The Express.
London, England, 1866-03-01 00:00:00

ASYLUM TOR IDIOTS.

Last evening the anniversary festival of this
institution was celebrated at the London Tavern, liishoca-
te-strest, under the presidency of Lord Dufferie, Mr.
Alderman and Sheriff Alabama, Mr. Pim, M.P.. Mr. Leveson
Gower, M.P., and many other gentlemen who have long
been known for their advocacy of the claims of this very
deserving charity. It appeared from a statement put forth
on the occasion that there are now more than 430 inmates
in the asylum, and everything that kindness and
science could suggest is employed to ameliorate their
position. All of them may be said to have shown
a capability of improvement, and several of them have
berm taught to work at a trade, so as to be partially able
to mac tabi themselves. At each half-yearly election there
are generally from 150 to 170 applicants, of whom the
board can usually elect but 30. The asylum is now full,
and the directors are anxious to enlarge it, in order that it
may be capable of receiving 800 inmates. The list of sob
scriptions announced amounted to 2,2001.

PROVIDENT CLERKS' BENEVOLENT FUND.—The
twenty-fifth annual meeting of the members and friends of
this fond wee held last evening at the Londoa Tavern; Mr.
J. A. Smith, M.P., in the chair. Thos accounts showed
that the receipts for the year had been 2,8791. lla. 3d.,
while the expenditure had been 2,0271. 1.. 7d., leaving a
balance of 8521. 9s. Bdl The report stated that an election
too, pla63 oa the 25th of May, when
the following were elected:—Three :81
SOL each, seven widows to annuities of 201., and two widows
to annuities of 151. each. Two annuitants had died daring
the year, and one bad re-married, and the board now re-
eomwended that eight additional annuitants bs elected,
viz., two clerk' and sit widows of clerks. The sum of
1761.3+. bad been distributed in gratuities daring the post
year. The board intended to celebrate the twenty-fifth
anniversary of the fond by a public dinner, and Mr. Craw-
ford. M.P., had kindly consented to preside on the war
Woo. The claims of the fund on the mercantile community
were so strong that it was with the fullest confidence the
hoard appealed for assigtanoe, which the constantly increasing
shims on the fund had rendered necessary.
KING% COLLIDE HOSPITAL—The annual court
of the governors of this hospital was held yesterday in the
board-room of the institution ' • the Rev. Mr. Jolt, the prin-
cipal, in the chair. The report showed that the number of
patients admitted into the hospital daring the past year had
Peen 1,900, being as increase of 116 over those of the
preceding year. The number of out-patients had been
35,792. During the year 168 women had been confined in
the Nightnale Maternity Ward. and the anmber of mid-
wifery cases attended at the patients' own homes amounted
to 773. The total receipts (excluding legacies above 1001.
and a sum of 8001. borrowed from the bankers) amounted to
7,8341. 138. 3d., while the expenditure had beset 9,1451.195.
CRYSTAL PALACE AND Solna LONDON Jrlseriolt
Itaitiver.—Tho seventh half-yearly general meeting of this
company was held at the Vietoria-station yesterday ; Sir
C. P. Roney in the chair. The chairman moved the adoption
of the report, the substance of which has already appeared
ID oar columns. Mr. Sinclair asked if the line was now
paying expenses? Sir Morton Pete said the line was origin-
ally projected to accommodate only the traffic of the Loa-
don, Chatham, sad Dover Railway, but it was thought
proper. to make an arrangement with the South Pastern
as giving much better access to the City. The traffic
of the Great Northern, the Metropolitan, and
probably the South Western Railways, would
also be brought over the Crystal Palace line. These
arrangement*, however, could not be carried out, nor the
gnat on the line properly developed until the junction
with the South Eastern was completed, but their ultimate
future would be more secured than if the original proposal
only bad been carried out. In sower to Mr. Sinclair,
the chairman said the guinea meson tickets had not bee;
disadvantageous to the company. Sir M. Peto thought it
would be better for railways generally if they adopted a
large-minded policy. If a man had a season ticket he
would ',vocally be aocompanied by his wife and family.
The report was then approved of. The retiring directors
were re-elected, cod the proceeding' closed with a vote of
thanks to the chairman.

