The Express.
London, England, 1860-02-01 00:00:00

ROYAL' IMRE .7108PITAL.

Yesterday. the annual general meeting at the
=c4or this charity was held fa the board-nom of the
tielai , Grer'elen-road; Newel WATIIIM la the
abate.

The report, which woo mad by the Rev. .T. B. Owen. chap-
lain to Ur hospital, leaked a favourable state of 1111•310 BI
compared with thee ot the hat year, whether an dosati
mbeetipdosa, re leach& The amount of dmadons seatived
the year was 2,6011. 2e. Id. • that of mbearlptioary
11,62 3s. et. • and of ispacies, 3,6831. 3e. 2d. Am evidence
of the iscreedzip ocalidince of the public, it was musonneed
that donations had been received of 601. rah from the Odd-
male lug Groan' Companks, 60 grater sad mg awed
✓e 6 @rulers from the Fah, sad fur-
drea of 10 rabies@ from the Elinsamt Company.
Ales a large asowyrom donation, for the teeth @aversive
yearr, Ikea the " Truster of a Charity Pond sad the 7th
danatlea at 1001. from • olutritablo lady. Than sum were
:Frto the liquidation of outstanding claims, end paying
of 6,0001, leaving a balance oa the mart-
rdebt ed 3,6001, 1,8001. of which had been remelt paid
ad the comminse hoped to pay off the balance of 1,7001.
year. The awfulness of the hospital hid kept pace with
the eateasion GI ha means &Meg the year 1860;1,063 in and
40,290 outpatients (maidas a total of 41,363 coma of desti-
tute sickness) hawing bra Waved. The report emeluded
by samoriog Croke to dm Berl of Callao for his conduct
In the chair at the ram' festival in Jane 'mt.

The financial statement showed that thitWiesipts for the
pa et year amounted to 8,6491. 35., and the to
8,3071. Oa. 4d., leaving a balance of 2421. 2s. Bd.
were likely to be received during the present year 'motoring
Ito 3,2741. 19e., and in addition to this gum, the share ac-
caning to the hospital from the residue of the late Kr...lothua
Drinkald's estate was expected to be as much as the legacy
received from the same quarter, viz. 2,000/. Those was,
moreover, a sem emountiag to between 3,6004 and 4,0001.
left to the hospital after the decease of certain parties, and a
part of this might remonably be expected to become available
aturkg the year; end the same might be said in reference to
the massy whlon had been left by the late Lord Hoag Sey-
mour to the hospitals of London and Paris.

