The Express.
London, England, 1861-05-09 00:00:00

THE BRITISH MUSEUM.

The estimate of the sum required to defray the
&arks and expenses of the British Museum, including the
amount required for buildings, furniture, fittings, fit., foe
the year ending 31st March, 1862, is 100,4141. The total
number of persons admitted to view the general collectious,
exclusive of readers, was 334,089 in 1835 ; 361,714 in 18.16;
621,034 in 1857; 519,565 in 1858; 517,895 in 1859; and
536,939 in 1860. The visitors to the reading room have in.
creased from 53,567 in 1855, to 127,763 in 1860. Last
year there were 5,339 more readers than in 1859.
The average last year was 437 readers per
day ; each reader consulting, on an awake,
nine volumes per day. The number of volumes added to
the library last year amounts to 30,949, including mask,
maps, and newspapers. The total number of articles
received, including broadsides, ballads, and various mis-
cellaneous pieces, is 78,071, of which 419 were received
under the international copyright treaties. The additions
made to the manuscript department in the course of the
year are as follows :—To the general collection : MSS., 816;
original charters and rolls, 90; original seals and Myra'.
lions, 34. To the Egerton collection : MSS., 32. The
departments of antiquities and geology h►ve is.
ceived numerous and remarkable acquisitions. The
total number of additions made to the departments
of zoology, geology, and mineralogy, during the
past year, is above 45,250. Professor Owen observes,
"Present knowledge of the manifold works of nature, and
present opportunities of acquiring the rarer examples
thereof, do not support the expectation that the need of
increased owe for their public exhibition will become lees
in a few years ; the vast proportion of the unknown to be
known In nature, and the diversity and extent of the un-
explored parts of the world, rather impress the belief that
future additions will accrue to the natural history depart-
ments in an equal or increasing ratio for some years to
come."

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIIITY.-(THIS DAY.)

The anniveraary meeting of this society wee
held to-day at Exeter Hall, Mr. E. Sawn, M.P., •
Long before the hour flied for the commencement of
proceedings, namely 10 o'clock, the ball was densely
crowded. On the Platform were Mr. Hadfield, M.P., Mr.
Kershaw, M.P., Bir Culling Eardley, Mr. C. E. Mndie,
Mr. Edward Swami, Mr. J. Snow, do. ; the Reve. Thomas
Blaney, Dr. Halley, John Graham Dr. Campbell, Dr. Tic'.
men, Dr. Hewlett, J. Stoughton, John Alexander, Andrew
Reed, Dr. Lockhart, T. Aveling, E. trout, Newman Hall,
J. H. Wilson,;:.leiler, George Ginith, Dr. A. M. Brows,
K John BeeAllan,sley, Allen, he.
Miall, J. Kennedy, G. Smith,
H
The QUITMAN in his opening address stated that the
total number of missiouaries now employed by the WC*,
was 153, and that the directors intended to send out 15 add.
Waal missionaries to India and China in the course of the
year. Adman to the disturbed condition of Mus
gliZteates, be said Wire was reason to apprehend thgt
the American minims in various parts of the world
would gruffer financially in consequent*, and be expremedi
hope that if an appeal for assistance were made by the
American missionary societies to Christians in this country,
that appeal would be liberally met. Hia roma/1m on We
point elicited a sordid response from the meeting.
Prom the report, which, in consequence of the indlaptel.
tine of Dr. Tillman, one of the secretaries, was read by
the R. Henry Alkali, it appeared that the total income of
the year, ordinary and , was 85,3631. 7s. 3d., sad the
total expenditure 81,1 Os. "In the income of the WO
years it was eisenvi, " in addition to special contributisee
for India sad China, amounting to upwards of 13,0004
there wee she ieciaded the munificent reversionary gift of
9,500
/. from a deceased friend, making a total of 22,5001„
which most be regarded as s eatery to the ordinary
income, which was 75,228/. making
During the put year
the various eentributions for pecial objects have not
greatly exceeded 10,0001. ; bat,with this deduction, the
ordinary income of the year exceeds that of the year pre-
acct The Mort wee adopted, sad resolutions lo
accordance with it were afterwards tarried.

NATIONAL PROVINCIAL DANZ OP ENGLAND.
(THIS DAY.)

This morning the annual general meeting at
proprietors was held at the company's hones, hi pit-
gets-street ; M. LAMS took the chair, ea the
indica of Lind Limit Brut., M.P., essouled by Mr. K.

