The Express.
London, England, 1867-06-24 00:00:00

THE TRAINING-SHIP WORCESTER.

Of late years an opinion has generally prevailed
that the mercantile marine is not so well officered as befito
the character of British commanded. To remedy this
defect a number of persons connected with the port of
Liverpool set on foot a college for the training of young
gentlemen for the merchant service. The conspicuous
success which has attended the Conway has led to an imi-
tation of the experiment in the Thames. For this purpose
the government in 1844 presented the committee with the
frigate Worcester, which has since been moored off }kith.
During the four years 365 pupils have been entered, of
whom 240 have completed their education, leaving 12.5 still
on board. On Saturday the annual distribution of
prizes was made by Sir John Pakington,
Mr. Cave, M.P., and Sir John Hay, M.P., were also pre-
sent ; and letters of regret were received from the Duke of
Richmond, Mr. Henley, M.P., and other distinguished
public men. The company, which was very numerous,
consisted of friends of the pupils and of gentlemen
interested in the institution, for whose accommodation
the saloon steamer Palmerstoa wee specially chartered.
The chair having been taken by Mr. Cave, the hon. secre-
tary, Mr. W. M. Bullivant, read the report* of the
examiners—Mr. Snell, mathematical and nautical master
at the Royal HosOtal schools, Greenwich ; Captain John
Domett, of the Local Marine Board; and Captain Comber,
R.N. ; as well as of Capt. Whitby, the commander of the
ship, and Mr. Read, the headmaster. They were all of • most
satisfactory character. Sir John Pakington then presented
the prizes, which were of an unusually valuable character,
and afterwards warmly congratulated the school on the
excellent character that had been given it by the exami-
ners, on whose reports he felt he could place entire reli-
ance, because they had evidently not fallen into the error
sometimes committed by examiners, namely, that of
giving indiscriminate praise. He must also congratulate
the scholars on their appearance. Unless they had adopted
the fashion of the army, and put the best looking fellows
in the front, he must say he had never seen a jollier or a
more promising set of lads before. It was his great good
fortune, seven or eight years ago, to recommend the grant
of the Conway for a training ship at Liverpool, and he
trusted that the Worcester would emulate the success
which had attended that experiment hi the Mersey.
Although no longer at the Admiralty he should
always be ready to render the Worcester any
service in his .power, and he trusted that it would
tend to cement those feelings of amity and brotherhood
which ought to subsist between officers of the Royal Navy
and those of the mercantile marine. Mr. Henry Green as
a member of the committee, expressed his acknowlecige-
meet to Sir John Pakington for the kind terms in which
he had spoken of the institution. They were indebted to
a Whig government for the ship, but he must say that
that government had " scemped " the fittings. After the
remarks of Sir John Pakington, however, the committee
would feel no delicacy in applying to a conservative ad-
ministration if they should stand in need of any assistance
in the shape of repairs. The Chairman announced that
her Majesty. had been graciously pleased to grant
the same prizes to the Worcester as she an-
nually gave to the Conway, viz., • gold medal
and also • cadetship in the royal navy with a binocular
glass worth 51., and 351. towards the boy's outfit. After
the distribution of prizes refreshments were served to the
company, Who were then invited to join in • dance upon
the deck. The thoughtful benevolence of the energetic
honorary secretary suggested an admirable mode of bring-
ing • very pleasant day to • profitable close. Before re-
turning to London he directed the Palmerston to be taken
to Greenhithe, for the purpose of paying • visit to another
training ship of a very different character. This was the
Chichester, a 50 gun frigate, which was presented by the
government in October last to the committee of the
Refuge for Homeless and Destitute Boys. When full
the vessel would accommodate 200 lads, but at
present the funds at the disposal of the committee
only allow them to admit half that number. When the
Palmerston came alongside the boys manned the yards,
and were afterwards drawn up on deck. It was touching
to contrast them with the scholars of the Worcester. The
average expression of • Worcester and of a Chichester boy
shows that class distinctions in English society do in their
extremes amount to differences between castes. Nobody
would ever have supposed that the pun ingesei
and the boy whose very countenance spoke of hereditary
ignorance and neglect—in short, of hereditary street Ws—
oould belong to the same national race. The company
subscribed 50/., which will enable three more of the poor,
lost, degraded urchins of the metropolis to be rescued
'from a life of misery and vice, and placed in the way of
wales ea hoar* sad reputable siebidetenoe.