TVITENIIA3I AND HAMPSTEAD JUNCTION RAIL-
WAY.—The half-yearly meeting was held yesterday at the
offices, 2, Westminster Chambers ; Captain Arrow in the
chair. Mr. Roan, the secretary, read the report of the di-
rector', which stated that the wet weather during the win-
ter has materially retarded the works on the line, and will
occasion some delay in the opening of the railway. The
enormous increase in the value of land, especially in the
neighbourhood of London, ban entailed upon the compose y •
large and unlooksd for expenditure. To meet this addi-
tional outlay a bill is now before parliament to authorise an
increase in the capital of the company. This hill also oon-
tains provisions enabling thy Midland and Great Eastern
Railway Companies to subscribe two-thirds of such addi- I
tional capital, and powers to those companies, either by
lease or by pa:ohne, to acquire the entire undertaking of
the company. These two oomnanies have already exercised
the powers conferred upon them by the Tottenham and
Hampstead Junction Railway Act, 1865, the Midland to
the full extent of those powers, viz.. 1113,3001. ; and the
Goat Eastern to the extent of 83,3001., leaving 20,0001.
still to be subscribed. The report was adopted, and Mr.
Outbid, acting director, and Mr. Morgan, acting auditor.
were reelected. The meeting having been made sperrial, it
was resolved—" That tbe &rectors be empowered to borrow
on mortgage the following sums, or any part thereof, viz.,
the sum of 16,6001., pursuant to the act of 1863, and the
sum of 33,3001., pursuant to the not of 1864."
RAILWAY AND OTHER BILLS BEFORE Parilial43l47'.
—Yesterday Mean Smith and Frets, the Wlllilllll. of
*tending orders of both houses of parlismot, held copes
and proceeded with the remaining petition'. Before Mr.
Smith.—The standing orders were declared to have been
complied with in the case of the West Drayton and Staines
Railway (adjourned petition.) The oonsideration of the
Andover, Radstocar, and Bristol Railway was further ad-
journed until this day (Thursday), and the Bristol and
North Somerset Railway (Bristol lines), and the Bristol and
North Somerset Railway (Southern Extension) petition
were postponed until Monday next. Before Mr. Pare.—The
examiner declared that the standing orders had been com-
plied with in the Cork Port Conservancy Bill, and the post-
poned petition of the Merthyr, Treduar, and Allergayenny
Railway. The consideration of the Kingstown Embank-
ment Bill was adjourned until to-day. The Metropolitan
and Richmond Roil/ray petition was postponed until Moo-
day next. Two courts of referees were held, and the ooe-
aideration of some provincial pa and water bale of minor
Importance was proceeded with.

*parting intelligence.

NOTENGHAM, WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

A sewn fleet having set In last night, and snow Lading early
this morning until mineral Inches lay on the ground, the races
till toe:sorrow (Thursday), and the Derby meet.
71,8"tatitnr,la notice to that effect being posted is the
snit? The sun shone brad= throughout the day, but the wingictt
very cold, sed al some parts of the course were lit for
running. it was as adamant in the shade, to
at;lhe top
turn. —Kr. Id telegraphed to that effect to Dassington,
but the Marquis cd Hastings anjaarrived on the course,
and • large number of persona oo there throughout the
afternoon. Up to the time of our parcel there were
ao sigma of • thaw, and the majority of bookmakers and backers
returned So town, fully ocuril that It was "any odds en
Jack Prost."

BRITING AT MANI

LIVZHPOOL
9 to 1 opt Cortolvin (off)
to 1 MlLtrtealn (t)
11 to 1 Alaiblade (t)
11 to 1 Creole (off)
H !') I Lama (t)

ii ii-3
1 kiiiike(off)
im
1000 to 90

aliTEß—Womatumy.
UZLICH.LBA.
fo to 1 apt lierrlinse It)
SS to 1 Philosopher (t)
as to 1 Eftenborg (of, t
40 to 1)
40 to 1 Emmageidlng (0)
60 to 1 Balder (t)
Or.
4 Laneret (t)

