The Express.
London, England, 1867-08-02 00:00:00

BANQUET AT FISHMONGERS' HALL.

The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers gave
*banquet at their elegant hall last evening to the hon.
members; Mr. F. B. Hgestraw, prime warden, in the
chair. The company included Mr. Goschen, M.P. Vice-
Chancellor Sir W. Page Wood, Sir Rowland Hill, M.P.,
Sir F. Smith, Admiral Sir W. H. Hall, Sir Powell Buxton,
Bart., M.P., Sir H. Hervey Bruce, Bart., M.P., Sir W.
Ferguson, Bart., Colonel Robertson Aikman, Mr. Alder-
man W. Lawrence, M.P., Mr. Thomas Chambers, M.P.,
Mr. Charles Gilpin, M.P. Mr. A. S. Ayrton, M.P., Mr. J.
Abel Smith, M.P., Mr. Thomson Hankey, M.P., Mr. J.
Neale M'Kenna, M.P., Mr. J. Remington Mills, M.P., the
Governor of the Bank (Mr. Hunt), the Chairman and
Deputy Chairman of the Bast and West India Dock Com-
pany, the Masters of the Mercers and Drapers'Companies,
and the Master and the Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths'
Company.
According to custom, the successful young watermen,
who during the day had contended for Doggett's coat and
badge, entered the hall after the preliminary toasts had
been disposed of, and received the bottles of wine the com-
pan_y gives on the occasion.
The PRINZ WARDEN, in proposing" The House of Com-
mons," incidentally remarked that in all probability the
house would have to fight its reform battles over again
when the bill came back from the House of Lords. That
being done, he hoped legislative attention would be given
to commercial questions, particularly to railway affairs, in
which at least five hundred millions sterling were invested.
The toast was acknowledged by Mr. GOSCHIN, who said
we were by recent events in St. Stephen's being cast
adrift upon a sea without a political chart, but not with-
out hope of bringing our navigation to a successful and
safe issue. The outside public had confidence in the people
of this country, and did not by any means @bare in the
fears of democracy which had been recently expressed in
certain parliamentary speeches. (Laughter.) The public
wished the House of Commons to settle the reform ques-
tion, believing in their hearts that whatever might be the
future constitution of the country they might de-
pend upon the sound common sense of their
fellow-countrymen— upon their love of order, and
upon their law-abiding qualities. He thanked the con-
servatives for the franchise part of the Reform Bill, and
considered that although their measure was but an ex-
periment, it was an experiment justified by the character
of the English people. If he were asked how this bill
would affect the line that divided liberals and conserva-
tives, he would reply that it w.ui foolish and shorten kited
to attempt to gauge the results of the bill now being
passed upon the future of any one set of men, or of the
triumph of any ono set of politicians. It was folly to
talk of conservatives or liberals gaining a seat here or
there at a time when, for all they knew, they were acting
out the last chapters of their history, and were about to
give way to new combinations based upon new principles
and actuated by new motiees. Considering therefore that
when this bill became law the world of politics might be
different to that of the present moment, he could only
say that the anxieties of a dying miser with regard to the
treasures ho could not take away, were on a par with
the anxiety often expressed with regard to the gain of
• seat or two for parties that might be about to be entirely
transformed. The future of course wasentirely unknown;
but we might look with confidence, not to the balance of
political classes or parties, and not to any of those secu-
rities which some noble lords were attempting to intro-
duce, but to the general body of the English people. This
was cot only the opinion of the House of Commons, but
of the present electors, and he trusted that the conserva-
tive members were parties not only to the policy but to
the principle of the bill. (Cheers.) The importance of
the measure could not be over-estimated, and few words
would be more momentowe than those which would be
heard if the Queen, with respect to the present Reform
Bill, should utter the old formula, " La Heine le Vent."
(Cheers.)
. . . . . .

OthWtossts followed, the speakers being Vice-Chan-
cellor Wood, Mr. Chambers, M.P., Sir Rowland Hill, Sir
H. Bruce, M.P., &c.
- • • - -• •

During the evening songs and glees—including the
Fishmongers' Hymn, written expressly by SirJ. Bowring,
and set to musics by Mr. H. Buckland—were sung by Mr.
S. Perren, Mrs. Wells, Mrs. P. Whykck, Mr. Patsy, Mr.
Buckland, and Mr. Ball.

UNIVERSITY CoLLEon &Hoot. —The annual pre-
' sentation of prizes to the successful scholars now studying
at this institution took place yesterday afternoon in the
Botanical Theatre of the college ; Mr. E. Charles, LLB., a
member of the council occupying the chair, supported by
the bead muter, Professor Key - Mr. K R. Horton,
M.A., the vice-master ; Mr. J. Robson, the secretary ; and
the other masters of the school. The prizes awarded, con-
: gating of handsomely-bound books, were so numerous that
the mere distribution consumed nearly two hours, the re-
I cipients, who formed a perfect army, ranging from little
fellows in knickerbockers up to frock-coated youths, and
the studies in which they had excelled embracing almost
every branch of human education from the classics down-
! wards to gymnastics. The final prize was • cricket bat.
and on handing it over to the boy who had won it, the bead
• master said last year the prize took the shape of a chess-
board, but he thought that game was not suited for boys
whose heads were too often overtaxed with study. Out of
school boys should engage in pursuits to raise their
I spirits, though he objected to boating and boat-
racing as • predisposing cause of heart disease.
On the other hand, cricket was conducive to
, health. The chairman, at the conclusion of the ceremony,
delivered an address, observing that he supposed he bad
been selected president for the day because some fifteen
years ago he was • pupil in the school. Since then several
changes had takeu place—not the least important in his
estimation being the establishment of • debating society
within the walls of the college, for what with political and
educational changes, the platform was every day becoming
! more and more • means of instruction, and it therefore
especially behoved this generation of students to qualify
I themselves for speaking in public. Alluding to the school
itself, be said it still maintained its high character, and
at the matriculation of the London University both this
ear and last two former pupils had obtained the first
year and last two former pupils had obtained the fi.rst
honour,. He hoped the ambition of the school would now
be to keep within itself the three scholarships open to it,
i and that the friends and relatives of the boys would assist
i in raising the contemplated fund for enlarging the college.
A sum of 3,000/. bad already been promise' d.
A meeting of the Trades Unions Commisaioners
was held yesterday, at 1, Park-prospect, Great Queen-
street, Westminster. Present: Right Hon. Sir William
Erle, Chairman ; Berl of Lichfield, Lord Elcho, M.P.,
Right Hon. Sir Edmund W. Head, Bart., K.C.B. ; Mr.
Herman Merivale, (7.13. ; Mr. J. A. Roebuck. Q.C., M.P.,
Mr. Thomas Hughes, M.P. and Mr. William Mathews.
Mr. J. H. Patteson, Secretary to the commission, was also
present.
MID-KENT RAILWAY (BROMLEY TO Sr. MANY
Cary).—The half-yearly general meeting of this company
was held on Wednesday, at the company's office, No. 1,
King's Arms-yard; Mr. John Allan in the chair. The
report and accounts were received and adopted. A divi-
dend at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum, less income
tax, for the half-year ended 30th June last was declared,
and the proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the
chairman and directors.