The Express.
London, England, 1858-05-20 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 20, 1868.

0011PORATION 07 THI 80149 07 THI CLERGY.

The two-hundred-and-fourth anniversary festival
of the Sons of the Clergy was celebrated yesterday.
In the afternoon • hall choral service was performed at
St. Paul's Cathedral, in which the choirs of the Chapel
Royal St. Paul'', Westminster Abbey, and St. George's,
aeliated. Thies was • very large attendance of
=at the service, among whom were the Archbishop of
bury, the Lord Mayor, a number of the bishops,
and • very large gathering of the clergy. The following
music was performed .—After the first WOOD, Magnifica in
C (T. Attwood)—After the second lesson, lime Dimittia in
C (T. Attwood)— After the third collect, Chores (Mendel.-
sohn), St. Matt. xxiv., 13 "He that shall endure to the end
shall be saved"—Before the sermon, Anthem composed for
the Bicentenary Festival in 1864 (J.Gosee)," Praise the Lord,
0 my sour —After the sermon, Anthem (Sebastian Bach),
" Blessing, glory, wisdom, and 'hankie, power, and might, to
God for evermore," with the Hallelujah chorus. The sermon
was preached by the Rev. Thomas Gender, WA., rector of
Trinity Church, Marylebone.
In the evening the annual dinner took plats in Merchant
Taylors' Hall, which building, it may be mentioned, has
recently been renovated and decorated under the euperlates-
donne of Joseph Turnley, Baq., the Master of the piany,
Mears. Parbury, Foam, White, Gilpin, and Jackson, war-
dens; and presented a superb end elegant appearance ; the
coiling, ptomains, and ornamentation of the hell are quite
new, while the drawing-room, retiring room, and above
aft, ;le entrence, have received improvements which are mani-
fest to all who have had the opportunity of late years of
vlideethe edifice.
The LOUD Meson peaddid ths diassr,=
of bay.
▪ ArchbishopArchbishopCoulutory, Übe Bishop of tußasea
gpee, fM Amph, Useriel, sad Olenciteler ; Mr. Baron
ill ; the Dams of Irarlisr, Weettniamer, and Norwich ;
Archdiocese Hale, Illsepam, Sinclahr, and Bonswie ; the
Master of the Temple ; the Rem. T. Gamer, 'elf, Temple,
Fiore, de. ; Sir Richerd elm W. H. Barrow, Req., H.P.,
Mr. Alderman fijeleey, Mr. Alderman Wire, and
about 160 clergymen and laymen. It may be
listed that the Corporation of the Sone of the
Clergy was established by royal charter in 1678, under
the title of " The Governors of the Charity for the Relief of
Peer Widows and Children of Clergymen," King Charlie
11. being mowed thereto by the numerous cases of distress
which existed amongst the clergy, their widows, end children,
the remit of loyalty and fidelity during the periods of the
rebellion and Commonwealth. The title of the Corporation
of the Sone of the Clergy, by which the charity is commonly
known, is derived from the circumstance of Its
eitheeteamenceere having been SOBS of clergymen.
Ms table operations of the corporation are directed to
Me following purpose —lst. Continuous or occasional as-
netance to Clergymen of the Established Church in England
and Wales, who are in pecuniary diaeresis, being incapable of
dety from mental or bodily infirmity, or sufficing under re-
verses of fortune, or heavy charges incidental to the educa-
tion of, and provision for, large families, or other cause of
Impoverishment beyond their own control. 2ndly. Perma-
nent pennons to widows and aged maiden daughters of de-
ceased clergymen. 3rdly. Further relief to pensioners on
account of great sgs, sickness., &c., end occasional donations
to other widows and maiden daughters of deceased clergy-
men who are not entitled to a pension, but whose income le
inadequate to meet unusual exigencies, and to daughter. in
necessitous circumstances under the age for a pension, ar
assercesaftil In obtaining it. 4thly. Apprenticing children
of poor clergymen ; placing them out in the world • or as-
sisting them in their education at schools or collaPia. All
clergymen having at some time or other hold • care in
Englund or Wales, are eligible for mentaeou
This society has been in active operation for upward. of two
centuries, and new annually amine by melon. and donations
about 1,260 persons—clergymen, their widows, aged single
daughter', and children. 'To clergymen disabled by age or
stelae's, or in necessitous circumstances from other mums

