailing voyage to India and China has been shortened
fifteen days, to the Equator ten days, to California
fifty days, to Australia and back fifty days, and to other
countries proportionately. blaury's obUts and sailing
directions which described these routes and effected this
*saving, were published not for sale, but for distribution,
free of cost, to vessels of all nations.
After the usual loyal touts, followed by that of " The
Diplomatic Corps,"
The CHAIRMAN proceeded to present the testimonial,
considerably exceeding in amount 3,000 guineas, as a recog-
nition of esteem, admiration, and gratitude. (Cheers.)
He concluded by reading an address expensive of
the object of the presentation, and having handed the
money to the guest of the evening in a silver casket he
proposed his health, which was drunk with three times
three, amid much enthusiasm.
Captain MAURY commenced by repudiating the notion
that he was deserving such an acknowledgment. Forty
years ago, he said, it was his good fortune to enter on a
field of discovery in which the harvest was ready to band.
Very soon a fleet scattered all over the world was engaged
in observing certain phenomena of the sea and the air; and
at a very small cost ships of all nations were converted
into temples of science. (Cheers.) The necessity
of combination in the researches made, led to
the conference at Brussels, and now he saw a
brilliant assemblage met to celebrate the results
Iwcahitaich*nbaddecslaredince been
his "uthteierve
i inabilityin cotonacclknusioownietlzeginallanapt.
propriate terms the handsome testimonial just presented,
and said be must therefore express it with sealed lips and
the eloquence of silence. (Loud cheers.)
Among the remaining toasts was "Our Foreign Visitors,"
proposed by Lord Richard Grosvenor, M.P., which was
• responded Gene Commodore Jansen, of the Royal Dutch
' Navy, andral liesuregard, of the late Confederate
States of America, the latter of whom was greeted with
special cordiality.

On Monday last the Reverend Charles Gape,
clerk, ALA., waa collated to the vicarage of Knobsll, in
Norfolk, in the gift of the Lord Bishop of Norwich, by
virtue of his Liehopric by reason of lapse. On the same
day the Rev. Richard Watts Barker, clerk, was licensed
to the perpetual curacy of Bt. Martin-at-Palace, in Nor-
wich, on the nomination of the Dean and Chapter of Nor-
wich. On the same day the Bev. James Wilson, desk,
M.A., WAS licensed to the perpetual curacy of West
Beckham, in Norfolk, on the nomination of the Dean and

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CLOCKSandGA]

ORIGINAL GOLD CHAIN MANUFACTORY,
Is, Egrouarra-irmat courr4ABDIN.

JOHN BROGDEN'S 1.8-carst GOLD CHAIN S

JOHN BROODEN'S GOLD GUARD CHAINS.
JOHN BROGDEN'S GOLD ALBERT CHAINS.
JOHN BROGDENB GOLD BROOCH CHAINS.

BENSON,
to J. W.
th
, by SPECIeAL APPOENTMENT
H. 11.11. Prince of WALES.
______

TIENSON, J. W., 25, OLD BOND-STREET,
JUIP having reconstructed them magnificent yrembes, invitee
an inspection of artistic works.
-

-vigeisors, TRA2d FACTORY for
JUP CLOCKS and WATCHin, 68 and On LUDGAMHILL

BENSON, J. W., 99, WESTBOURNE-GROVE.
BENSON, J. W., 1614aTerrENHAM-00IIRT-

'REEBOK, J. W., MAKER of the GOLD
.1.). CASKET presented try the City of London to HALE. the
Prince of Wales.

BENSON, J. W., MAKER of the CASlTifirj're-
seated by the My of London to H.S.H. Prince

BENSON, J. W., PRIZE MEDAL, LONDON,
Chu LI. -
- --

_
BEN'' J. vf.' PRIZE MEDAL, Dublin,

BENSON, J. W., HONOURABLE MENTION,
Landon, Clam 15.

BENSON, J. W., WATCH and CLOCK
PAMPHLET, post tree for two stomps.

'ENRON, J. W. MAKER of the CHRONO-
-0 GRAPH by Willa the DEBBY Is TIMID.

OENSON, J. W., MAKER of the GREAT
o CLOCK of the EXHIBITION, 18a.

CLOCKS for the CARRIAGE.

'milieu.