•
SO pleitiful has been the supply of royal and
distinguished visitors that the Viceroy of Egypt is
left to haie a quiet time of it. The numbers were
comparatively small throughout last week, and on
Simday last it was what the habitues who remem-
bered the crowds of a fortnight since, called " de-
serted." Nor, when the Viceroy paid his first
visit on Monday morning, did his highness bring
back the crowd with him. Mr. Brigham Young,
jun., the Mormon Commissary-General to the Ex-
hibition, has added himself to the list of distin-
guished visitors. The Chinese giant is here, with
the little Tartar monstrosity, and with the giant's
" lovely " wife. They are located in the Salon
Franeani, and are engaged by some French specu-
lator to serve tea at a franc a head, the said specu-
lator advertising the Chinese lady's little feet as
"types of Chinese nobility." " Two savages " are
announced as having made their appearance in
the park, and tasted Ind, Coupe, and Co.'s ales.
The high Egyptian functionaries who are iu atteu-
dance on the Viceroy were to be seen on
Tuesday smoking chibouks outside the Turkish
came. A real Chinaman has been caught for the
French tea-shop. The French giant, it is an-
nounced, has paid a formal visit to the Celestial ;
colossus—all this within a week, and yet the week I
has been a dull one at the turnstiles. The bitter
March vleather has had something to do with it ;
the weat}er was undoubtedly the reason why the
regatta was put off; but now the summer heat is re-
turning, and the commissioners and other authori-
ties appear determined to work popular excitement
up to a climax for July. The entertainments in
preparation are mostly on a gigantic scale. The
exhibitors of 1867 propose to entertain Napoleon
the Third, and to offer the presidency to M.
Schneider, the chairman of the Corps
and the master-spirit 'of Creuzot. The beautiful
horticultural section is to be the scene of a fairy-;
like fete by night. The Imperial Commissioners
promise to invite the exhibitors to an evening's
entertainment, of which the entire Bois de I
Boulogne is to be the scene. These high fes-
tivities will take place when the second in-
stalment of kin and royal princes shall be gathered
within the , .
fortifications. There will be a
sound of revelry by night—every night. I
Prince Humbert, the Duke of Mecklenburg, the
two illustrious nouveaux mariis—the Prince and •
Princess of Aosta;and the Count and Countess of
Flanders, the. Grand Duke and Duchies of Baden,
and Prince Napoleon, might all visit the Exhibition
together,' and they would create no excitement.
The habit ise4 look upon them with about the de-
gree of emotion which a member of the Alpine
Club feels at the sight of Primrose-hill.
During the last meeting of the Superior Council
.of the International Jury, M. Hoffmann read a I
letter of thanks written in the name of foreign
members, addressed to the Imperial Commission.
The foreign juries declare themselves thoroughly
satisfied with the general organisation of the Exhi-
bition, and the results obtained ; and they ex-
press their hearty gratitude for the welcome
which has ' been giVen to them. The Minister
of Agriculture, Commerce, and Public Works,
who presided at the meeting, thanked the foreign
members sincerely, at the same time expressing a
hope that this Universal Exhibition would be an
agreeable remembrance to them all, and would I
serve to promote goodwill among exhibitors of all
nations. These exchanges of international cour-
tesies and aspirations for peace do not, it would
seem, divert the attention of the smallest European
powers from the duty. of keeping their powder dry.
The King of Bavaria has appointed a commission
of seven officers to visit the Exhibition. They arel
to examine, and make a government report on, the I
inventions and improvements which they think
might be introduced into the Bavarian army.
While the hymn of peace is preparing, autho-
rities from every quarter of Europe are narrowly
examining every engine of war (and the collection
is immense on the Champ de Mars) that eiviliaa:
Con has produced for wholesale man-slaying on
scientific principles. Let me turn from war to
harmony. . .

In the coming musical competition France will
be represented in military music by the baud of
the Guides. The King of the Belgians is to send
the bands of his Guides and Grenadiers ; the
Queen of Spain, that of the Ist Regiment of En-
gineers ; and the King of Holland, those of the
Chasseurs and Grenadiers. The Grand Duchy of
Baden is represented in military music by the
Grenadiers of the Guard ; and Austrian military
music, by the regiment of Marshal Benedek.. There
have lawn loud and general and long-continued
complaints of the absence of music from the
Champ de Mars. The braying of a steam-trumpet
may be a perfect fog-signal at sea ; but it is not plea-
sant music in an exhibition of industry. People
tire also of fanfares ; they even become angry with
the trumpeters when they hear that sweeter music
is provided in a reserved garden hard by for
those who can pay an extra entrance fee.
MM. P. 11. Herz and Co. have just sent a new
piano to the musical instrument section of the
French department. It is in the Louis Quatorze
style, and is said by judges to be a wonderful in-
strument. The case is undoubtedly a marvellous
sample of tasteful and careful cabinet work. The
loungers about this part of the building were de-
lighted with Madame Escudier-Kaatner's perform-
alum on it, the day of its arrival.
The exhibits that are disposed along the quays,
mid the yachts and pleasure crafts of every variety
that are moored by the shore, begin to be objects
of attraction to the crowd. For a long time this
part of the Exhibition was, not under a cloud, but
under water. It has been officially announced in
every quarter, and made manifest by the visits of
the -Emperor's illustrious guests, that the installa-
tion of the naval exhibit of naval architecture, &c.,
which has been frequently interrupted by the'
overflowing of the Seine, is now entizely com-
pleted.
.There is another Exhibition monopoly under dis-
cussion, viz., that of the Exhibition plan, drawn I
by MM. Frezouls and Bousquel, which is being
heard before the tribunals. It seems that these
monopolies and concessions will never be at an end.
I should have thought M. Dentu had had quite
enough with the Lebigre-Duqueano trial. Why
cannot the public be left to decide on the merits of I
two plans ? Concessionaires, if they were not very
short-sighted, would see by this time that the tri-
bunals are not disposed to strain a point in their'
favour to the public disadvantage. A week ago,'
after the judgment obtained by M. Bernard—who
would demand two sous from
The sweet little cherub that sits up aloft,
if he could get at him—a rumour flew round the
busy food circle to the effect that every chair would
be swept away. But they are still packed to the
edge of the open gallery, to the discomfort of
visitors who are not beer-drinkers or anisomma-
teurs. The temperate man must walk in the sun,
while the Lon vivant revels in the shade, and ladies
who are no patrons of bar-keepers must walk in all
the noontide heat of a Paris June. M. Bernard
has taken little by his motion. Would that he had
taken more, and had cleared a promenade in the
shade.

There are chess tournaments held even• evening
in the conference saloon or in the international con-
cert room of the club. The moat celebrated chess
players join in these contests. Among the fore-
most are Anderson, of London ; Neumann, of

Berlin' and tho champion of Prussia. Mr. Morphy
—the king of chess—is to be here, and has an-
nounoed his willingness to give odds to the greatest',
among the great, so that there is no doubt that the
chess congress of 1867 will be one ;A abscrbing in-
terest, and will be a memorable one in the history
of this noble game.