over which they have no control, sselatance is
siteded, either temporarily or periodically, o widows sad
aged angle daughter' of deceased clergymen pensions are
panted, varying in amount from 101. to 261. per annum ; and
to widows and daughters who may be in temporary difficulty
=Yates are made atoordmg to circumstances. To
of clergymen donations ate granted for their
education, appreeileaship, and outfit in life. During the lest
year nearly 16,0001. have been distributed smongst these
severs' daises, but so numerous are the appllcipte who
annually apply for assistance, that the funds permit only of
very limited, end often inadequate. grants being made.
On this ocauion the interests of the institution were very
ably advocated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishops
of London and Glotiose ter and others, and the result was an
sanouncernent of subscriptions amounting tn 1,1021., of
which 1311. was collected at the church doors, 601. of It being
' emerihnted anonymously by one of the congregation of the
preacher of the day. It was stated that the receipts for the
year from voluntary donations and subscriptions was 3,1731.,
while the proceeds of the realised property of the corporation
wee found sufficient to maintain or assist the number of 713
widows and children of clergymen. On the whole the fee-
deal via a etteasestul one.

INDIA.

(FROM OCR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)
BOMBAY, APRIL 24.
Without taking any salient intelligence, the pre-
sent mail will be interesting for the full details it
gives of the important operations in Rajpootana and
Central India, which terminated in the capture of
otah and Jhansi. Every one agrees that the capture
of Kotah, and the plan upon which the siege was
carried on, were masterly. You shall presently see
how it happened that, in spite of the talent evinced
in the arrangements for battering and assaulting the
place, the good effects attending the whole opera-
tion were neutralised by the carelessness with which
the enemy was permitted to escape from the town
after the storm took place. The force under Major-
General Roberts was considerable, as yon are aware,
sad bad been materially increased on the 29th of
March by the arrival of the Bth Hussars and the
headquarter wing of the 10th Bombay Native In-
fantry. On the evening of that day the
following arrangements were made for the
elm of the place at dawn of the 30th ;

tight Column, under the command of Lieutenant-
Colonel Park, her Majesty's 72nd-250 her Majesty's
72nd Highlanders, 250 12th Native Infantry. 2nd
column, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Holmes,
12th Native Infantry-260 her Majesty's 83rd Regi-
ment, 250 12th Native Infantry. 3rd column, order
the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Raines, her
Majesty's 97th-250 her Majesty's 96th Regiment,
230 10th Native Infantry. Reserve, under the com-
mand of Brigadier Macon-200 her Majesty's 83rd
Regiment, 100 her Majesty's 95th Regiment, 240
13th Native Infantry. Each of the column' had two
Engineer officers, with a portion of Sappers, a sup-
ply of tools, powder bags, with the pioneers of the
European Regiment with it; and two Mountain
Train howitzers brought up the rear °teach attacking
column. The impreasion was that the enemy would show
hard fighting, consequently each man had one day's
provisions and 120 rounds of ammunition with him.
At one o'clock in the night of the 29th or morning
of the 30th, the first column commenced to cross
over to the Raja's right bank and take up positions
in that part of the town, and by seven o'clock the
whole of the 3rd column and the 13th Native Infantry,
which had to join the reserve, the 83rd and 95th
forming part of it, having already been in the town
soma three or four days before, were safely landed
without an accident of any kind. The troops crossed
in boats belonging to the Raja, and on rafts, each
holding about 40 men, made by the Engineers with
arrack barrels brought with us from Ajmere, the
enemy only firing two shots soon after daylight at the
96th parties as they crossed the river, but happily with-
out effect. The plan of attack was, that the artillery
should commence firing at daylight from every piece
available, both of ours and the Raja's, and continue
the bombardment as quick u possible till 9 o'clock