Sr. BARTHOLOHRW'S, GPAY'S-INI-ROAD.-011
Mosday annoy, notwithstanding the inclemency of the
maim the ociegsegation of ift. Bartholomew's, assembled
In kegs number as the school-room in conneaka with the
oh ne* to present to the Rev. Edward °whet', the Mum-
=silk set of robes, a gold watch, a silver tea and coffee
end a postgame hundred guineas, ea a token of
retitled* fee his melons end untiring eflrts to emancipate
the church from a very heavy debt, with which it was in-
eembnied en the death of the late Rev. Thomas Mortimer.
Nothing on exceed the spontaneity and heartiness of this
movement, which hes insulted in the presentation of this
' tisatincelal, the project was mentioned at a pri-
vate meting of men of the monotones, tie greater
pest of the money was subscribed. Together with the
ankles form* the testimonial, a memorial of the drown-
atenose, alegaatly Masa on vellum, by Mr. Cox, wee pre-
sented. Mr. Herbert reeds a reply to the mime of the
most tonchnig ohffeeter, Is which he described the financial
difficulties arldr.k ma delayed the consecution of theohurchl
The Bisbee H Leaden bee SIMI the 18th of Fehrnary for
that ceremony. St. Bartholonsen e will be cone,cured as a
chapel of ens to St. Pancras, but in a few weeks after-
wards it wig acquire ad independent status.
CONSECHATIWI OP ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, HAG-
onarross..—Tbe Bishop of London consecrated thachurch
on Monday. It hes been erec^ed from the design of Mr.
Arthur William Blomfield, a son of the late bishop. The
Rev. W. Stone, 8, Lanni...De tenses, Balaton, is die in-
cumbent, and the Rev. P. S. Dawes the carats. TS eon-
sworation serums was preached by tniblebop.
DintRUCEVYI Plitimsewimnt night, between the
hours alp and 10 o'clock, nip leig hilts of Skinser-street,
Snow-hill, and - the adjacent.rss. were greatly
sinned in oe of the a of a gra en the me-
nden of Mr. ^F. T. Loader. end ;^lersean es the Bible W Ire.
Xiinvi. house, sad er and Co.. pattern card manufac-
turers, situate at nor of No. 67 to the first-canted tbo-
ray/habil'''. Belot* nearest engine (Fiirringdon-street)
had time to be ailed the flame shot forth in lumens sheet'.
Mr. Su -psentesdent Braidwood, Mr. Pogo, the foreman of
the B district, and Ingisser Payer, arrived on the spot in
/an the five Mantas *Dee the alarm was given, and some
six or seven other engines followed in rapid succesaion. A
red supply el water having been proeored, the various
seem won en to work, but the fire continued to
and the roof soon fell in, mid a portion
5" VI brick sad tile work fell into fitnitheemonn.
It ma merely two hours before the demo could
be got under, end not until the upper floors were Mat out,
sad the whole of the lower floors art-handy damaged by fire
end water. The origin of the misfortune is enveloped in
mystery, and, own/ to the absence of the omen it was
impossible to tell whether they were insured or col The
greases had barely got the commend over this fire when a
menager CUM to Mr. Braidwood and informed him that
that tremendoite pile of warehouses belonging to Mr. Alda-
n, eldoluzZy, known as Hibernia Wharf, at the foot of
on the Surrey side. was on fire. Some five
or six angtep wen at oace despatched to the spot, when the
MUM" toad dense memo cf smoke poutintt from the Brat
loor-vlndows, on the entan end of the wharf, fiat to the
HAM-bona Ho el. That part of the wharf miroccupled
by Menem Hicks Broihers, general merchants, and the
pere loon by numerous other merchants sod who:fingers.
The powertal -main-flat was droughtd almigeide the wharf,
end after breaking the windows, copious enemas of water
were thrown Into the building, but it en impossible to tell
to what Meat the ere had programed, for even at 12 o'clock
at nubs
.t dean masses of smoke were still leaning from the
We Are it is supposed was caused by the over-
=l a quantity of hempen&fire This baphened in
el
the rune plaos as the ons which destroyed the
s whoa, of Mr. Iftnaphiwy's wharf some yam since

lIIBBE mod LUBIN% WERT mum,-
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besika—f. Mow Itseterava. saw

iEbt erorcss.

TO cuaturspornann.
•iverommeo. tnere4ed br "Tbe Be " Lee**
Bernier Peper, meet be ei the Orbs. 10,
b Tee, L'Cleek es tbeloy et pebOrselk 2„

DROILT•LANI.
Tuts lhaertee. IN AND OOT OP IPLA(7II. Ih.l.llbwy: rib Jib,
And the peesenleae of JAUK AID Till WWI RAWL
llruon M1L.... Ila Iftiasses ; thib-ft 41. ?amber
arl &quad bare ; Ufrtassa Dago mod Ulm Or pe.—Counnis at T.

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Plisllolll.ll.
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lirimpas prior.% arra JAOIL (11/1112
tirliquis Arm. ms 4 Corr re
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Two Vamps, TALI OP TWO C Kowa Jams Vidor.
awl alsr• ; Kra NW Km• Aires. 'Wm.
—The Ohl Dams —And PIPO
MIL,. TM LIMP Mt WI 110 TN UWT PASSIM.

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saITIONNIA
Tom ligrommlbeineed MS& IMMO TWO SPIRIT OF
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ILIOA WATER AT I.OIIIDOII =IDOL
ruaLgalloiefte: Lt. Stu
1711:: OIL

LONDON, WIDNIBD4IY, PBB. 1.