-The following report was adopted :—" Since last
the directoes, in consequence of the Mem of thenita:
bank of Yawn. Edgard and Co., of Poole and Ringwood.
have opened • branch at the latter place, under the
meet of Mr. Chapple, who conducted Maws. •
business at Ringwood, for • long period previous to their
stoppage. The directors are happy to state that the branch
thus opened at Ringwood has met with the general rapport
of the customers of Wawa Ledge:Ws beak. The event
just referred to has led also to • owaiderable awes-
ion of business at the oompany's branch at Amis.
During the put year • Income:on of circumstances of
• political and financial character caused considerable fine.
tuations in the money market. In January the rate of
interest was A per cent., but owing to a renewal of the
export of silver to the east, and some Internal monetali
disturbance, the rate gradually advanced, wall in
April it reached five per cent. A reaction, bow.
ever, shortly
.afterwards occurred, and in Nei
the rate stood at four per cent., at which point
remained until September, when • foreign demand fon=
and the certainty of • deficient harvest, once more e
the value of money. In November the rate stood at 6 pse
cent., but a reduction to 5 per cent. again took place Wore
the close of the year. Notwithstanding the checks given to
commerce by the uncertainty as to the future course of We
money market, the war in the South of Italy and in
China, and the social dimpling in America--the year 1880,
although not without mews in some branches of trade,
may be characterised as one of considerable commercial
prosperity. Owing to the activity in trade, and the can-
=Meal are y hif laippyrat of interest just adverted to, the
that the business of the cone
piny for the past year was both large and profitable,
cif which the statement of accounts that they have
now the pleasure to submit to the meeting will,
they ho be considered as affording pacifying evidence.
1 • an. I—Rest, or undivided profit+, at 31st December,
1859, as exhibited at annual meeting in May, 1460, 265,0151.
Is. 7d., lea: bonne declared and paid in cash in 1860, out of
this amount, 42,0001. ; ditto added to share capital, 193,0001.
—182,0001. ; reserve fond set apart in government's:Mama
103,0151. 3s. Id. Dec. 31, net profits of 1860, after meths
allowance for bad and doubtful debts, and paying a bagel
of 10 per cent. to of/logra, 141,8001., making ‘244,81.51. 3s. Id.
Deduct dividend on cowpony's stock for Inns, 1610.
26,0001. • ditto, December, 1860, paid January, 1861.
28,8001.L52,8001. Os. Od., leaving 192,015/. 3e, 7d.
Out of the profits of last year, the directors propose
declare, in addition to the half-yearly dividend paid to the
proprietors above natal, • bonus of 10 per cent., making
the division of profit in 1860 in all 18 per cent. upon the
whole of the paul•up capital of the company, free of income
tax. After deduction of the bonne and the two baffles:ly
dividends, there will remain the sum of 17,0001. to be added to
the reserve fund, which will then stand at 120,015/. 3a 7d.
With • view to • more equal distribution of the profit. cf
the bank half-yearly, it is the intention of the directors to
pay a bonus in future in January, along with the half.
ye•rly. dividend, when the state of the bank's affairs justifies
them in doing so. Appreciating the seal and diligence al
the diners of the company, the directors have awarded there
• bonus of 10 per cent. upon their salaries for last year. And
in accordance with the wishes expremed at the last annual ge-
neral meeting of the proprietors, and in consider:woe
of the very prosperous condition of the company's affairs,
the directors ham, by • unanimous resolution, pretrotei
Idr. Daniel Robertson, the general manager, with the sus
of 2,8004, as • special acknowledgment of his Wag and
valuable services."

-iice—rntirii-z directors were re-elected, and Mr. Homy
wee &man to a vacant seat.

The Paris correspondent of the. Lid/peados.%
nays :—" A piece of news which bears upon politics on their
tenderest point is the immediate appearance of a week
which has beg been oontemplated by hi. Proudhoo. ruder
the title of Pak at la °lmre,' this rough ILO powerful
writer has, within the last two years, composed a complete
theory on the right of nations. The double question el
peace and war, which has such a deep interest at the present
moment, is examined historically and philoaophically by the
author, who is preparing to return to France."
Advice!' from Cadiz state that the Empress of
Austria disembarked from the royal paddle yacht Victoria
and Albert at that port early in the morning of the Ist
instant, notwithstanding that it was blowing a south-sad
gale at the time. The Empress was conveyed from the
yacht to the shore in the royal barge, which was in chants
of Captain the Hon. Joseph Denman. The Empress. ac-
cording to the then arrangemeuta, would proceed to Seville.
The Osborne paddle yacht arrived at Cadia 11 hours dim
the Victoria and Albert. The Bartolemo Dias, 21-gna
screw oorvette,with his Royal Highness the Duke of Oporto
on board, did sot arrive at Cadiz until 21 hoots after the
Victoria and Albert. All three of the vessels, it will be
remembered, left Madeira for Cadiz at the same time. The
health of the Empress is stated to have bees materially
improved by her visit to Madeira.
_ _

The weather continues very coil for the season,
in every part of Europe. The aocounte received from Nice
Mate that out Monday snow tell on the mouotaine um
Nice ; at Rome on the eame day there was heavy bail and
rain, acoompenied by thunder and violent gales ; sad 4
Brussels likewise a fall of hail.