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CANDELABRA in ORMOLU and BRO:

CANDELEBRA in SILVER and ELECTRO-
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WATCHES, CHRONOGRAPH, KEYLESS
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WATCHES, CHRONOMETER, DUPLEX,
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WATCHES, HORIZONTAL, CENTRE
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WATCHES in Sizes of Half to Three Inches
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JEWELLERY, designed by ITALIAN and
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In great variety.

SILVER PLATE, designed expressly for PRE,
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SILVER PLATE FLOWER AND FRIIIT
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TURTLE, TURTLE, TURTLE.
Clear, Thick, and Invalid TURTLE SOUPS always ready.
ST. JAILIERS.HALL, REGENT-STREET, PICCADILLY.
NIL DONALD, Proprietor.

TO WEST-END DINERS.—The WELLING-
TON. St. Jarnes'astreet, Piccadilly. Later S.loon
Disdwg-room on the first door. The subscription rooms are now
open. Terms, twelve
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Apply to D. Cameron, 49, St. James's-street.

LONDON must have a SUPPER and MUSIC
ROOM for Gentlemen.—Remember, we watt for you at
'YOVANS'," after the Covent Garden Opera sad the Theatres.

the ell:prtoo.

TO CORRESPONDENT&
dvertisemente intended for " The " London Evening
M:, must be at the Office, 10, untie-street, by Two
crli ou the day of publication.

has reached the Commons in the alms
SPEEDER WALPOLE, is entitled the /We of Lend
by Auction Bill. Their Lordships have been
looking into the practices of the buying and selling
portion of the community, and have observed that
it is passible for foolish people to part with their
money too easily. They find that pur-
chasers at auction sales are sometimes actually
led to give more for property than it is worth.
We have been accustomed to consider an auction
as one of the most advantageous methods of set-
tling the terms of a bargain. It opens the market
to the largest possible number of competitors ; it
brings business to a point; and it places transactions
under the guardianship of publicity. But there
is one disadvantage about it. As one of the
learned and noble supporters of this Bill has ob-
served, " buyers at such sales are influenced by
" their feelings ;" legislation, therefore, is held to
be necessary, "in order to prevent persons being
" deluded into giving a higher price than the
" article offered is worth." It is pleasant to see
men believing in their own art. The cordwainer
who proposed to defend his native city with
leather was a good and true man ; and an ex-
chancellor who did not believe that law
was or might be made a remedy for
every ill which afflicts society would be no better
than a bishop who did not believe in the
Pentateuch. But, with the greatest respect for
these learned persons and their science, we cannot
acknowledge that it is the business of our Legisla-
ture to protect grown people from themselves.
And if it were, the Lords have begun at
the wrong end. If any portion of the
buying public needs to be protected from its
own ignorance or folly, is it that section which
buys houses and lands, or that which presents
itself at sales of moveable property, say pictures,
wines, and plate? There was a sale last Saturday,
near London, at which a yetmg nobleman, just
come of age, gave 2,5001. for a colt which had
never given evidence of his capacity, and
at which forty-two yearlings sold at an average
for 4781. each. Will their Lordships do
nothing to protect such buyers as these? The
purchase of land is just one of those
operations which are preceded by more in-
quiry and approached with more caution than any
other class of business transactions, and the auc-
tioneers who are entrusted with the disposal of such
property are always the most respectable members
of their profession. The Bill introduced by Lord
ST. LEONARDS is crowded with restrictions, con-
ceived in the spirit which devised the old guild
laws that once hampered every branch of enter-
prise. Its professed object is to protect the public,
by regulating the exercise of the right of bidding
on behalf of the seller. Everybody who has ex-
perience of sales knows that ttis right is indis-
pensable for the protection of the vendor, who
would otherwise be at the mercy of conspirators.
At present, the auctioneer, to facilitate busi-
ness, offers bids up to the reserve, at which
ho stops, and leaves the sale open for tl3
public present. The Bill of Lord ST.
LzoNssns forbids him to do this, but does
not prohibit bids on behalf of the oa.ter. Such
bids are to be treated as unobjectionable, provided
they are made by an agent, who will not have the
knowledge, or experience, or responsibility of the
auctioneer, and only forbidden under the guarantee
of those qualities. By a whole series of clauses
restrictions are multiplied so as to fetter the dis-
cretion of the auctioneer, and place him and the
vendor in the power of any persons who may com-
bine to depreciate property. These restrictions are
put forward in the interest of purchase-5, but
their interest is best secured by a system under
which owners of property feel confidence in bring-
ing forward their assets freely. There is not
at present too much freedom about the
sale of land, and there would be less if,
through the enactment of arch a Bill as
this, owners were to be deterred from
offering it at auction. No sufficient case has
hitherto been made out for the introduction of
this Bill. It may be true, as Lord Sr. LEONARDS
observed in introducing it, that " a little bit of
" vanity induces a man to show that he has a
" little longer purse than his neighbours ;" but it
is not the function of Parliament to correct such
weakness by putting fetters on trade, and we shall
be surprised if an assembly containing so many
men of business as the House of Commons should
be of a different opinion.