Tin opening of the new commercial policy in
France is an interesting spectacle to the still sur-
viving contemporaries of Mr. HCRICI6BOII. The
fogey objections, in Parliament and out of it, ere
exactly the same in spirit and style as the.. nide
in 1823, thoogh their material is necessarily dif-
ferent. The objectors are obliged to pretend to pro-
tect free trade a our day, and the peculiar circum-
stances of Franco introduce varieties into the oontro-
Terry; but any old gentleman who may have
atteeded the debates in 1823, and have heard how
Mr. HIJSKISSON was assailed about wool end silks,
sight fancy he heard the same voices now com-
plaining of all known and all imaginable particulars
of the new agreement with France.

The grand oomplaint is of the delay on the French
side, some of the most important relaxations not
taking place till July, 1861, whereas we
are to make our redactions of duty at once.
Such delay is • pity, of none. It is bad for
all the parties concerned. Bat ft would not mend
the matter for us to incur delay also. As Free-
tradere, we expect to benefit ►y improved nesse to
French commodities; and the sooner we get it the
better, whether the aeons of the French to oar com-
modities takes place at the mme time or later. Ws
expect to find it a great boon to obtain French wines
cheap, and see vile intoxicating and drugged drinks
going oat, whether the French take our coal and iron
to-morrow or not till mkt year. We are not lodif-
ferent to the delay. It must protract our—not loss
—but absence of gain from important branches of
exnmerce : but the delay is far worse for the French
manufacturers and trader,: and perhaps the most
serious consideration involved in the can is that
such evil, as must attend • great commercial
change will be gravely enhanced by the length of
the period of suspense.
Is there no hops, it may be asked, of some shorten-
ing of this period of suspense? We see the French
tendency to system and logisal arrangement in-
dulging itself on this subject ea on every other
which ia connected with public affairs. As Sir Rosser
Peen always saw three courses open, so French
statesmen see three phases, or four, or five, as
it may be, in every project which is about
to be realised. In this case there are, we are told,
flee phase., which it will take two years to exhibit.
First, the present state of things for some months;
snond, the lowering of duties on raw materials
third, the redaction upon e,al and iron; fourth, the
lowering of the duties upon machinery ; and fifth,
the lowering of duties upon threads and textures. Such
is the talk at Paris, in high places and low. If any
man were toask in the French capital whether there is
no hope of shortening the period of soaps's, the answer
would be something very like what the fathers of
our silk manufacturers said to Mr. Hinalsoott when
they compelled him, against his judgment, to put
off the importation of foreign silks till July, 1826:
" We hope we shall be able to get out of the
s' trade before the time arrives." An interval be
settle affairs, between sentence and execution, was
what these manufacturers then craved, and what
French Protectionists now eagerly demand. The
issue in our own miss may possibly foreshow what
will happen in the French.
There was something more formidable for Mr. Hrs.
nlssox to encounter thee the urgency of capitalist•
who wanted to " getout of the trade." There were the
poor crettsmen who most live and die with the trade.
It was not very cheering for the members of the Cabinet
to pass through • long lane of pale-faced Spitallields
weavers, who believed these ministers were dooming
them to liter raio. When the poor fellows found
that their cause was hopeless, as they expressed it,
they eonnyed their views in tnii form of thanks for
• respite. They " thanked the Honor and the
" Chancellor of the Exchequer for the postpone-
" meet of the day of their destruction till 1826, and
1. propel that it might be further postponed till
" 1b29." After two years of gloom and trembling,
whea " the day of their destriection* at length
arrived.what was the light thrown arm it in the in-
tern' ? Is 1829, at the time to which the weavers
would have retracted the suspense, the manatee-
tore was already doable what it had bees prior is
the change; Gan this in spits of the tremendous
commercial cionvelsion of 1826. Issued of the pr►
wheal famisee and miler winter depending* ea
alma is lipitalSelde, the loom were busy all they..

round, the children clotted, and the' family fed
by their own earnings. In eight years #roni the ad-
mission of French silks we were expert' silt
goods to France itself to Oh. amount o ,0001.
a year. Nobody wonted they to '' 01. es of the
"trade;" and nobody prayed...for deity when, in.
1848, Sir R. PEEL proposed a further reduction of
duties, on the ground of the happy consequences of
the former change. The clapping in the gallery in
Mr. HUSKISSON'S time was at his postponement of
the reduction for two plan. The applause in Sir
it. Pziu.'s time followed his statement of the great
development of the manufacture.

