The Express.
London, England, 1867-05-22 00:00:00

MR. W. MACFARRENN MATINEES.

This gentleman, who is favourably known as a
clever pianoforte player, and a professor of the instrument
at the Royal Academy of Music, gave the first of his
annual series of three matinees, at the Hanover-square
Rooms, on Saturday last. Mr. Madarren relies entirely
on the attraction of instrumental music ; and seemingly
with sufficient reason, as the room on this occasion was
completely filled. The programme included Schitmann's
first, and Professor Bennett's only, pianoforte trio, sad
Mozart's senate in E minor, with violin ; besides Mr.
Macfarren's own sonata for piano and violoncello, and
several brilliant solo pieces of his composition. In his
various performances Mr. Macfarren displayed consider-
able powers of execution, and sound musician•like reading.
In the duet sonatas and the trios, he had the advantage of
the valuable cooperation of M. Swinton (violin) and
Signor Piatti (violoncello).

REFUGE FOR HOMELESS AHD DESTFITTE
CHILDS/M.—Lin evening the annual meeting of the
friend* and supporters of this institution, which was
founded twenty-four years ago, was held in Exeter Hall,
under the presidency of the Earl of Shaftesbury. The
report, read by Mr. Williams, the secretary, stated that
the year MO; had been the most arduous and the most
successful in the history of the society, and the institu-
tion now provides for the maintenance of 100 boys in the
Refuge in Great Queen-street, 100 boys in the training
ship Chichester, transferred to the moiety fully equipped
With masts and nails by the Admiralty, fur 2,0001. 40 girls
in the Kilburn Home, and 44 girls in the Braid-street
Home. All these boys and girls are fed, lodged, clothed,
educated, and trained to earn their own livelihood. Be-
sides the refuge work the society support five day, six
night, and four Sunday ragged schools. In these
schools upwards of 1,000 boys and girls receive a
religious and useful education. The receipts
for the past year were 0,3891., besides legacies amounting
to 6001.. a large proportion of the subscriptions having
been specially sent for the internal fittings of the training
ship. The total on this side of the account, including the
balance from the previous year, was 10.150/., and the ex-
penditure of the year had been 9,0801. The report having
been adopted, the meeting was addressed by the noble
chairman, Judge Payne, and other friends of the society,
and in the course of the evening a choir of 500 children,
who were stationed on the platform behind the chair,
including 100 sailor boys in their uniform from the train-
ing-ship, added to the interest of the proceedings by sing-
in,• a number of hymns and pieces appropriate to the
occasion. The attendance was so overwhelming that the
doors had to be closed very early, and hundreds went away
unable to obtain admission.

ROYAL NAVAL CoLLE4IE, PORTSMOUTH.—Tho
result of a special examination of young gentlemen study-
ing at North Grove-house, Southsea, who had been noroi-
noted to royal naval cadetships, wag promulgated at
Portsmouth on Monday. The following were found quali-
fied :-1, Charles Heury Bayly ; 2, kennels Charles H.
Warner: 3, Lewis Dod Sauspeon ; 4, Norman Maclean ;
5, John Ledgard ; 6, Robert Richard Warren : 7 Hon.
Francis G. Hay ; 8, Wyatt Rawson ; 9, George Vincent
Regan ; 10, Arthur Temkin Dew ; 11, Henry Charles
Warner.
UNITED LAW CLERKS' SOCIETY.—The thirty-
fifth anniversary festival of this excellent society is
fixed for Friday, the 14th of June, in the new hall
of the Freemasons Tavern, under the chairmanship
of Vice Chancellor Malin& The vocalists engaged include
Madame Rudersdorff and other artistes of eminence.
CARDSHAILPEIDI AT THE Races.—One of the great
nuisances in oonnexicn with horseracing is the existence of
cardsharpers. These human excrescences infest the rail-
way stations, take possession of the carriages, hang about
the approaches to the racecourse, and, in fact, are dis-
gustingly obtrusive at every available point. The open
and undisguised manner in which these ruffians are per-
mitted to exercise their lawless calling is a disgrace
to the age and a reproach alike to the police
authorities and the railway executive. Yesterday,
at Loudon Bridge station, the " three mini" fra-
ternity mustered in strong force, and. although their
faces west by this time be perfectly familiar to the railway
guards and policemen, there was not the slightest attempt
to check or thwart the numerous robberies that were being
planned or in the course of actual execution. In fact, we
should imagine that the guards and ticket collectors must
"stand in," or they would warn the unsuspecting from
listening to the invitations of men, who stand at carriage
doors and endeavour to force victims into compartments
where they are almost certain to be robbed, even if they
have sufficient courage to refine to tempt Fortune—save
the mark "—at the plaeadde solicitations of these
ruffians. The sum of fis. to Epsom and back is
rather a stiff charge, and out of the immense
revenue that the railway company must thus nap from fre-
quenters to the race-course, they might surely afford to
employ three or four detectives to prevent the impudent
and wholesale robberies that are constantly being perpe-
trated. In the absence of any protective measures, how-
ever, let us warn our reader.. to endeavour to steer clear of
these attempts on their pockets. Whenever playing cards
are introduced by a stranger in a railway carriage, no man
should he induced to play unless he has some loses cash
that he is particularly desirous of getting rid of. And am
for listening to the invitations of the little knots of hang-
dog villians wbo haunt the approaches to the nee-ammo
—well, none but donkeys turn aside to crop the Riled* ag
the exposes of being stumg.—Sporriag