The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-23 00:00:00

THE INTERNATIONAL FLOWER SHOW.

E.S. E.
Ev.E.
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S.E.
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The idea of holding an International Horticul-
tural Show and Botanical Congress in London was
first started at a meeting held at Brussels under
the immediate patronage of the late Ring Leopold,
and was revived at the Exhibition held at Amster- • •
dam last year, when it was received with so much
favour by both British and foreign horticulturistat
that steps were at once taken to carry it into effect.
The patronage of her Majesty the Queen, ci
his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, ands
of other members of the royal family, was
early secured, and when these illustrious -
persons had set the example, but little difficulty'
was experienced in obtaining a large list of sup-
porters. An efficient executive committee was
appointed, and a guarantee fund was raised, "in
order to provide against such a casualty "—not of
unusual occurrence at horticultural fetes in this
country—" as the occurrence of bad weather
during the time of the show." Under such favour-
able circumstances, the preparations for the exhi-
bition and congress, which have occupied a good
part of the present year, have gone on smoothly
and prosperously, and have partially, at least, been
brought to a successful issue. The exhibition was •
opened yesterday afternoon, and the congress is to
commence its labours, which will occupy two days,

this morning.
Although at first the arrivals were rather
slack, in the course of the afternoon the num-
ber of visitors increased, and towards. 3 o'clock
the tent or tents were tolerably well filled. The
remark that the colours of the ladies' dresses out-
vied the hues of the flowers, and that the roses of • .
their complexions put to shame the tints which the
most experienced gardener had been able to
procure for his blossoms is much too hackneyed
for repetition ; but as ladies and their dresses form
one (or two) of the most important elements of
attraction at every flower show, we may be per-
mitted to say that in neither of these respects was
the exhibition of yesterday afternoon inferior to
those which have been held in the same vicinage,
in Regent's-park, or at the Ciystal Palace. Al-
though there was no formal opening of the exhi-
bition, it was generally understood that it would
be visited in the course of the afternoon by
their royal highnesses the Prince and Princess of
Wales, and the public expectation in this respect
was not disappointed. Shortly before four o'clock
their royal highnesses, accompanied by Prince Alfred
and Princess Helena, as well as by the Duke, the
Duchess, and the Princess Mary of Cambridge,
entered the tent from the Horticultural Society's
gardens, and passed through the principal part of
the exhibition. Their royal highnesses were every-
where received with manifestations of loyalty
and respect, but, unfortunately, here and
there the al of the lieges got the better
of their discretion, and there was more than one in-
stance of crowding upon the royal personages, which
however creditable it may have been to the enthu-
siasm of those who were concerned in it, reflected
seriously upon their good taste. In all these cases,
however, it is curious to observe how each indivi-
dual acquits himself of blame, and charges all the
fault upon his or her neighbour. For instance,
yesterday afternoon we heard a lady, who
had been most forward among those who had
pressed upon the royal party, observe, "I am
ashamed of my countrymen." This was said
aloud ; but she added, in an undertone, " I never
had so good a look at the Prince and Princess
before."

THE BANQUET
took place last night in the Guildhall, which was crowded
I as only the Guildhall ever is on the occasion of public en-
tertainmenta. The LORD MAYOR occupied the chair.
I The usual loyal toasts were given by the LORD MAYOR,
and were received with the enthusiasm which they never
_ fail to excite.
I Sir WENTWORTH DILKE, in proposing "The Health of the
Foreign Visitors and the President of the Botanical
Congresa," dwelt upon the advantage which must result
to the botanical as to every other science from the united
4 exertions of men of eminence, of devoted students, and of
4 careful observers in all countries.
Professor DE CANDOLLE, the President of the Botanical
Congress, in responding, alluded especially to the visit of
the Prince and Princess of Wales to the exhibition, and.
to the fact that they had expressed their regret that they
could not be present at the banquet. lie lamented
the absence of those continental botanists whose
houses were filled with soldiers, and who there-
, fore were unable to leave their wives and daughters
in order to come to London. Apart from the
mischief which must naturally arise from the sacrifice of
life, and the loss of property to which it would necessarily
lead, anything like an European war was to be deplored
on aoeount of its interference with the progress of science,
and amongst other sciences of that of horticulture. Be
recognised the progresswhich had been made in
horticultural science in England, Belgium, and Holland,
and expressed the belief that similar advances might be
made in other countries if the science w.is pursued
with equal ardour, and if its followers adopted a system
adapted to the conditions of soil and climate under which
they were compelled to labour.
The toast of "Success to the International Horticul-
tural Exhibition and Botanical Congresar was proposed by
The Right Hon. C. Nieerr HAMILToN, who dwelt upon
the advantage which must result both to the prosecution
of botanical science and to international relations by
meetings such as that which this banquet was held to
celebrate ; and was responded to by
Dr. ROBERT HOOO, the general secretary.
The band of the Grenadier Guards performed a selection
of music during dinner, under the direction of Mr.
to i D. Godfrey.

Major Frederic Brine, Royal Engineers, who
was attached to the Japanese Ambassadors, has been ap-
pointed by the Earl of Clarendon to accompany his Excel-
lency pin-Tu-Tin, the Chinese Commissioner, and suite,
in their visit to this country.
ROYAL ORTHOP.EDIC HOSPITAL.—The twenty-
seventh annual dinner of this charity was held !sat even-
ing at Willis's Rooms, the Hon. C. \V. Fitzwilliam,
in the chair. The condition of the hospital was repre-
sented to be more gratifying than on any previous festival,
and a special source of congratulation was the statemer.t
that during the year tradesmen's bills to the amount of
1,813/. had been paid, and that the mortgage debt had
been reduced from 4,000 i. to 3,0001., which was now the
only claim against the society. The ordinary receipts fur
the year were 2,2mr., and the expenses were 2,639/.
Special contributions had been forthcoming to such an
extent that the committee had felt warranted in increasing
the accommodation for in-patients, by adding a new ward
with six beds. The ward was known as " Thornton's
Ward," in memory of Mr. Richard Thornton's legacy
of 2,000/. The total number of beds was now
fifty, and the committee hoped for sufficient sup-
port to open additional free beds for the recep-
tion of patients requiring operations. During the
year 2,044 new cases were admitted, making the total
since the opening of the hospital 38,868. These patients
were suffering from contractions and deformities of every
degree of severity ; grown-up persons, after being deformed
for years, had left the institution with straight :tad service-
able limbs ; and numbers of children had by timely treat-
ment been saved from becoming cripples. There were
now 103 applicants for admission. The cases treated
during the year had been sent from 36 counties in
England, Ireland, Scotland, and \Vales, and the
Channel Islands ; thusland,
enabling the society to
claim the attributes of a national charity. During
the after-dinner speeches the history and aims
of the charity were commented upon, marvellous instances
of cure in the hospital were narrated, And earnest appeals
wore made for funds. One case wail mentioned by the
chairman, which he had himself seen, of a child from the
Isle of Wight, who came into the hospital with club feet,
contractions of the muscles of the hands, seven toes on
each foot, and six fingers on each hand. The superfluities
had been removed, and the defects in the feet and hands
were gradually disappearing. The chairman advised all
who could spare the time to go to the hospital in Oxford-
street and inspect the easts btu eformities which bad been
removed by hospital treatme. The avowed object of
the society is "the treatment of club-foot, lanai, and other
deformities." Mr. Harker, jun., was the toaxtrnader ;
and a military bend played during dint_er and between the
'peaches. Subscriptions and donations, including 5001.
from the Marquis of Westminater and 1:2)1. in new annual
subacriptions, were announced to the amount of 1,8501.

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