a.m., or until the order for the usault wu given.
It wee intended that the let column should pas

out of the Raja's portion of the town to the attack.
A breach of forty feet in the wall of the works
was to be made by three Mille/ by our Engineers ;
the 2nd column was 111160 to make its exit by the
same means, the 3rd column by the Ehetonepole
Gate, which had also to be blown out, and tke
reserve to follow, but the Engineers having dis-
covered that the wall near the lit column was so
thick, it would take a considerable time to excavate
the mines sufficiently deep to crumble it, it was
determined to abandon this design, and that all

the columns should pass out of the Bhetonepole.
The rationale of the attack was this : There were
two columns of assault, to start simultaneously in a
direction almost from east to west, to sweep the
whole town. This plan was adopted in preference
to any other, because it was known that the central
street of the town was mined, or sprinkled with
explosive materials likely to do our troops a serious
injury. At about 12 o'clock the powder-bags were
placed, the fuss lighted, and soon after rockets flew
into the air as a signal, followed by an explosion—
the gate was 'clear ; out our men poured in quick
succession, though with the utmost steadiness, each
brigadier at the bead of his column, sword in hand,
the first and second leading to the right, the third to
the left, while the fourth remained in reserve. In
one half hoar afterwards the whole of the town im-
mediately in front of the attacking party was in our
possession. The first column having routed them
from their bastions, occupied the Soorujpols Oat*,
thus taking the rebels quite in rear, who, not being
aware that the third column was to the left, crossed
its front at 400 yards, when a great number were
killed by the Enfield* of the 95th. Others, seeing
that they would have to run the gauntlet, made for
the bastions, and effected their escape over the walls
by ropes, which had apparently been in readiness
foe this purpose; and one man, who was mounted
(I am told by an °Stier who saw him), in a paroxysm
of frenzy, spurred his horse to the rampart, and
jumped clear over, a fall of fifty feet. Both horse
and rider were seen afterwards at the foot of it out-
side, killed. After occupying the bastions, and com-
manding houses, the columns proceeded to clear the
houses, and in one some eight or ten men were found
fully armed and prepared to fight ; and as they
could not be dislodged, Colonel Park desired the
Sappers to mine the angles (it was here that
the 72nd lost two men in the attempt), which being
done, the party were blows up, as it was quite im-
possible to leave them in our rear; it was afterwards
discovered that Lallab Sing (brother to Hera Sing,
the commander of the rebels) was among the sum-
bur in that house ; it was his head—quarters.
Nearly in every street was a gun in position to sweep
it, with in many instances double barricades in front ;
and here and there by the guns infernal machines,
with fifty barrels each, loaded half-way up and duly
primed. The first division captured lit guns, second
sight, third 14 ; in all 67 guns, two thirds of which
are brass, of the heaviest metal, have been taken.
Some of the iron ones mounted in commanding
pooitions at the angles of the walls on high bastions
are of the largest calibre and size, throwing heavier
shot than oar 6B's. 600 prisoners were taken, all of
whom were handed over to the political agent;
some of them were recognised as condemned ma-
Acts, who bad been freed by the rebels to work the
guns.
The rebels driven out from the town, streamed

away from the westeru gate, and taking a south-
eastern course across a large plain with their guns,
plunder, wives, children, and servants, fled unmo-
lested to the hills forming the plateau south of the
Chumbul. It will hardly be credited in England
that this disorderly rabble of fighting men, camp
followers, women, and children, all huddled together
in a mass, were allowed to escape altogether unmo-
lested. The ghauts of the river Chumbul were
by the Jeypore contingent, and a few miles
guarded
ow the town lay a force of cavalry consisting of
the Bth Hussars, Mode Horse, and other
with Petrie's battery. They mustered nearly 1,000
strong, with six guns, and, I believe, received in-
structions to intercept the enemy when retreating,
but, strange to may, they were in the same 011011
forty-eight hours after the foamy had led from
the town and evacuated the eatreekebed amp on
the other side of it, still inactive, and it was not
till fifty-two hours had elapsed they owe-
monad to pursue them. is es yet no