EfirrinnenrY BOAT Racr..—Little can be said
regarding the Oxford crew, except that they progresi most
satisfactorily in their training, and there is no possible
chance, without some substantial prima facie cause, of
any further change taking place in the crow. They have
daily done their row to Iffiey and back directly afta. the
" Torpids," but as the latter moss °occluded yesterday the
Crew will be enabled henceforward to get to work earlier
in the day. Their old coxswain, Mr. C. R. W. Tottenham,
of Christ Church, will steer them on the day. The mew at
present
it T. MAL", Marten, K F. Henley, Oriel.
F. Orowderc Bramencee. W. W. Wood, University
W. Freeman, Merton. P. Benhouse, Christinrok
F. Wißan, Bleier. W. IL Brown, Trinity.
C. & W. Tottenham, Child Church (Coxswain.)
From Cambridge the reports are not so cheering as for-
merley, the work in the forepart of the boat not being up
to the mark. This probably is owing to a change effected
on Saturday, and will soon disappear. The stroke gets
longer, and more like the drag of the sister University, and
the time and precision of swing promise better thiegs for
Cambridge. Mr. R. A. Hinglake (thaprwident) is daily ex-
' pentad to take No. 5 oar ' • and when he doer he will have
no time to spare, for the crew has now been in hard train-
ing for eleven days. They row daily from Saitabite and
Cisyhithe, and being a tine set of good, plucky men, why
despair? Their only requisite is form, and with that, sad
in abundance Cambridge will yet look up. The crew are :
R. C. Underiiiiiitityua. .1. W. Bourke, Trinity.
J. R. fiehryn, D. P. Bteavenson, Trinity Hail.
J. MK Caine. H. Watney. Bt. John's,
H. Fortmcne, Magdalene. W. B. Griflithe Trinity.
A. Fortis, St. John's (Coxswain).
An surrso Brows. —The " Brighton Private
Athletic) Sports* are to take plane this year in the spring
and autumn. The first is announced, under the manage.
ment of Mr. Fred. Lillywhite, to take place on April 28, at
the Sasser County Cricket Gronod. The hon. monitories
are Yours. W. C. Austin mid A. B. Week's.

LOADON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER RAILWAY.

The 26th half-yearly meeting wee held yesterday
at the Grosvenor Hotel ; Lord Swims in the chair.
The report of the directors, which has already appeared
in our was taken as read.

The CHAIRMAN, in moving its adoption, remarked that it
must be considered satisfactory. It showed that the traffic;
was coesiderably increasing. The number of passengers
carried daring the past half-year was 5,123.000, or 759,374
more than in the corresponding period of 1864. In a short
dins they would hays their. own independent stations at
Ludgate and Victoria, so that their traffic would not be
impeded as at present by the traffic of other companies.
The report of air 0. Fos, the engineer, informed them that
the bridge would be completed and the works ready to re-
ceive the traffic at Victoria on the lab of June, and the
works or. the Metropolitan Bitension would, he believed,
be finished and ready for baffle in March. As they were
informed in the report, there was a project before parlia-
ment for making a line from the London, Chatham, and
Dover, at Beckenham, to Lewes and Brighton, which. if car-
ried out, mast necessarily bring a large amount of addi-
tional traffic both upon their main line and the Metropolitan
Extension. (Hear, hear.)
Lord HAMS seconded the motion.

After some remarks from various shareholders,
Mr. FOR3IIB, in answer to several question., said
that arrangements' were now being made for the coal
and goods traffic from the Great Northern, and en the pre-
vious day for the first time they parsed goods from the
Great Northern on to their line, the first train,
enrioesly enough, being composed in part of six
or seven tracks of goods consigned to the South
Eastern Company, at Beckenham. (Hear, hear.) He had
that moment received a telegram from Colonel Zelland,
stating that be had inspected and passed the additional
line laid down between Loughborough.roed and the
Elephant and Castle, which was the first step towards the
completion of the works necessary to develop the traffic.
They most not expect too mach this half-year. It would
be, be imagined, not before the beginning of the second
half-year qt: the Trucks were completed that they could
0.24,Ws to realise the reratt! leticl?Stioch
Sir MORTON Pero stated that the works for widening the
line could only be commenced in November, consequently
they bad not made very great progress. The Victoria-bridge
would be finished within 14 months from the WM-
menennat, and when all these works were dons, they
would be able to run trains at three or five minutes inter-
vals, Instead of ea now at 25 minutes intervals.
Mr. Reararnoe expressed himself satisfied with Mr.
Foebes'explanatioos, and after some further discussion, the
report mse unanhnously adopted, the retiring directors and
auditors were re-elected, and a vote of thanks to the
chairman, and directors coaelnded the proceedings.