In fact, the delay between 1824 and 1826 was
afterwards recognised as very mischievous. Mr
lit/SKIMS had said how it would be. He had re-
lieved himself from responsibility by avowing that
"in his own opinion the time which had been
" granted was not at all called for ; but he had
" ceded it in deference to the feelings of
" the parties interested, and with a view to
" conciliate, as mach as possible, those who thought
" their interests might suffer by the measure."
As any one might have foreseen, the course of
business was deranged, everybody was uncertain
what to do and expect, the demand fell off, and
nobody enjoyed the period except the smugglers.
In the end, everybody agreed with Mr. MAMMON
that the delay was " the one great error of the
" scheme ;" and since that time there has certainly
been a steady conviction in the minds of men of
business that a prompt change of commercial policy,
however extensive, is infinitely easier to manage and
endure than a lingering one. Another illustration
of the benefit of bringing the new scheme to a teat
with all promptness was afforded in 1842, when Sir
R. PEEL admitted live cattle from the Continent, as
well as meat and fish, fresh and salted. Most of se
remember the advertisements of Hamburg meat at
3d. per lb., when meat was selling at 6d. in the
markets of Hamburg. We remember how the more
ignorant of our farmers sold off their grazing stock
for anything it would fetch, in the panic which was
raised about England ceasing to est English beef. In
a month or two the mischief we Facts were too
strong for visionary apprehensions; and our farmers
and grsziers quietly and contentedly set about
fattening for our markets the lean cattle which
tame from abroad—clover and other seeds being at
the mune time released from the high duties which
had kept them sat et the farmers' reach.
There have been repeated evidences that we now
perceive delay to be injarioes to the very parties
whom it is intended to benefit. The transitionatate
has never been found to answer. We finally re-
fretted it in the case of the Corn Laws. We
brought it to a speedy end in the earns of West India
omatimpation. Is there no hope that our neighbours
may learn the truth otherwise than by their own
painful experience ? They are not, as a nation, so
ignorant as we were when standing on the verge of
free trade. Some may perhaps be es ignorant as
our pale.fased weavers of 1824; bet there are *hole
classes who are wine by oar experiences, and not a
few individaals who are thoroughly versed ia the
philosophy and fact of the whole ease. Is it not
possible that the collective wisdom of the wise may
bring about an amalgamation of some of the five
phases, and a shortening of the season
of suspense ? It is not very likely that the
croakers will "get out of the trade," any more than
our silk manufacturers of fire-and-thirty years ago.
They will jest wait aid see what happens. It is a
pity that they cannot meantime have a peep at their
smuggler,' haulm, and see what a trade they them-
selves have thrown into the bands of illicit traders.
For a year or two the cootrabandists will make a
fine thing of their opportunity. The croakers may
well grudge them the boon, and would be wise to
deprive them of it.

It is a misfortune that public affairs have so little
stability in France as to render it difficult to find
firm ground for the wisest arrangements. It is the
sense of this instability which explains to meat et
us the meaning of a commercial treaty at this time
of day. The same consciousness is now exalting the
joy of the wine-growers in France at out prompt
action in admitting their produce, putting the new
advantage bey ood the reach of change. The
same consciousness may operate notortanately
'in encouraging the Protectionists to hope that
" fate, or Providence, or something," will yet inter-
fen to save them from the doom they dread. This
is a disadvantage. On the other hand, the EMPE-
ROR is powerful, strong also in his oonviotione on the
suhject of Free Trade. It cannot be desirable for
him that his policy should be denounced and abused
for eighteen months or two years before it is brought
to the test. It is to be hoped that, as initial, his
'objects will learn to see se he mew, and desire
what be recommends, so that his °pantry and ours
may be tradiag in amparedve freedom long before
July and December, 1861. If we may not see that,
it is still a biassing that a data is fixed when the
process may begin.