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.

(THIS DAY.)

it is different.
The Herald continues to represent Peneds and Italy as
two pickpockets, who are about to attack a strong man in
the streets. No one can deny that Austria has a fairer
chance of solving its difficulties in its own favour by an
appeal to arms than by relegating them to a conference la
which it is probable enough that the majority will be
against it. Self-preservation is the instinct of states as of
individuals, and those who find fault with Austria are
counselling her to suicide.
The Tdegraph expects upon the outbreak of war to
witness a race between Austria and Prussia to obtain pos-
session of Dresden, for whichever power holds the Saxon
capital will probably be able to incorporate the not ineigni-
ileant military contingent of Saxony with its own, and,
what is of still greater moment, will be able to monopolies
the influence possessed by that State among the lesser
members of the Germanic Confederation. Moreover,
Dresden is a point which must be occupied by on army
advancing either from Berlin towards Vienna or vice versa.
The Star remarks that one of the strange peculiarities of
the present state of affairs is, that one is compelled to give
his sympathy to Austria as against Prussia and to Italy as
against Austria. Austria is quite right in withdrawing
from the Gastein swindle, quite right in convoking the
Holstein estates. But the very course which she herself
initiates in regard to Holstein is the condemnation of
her obstinate clinging to a shameful bargain ►nd her fierce
repudiation of popular right in regard to Venetia.

CLIVEDIIt,

The Queen drove out yesterday afternom,
accompanied by Princess Helens., and attended by the
Duchees Dowager of Athole and the Equerry in Waiting.

WINDBOB CASTLE, Juers 5.

The Queen, socompanied by the Princess Helms,
Princess Louise, Princess Beatrice, and Prinoe Leopold,
arrived at Windsor Castle at 6 o'clock this evening from
Cliveden. In attendance were the Dowager Duchess of
Athole, the Hon. Flora Macdonald, Lieutenant-General
Hon. C. Grey, Lord Charles Fitzroy, Lieutenant Stirling,
and Mr. SAW.
Miss Bowater left Cliveden this morning.

The Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Crown Prince
of Denmark, and attended by Lientenant-Colonel Keppel,
General Kauffman, and Captain Lund, went to Col-
cheater yesterday, and inspected the 11th Hussars, previ-
ous to their departure for India.
Lieutenant-Colonel Keppel has succeeded Major Tees-
dale as Equerry in Waiting to the Prince of Wales,
The Duke of Edinburgh, attended by Colonel the Hon.
A. Liddell and the Hon. E. Yorke, received the freedom of
the Merchant Taylors' Company, and was entertained by
them at their ball, in the City, after the ceremony.

A Cabinet Council was held yesterday at the
official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury,
in Downing-street. The ministers present were
Earl Russell, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Gran-
ville, the Duke of Argyll, Sir George Grey, the
Earl of Clarendon, the Right Hon. Edward
Cardwell, Earl de Grey, the Marquis of Har-
tington, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the
Duke of Somerset, the Right Hon. T. Milner
Gibson, Lord Stanley of Alderley, the Right Hon.
G. J. Goachen, and the Right Hon. C. P. Villiers.

Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-
ofßce from the Governors of the Cape of Good Hope, Bt.
Helena, Malta, and Heligoland.

1.11,
2 THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING JUNE 6
JOHN BROGDEN. five, but which, more happy than its predecemgor, of Austria. Time b obtedrigith England or
I hes reached the Commons in the aqua of ][r. the Court.
France, but with Austria, which ia at every yen,
_ enflames*.
CLIVEDIN, /mei 5. 1