Hia.rat or nut LONDON.—Admire Halsted,
the secretary of Lloyd's, hes received the following letter
from Sir Anthony Perrin', C. 8., her Majesty's consul, and
Lloyd's agent at Brest, dated 24th February, 1866 :—" Sir,
—I annex a translation of an extract from a letter just
received from the Commissary-Gemmel of Marine at Lorient,
which may be of interest to Shoes concerned in the fate of
the unfortunate London, should the original papers Bent to
Paris 'riot have been transmitted to her Majesty's govern-
ment by the Minister of Marine.—l am, sir, your obedient
servant, ArrnioNT Pintaran."—On the 12th of February
last three bottles were found on the coast of Guiberan and
Locruariaquer, containing six papers written in English, as
follows :—The first paper. —" D. W. Lennon, London, Thurs-
day, 10th January, 1866.—The ship is sinking ; no hope
of being saved. Dear parents, may God blew you, as
also me, with the hope of dismal salvation.* Second
paper.—" Steamship London: They are putting out the
boats." Thintpaper.—" F. G. Huckstepp. On board steam-
ship London, lit. 46deg. 20min., long 7deg. 30min., lost
boats, made, and sails ; ship leaking." Fourth paper.—
"We commenced our voyage on Saturday, the 30th De'
cember, 1865. Sunday in the Channel, Monday in open seas
Toseeday in ditto, Wednesday at Come, Thursday at Ply-
mouth, Friday and Saturday at sea, Sunday bed weather,
Monday water from the stern comes in cabins, the 9th
heavy damages, a boat lost. May we get home. Storm.—
H. G." Fifth paper.—" F. C. M`Millan, of Launoraton,
Taemanis, llth January, 1866, to hie dear wife and his dear
children : May God bless you all. Farewell for this
world. Lost in the steamship London, boned for Melbourne."
Sixth piper.—" H. J. 1). Denis to Th. Denis Knight, at
Great Shelford ; Adieu, fattier, brothers, and sisters, and
my.... Edi . steamer London. Bay of Biscay, nun-
day, 10 o'clock.—Ship too heavily laden for its size and too
crank. Windows stove io ; water coming in everywhere.
God bless my poor orphans. Request to send this if found
to Great Shelton'. Storm not too violent for a ship in
goad condition.' On the same day were found on the
shoals of Guiberon a binnacle watch, stopped at half-past
ten o'clock, a woman's shift, two cotton sheets, two splinters
of wood, having on thous in white letters, end six centi-
metres (24 inches long), the word "London." A great
quantity of staves have been picked up along the coast.
In compliance with instruotioas from the Minister of
Marine, she above-mentioned papers have been sent to the
Misister of Marine and Colonies.

THE Baum Socury.—The annual general
meeting of the members of this society was held at the
society's offices, 61. Ohesceide, on Tuesday lad; Mr. M.
E. Marsden, one of the tressurers, in the ehiwr. The an-
nual report and balance-sheet were read, and the adoption
of them was moved by the chairman, seconded by Mr.
Sydetibam Nodes, and carried unanimously. The re-
appointment of the treasurers, hon. secretary, and com-
mittee wee moved by Lieuteneot-General T. Psrronet
Thompson, and seconded by Mr. Idea. This resolution was
also carried unanimously.

Ritionsf CONFIMENCIL —The conference of re-
formers from the various reform associations throughout
thecouutry, convened by the Reform Leegueossembled last
evening, at St. Martin's-hall, Long-acre. About 200 dele-
gates were present, and nearly all the principal towns in the
kingdom were represented. Mr. Beale., the president of
the Reform Leave, was called to the chtir. Mr. Greening,
of Manchester, moved, and the Rev. Mr. Little, of Notting-
ham, seconded, a resolution affirming the princ.ples of the
Reform League, in residential and registerial manhood suf-
frage, protected by the ballot. The resolution, after some
discussion , was adopted unanimously. The draft of a
reform bill, embodyiog the pnnoioles of the league, was
then laid before the rneeting,andeferred to a committee of
twelve for oonsideration. The delegatee adjourned until Ma
o'clock this morning.

-
KulauxoTON Museum—During the week
audio, February 24, the visitor. have been as follows :
Ou Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday, free days, open from
10 a.m. to 10 p.m., 12,400. On Wednse&y, Thursday,
sod Friday, *admits' days (admissios to the public, 6d.),
opts from 10 a.m. hll4 p.m., 1,731 ; total, 14,131; tram
the apse* el the museum, 5,837,136.