The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-10 00:00:00

THE POLISH BALL.

Yesterday, the Polish ball committee assembled at
Guildhall—Mr. Deputy Holt in the chair.
There was a large assemblage of the active supporters
of the charity.
Lord DUDLEY STUART said, he never had upon any
occasion greater pleasure in addressing the friends of the
distressed Poles than the present occasion afforded him.
Formerly the Polish ball used to be our uphill fight.
The Polish cause was misunderstood, and English benevo-
lence received a check which a more perfect acquaint-
ance with the subject was rapidly dispelling. (Cheers.)
In the Court of Common Council there existed no
diversity of opinion upon the proposition to grant
the hall for the purpose of, giving a splendid en-
tertainment in aid of the funds, !although the early
part of the day was distinguished by a most stormy
discussion. The moment the application was made
every .voice was raised in favour of it. The feeling
of unanimity pervaded the City and the public, and
many of the prime opposers had become ardent friends.
Amongst them was Alderman Sidney, wh• had not only
retracted his opposition, but had presented the commit-
tee with a handsome contribution, and promised to attend
with his family and numerous friends. Alderman Finnis,
too, had expressed an altered opinion upon the subject.
From the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs. the most decided
efforts for the benefit of the funds were expected, so that
the City patronage, combined with the patronage of the
dukes and duchesses of the West-end, would present a
list not easily to be paralleled. (Cheers.) It was with
great pleasure he informed the committee, that Lord
John and Lady Russell and Lord and Lady Palmerston
would be amongst the patrons and patronesses present ;
and that numbers of those who used to be called Protection-
ists, but for whom, he believed, no new name had been
conjectured, would also come forward in relief of the
funds. (Laughter.) There was a delightful prospect
before the many friends of the cause which, by having
become at last perfectly intelligible, had excited un-
mingled sympathy. (Loud cheers.) The public were
satisfied that the object of the promoters of the ball was
not to promote idleness, but to relieve those who en-
dured unmerited distress, and who were overtaken by
sickness amidst the other calamities of their exile. It
was all very well to say the Polish refugees could return.
If they could he should be the last man to encourage
their stay in England. But they could not return, and
it was because they could not that he was desirous to
give them the greatest benefit they knew could be con-
ferred upon them—that of enabling them to provide for
themselves. (Cheers.) It was the greatest of errors to
suppose that the unfortunate refugees could return 'to
their own country. Driven from their houses by the
tyranny of foreign Governments, by Russia and Austria,
and he regretted to say by France too, they had no
alternative but that which England gave them the
privilege to embrace. If a Pole committed any offence
of any kind, the punishment inflicted upon him in
France was transportation to England, a great injustice
to England, as well as the unfortunate sufferers. That
object had been frequently alluded to in Parliament, but
without effect. He knew that several had stooped to
the misery of soliciting to be allowed to return from
exile, and he knew too, that although 20 years had
elapsed since they had offended, the condition of their
return must be a trial by court-martial. It had been the
fashion to complain of the long continuance of the re-
fugees in this country; but the complaint ought to be
against those whose long-standing and unmitigated op-
pression had forced him there. (Cheers.) His lordship
repeated, that the committee had reason to congratulate
themselves upon the bright prospects of the 15th inst.,
when a ball, equal to any which had ever been given in
London, would take place, and where the friends of the
oppressed would have an opportunity of repaying them
selves for their toil in the cause of suffering humanity,
by witnessing the extraordinary success of their exer•
tions. (Loud cheers.)

The CHAIRMAN stated that the concert would be given
on the most magnificent scale, and after some important
arrangements, the committee adjourned.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—ln your paper of to-day a Mr. Willis, giving
his address as of No. 4, Graham-street, Pimlico, is
reported to have appeared at the Westminster Police
Court, in answer to a very serious charge, the address
given being that of the house in which I reside. I beg to
state that no such person is known here. May I, there-
fore, beg you as a favour to insert this note, as the report
(without contradiction) is calculated very materially to in-
jure the reputation of my residence, and of your obedient
servant, FREDERIC KINKEE,
4, Graham-street, Pimlico.

Thursday, Dec. 9, 1852.

SMITHFIELD CLUB CATTLE SHOW.—The fineness of the
weather during a great part of yesterday had an evident
effect upon the number of visitors to the show, it being
crowded in every part.

THE WASHINGTON STEAMER, which left Southampton
on Wednesday with the United States mail, has been ob-
liged to put back in consequence of encountering a heavy
sea off Portland, which stove in her upper deck. It is ex-
pected that she will start again on Saturday.
NEW BANK.—A new banking company has been
brought out entitled the London Bank of Australia and
India, which it is proposed to incorporate under a royal
charter, limiting the liability of the shareholders. The
bank will, it is stated, be conducted in London by a board
of directors who possess practical experience, both by re-
sidence and business connection, of the trade of India and
Australia ; and in order to avoid the evils that experience
has shown to result from the pressure of local influence on
colonial boards, there will be no local boards of directors,
but the business in Australia and India will be conducted
by experienced, responsible, and trustworthy officers, from
whom ample security will be required, and whose manage-
ment will beiunder the constant supervision of competent
inspectors, all being appointed by, and amenable to, the
London board. The capital of the company is fixed at
500,000/. ; but power will be taken under the charter to
increase it to 1,000,0001.
RISE IN THE PRICE OF BREAD.—Yesterday, in con-
sequence of the recent trifling rise in wheat and flour at
Mark-lane, the bakers throughout the metropolis took ad-
vantage of it, by rising the price of the four-pound loaf
one halfpenny. The best wheaten bread at the West-end,
the Strand, and the City, is now charged, by the full-price
bakers, Bd. to 84d. the 41bs. The second-rate bakers
charge 5Ad. to bad. per 41bs., weighed on delivery. In
some of the densely populated parts of the metropolis—
Whitechapel, Clerkenwell, Blackfriars-read, Westminster,
&c., good household bread may, however, still be obtained
at sd. to sid. the loaf. A further rise is expected before
Christmas.

PRESERVATION OF LIFE FROM SHIPWRECK. —A meet-
ing of the committee of the Institution for the Preserva-
tionof Lifefrom Shipwreck took place yesterday at the office
in the Adelphi, Mr. G. Palmer in the chair, when orders
for the building of life boats on Mr. Peake's designs were
given for Comlyn, Anglesea, and Aldborough. Silver
medals were ordered to be presented to Mr. W. Barrett,
R.N., of the Balbriggan Coast-guard station ; to ,Mr. W.
Barrett, his son; and to the Rev. A. Syng ; and 5/. to
five other men, for their services to the barque Young
England. A variety of other rewards were ordered to be
presented to various persons for similar services, and a sil-
ver medal to be given to J. M`Carthy, chief boatmani of the
Dundrum Coast-guard, for services to the crew of the
schooner Martha Grace. A grant of 20/. having been then
made for repairs to the Bridlington life boat, the proceed-
ingsclosed.

WESTERN DISPENSARY FOR DISEASES OF THE SHIN
—The first annual meeting of the subscribers and friends
of this charity was held yesterday, at the Dispensary,
Charlotte-street, Fitzroy-square. The chair was taken by
the Rev. Canon Dale, the president of the institution.
The chairman having opened the business of the meeting,
called upon the secretary to read the report of the com-
mittee, which stated that, from the 31st Oct., 1851 (the
day on which the Dispensary was opened), to the 31st
' Oct. 1852, 283 patients had applied for relief 137 of which
had been discharged cured; the remainder were, for the
most part, much benefitted, and still under treatment--no
case having been discharged as incurable. Amongst the
cured cases, the average duration of the disease had been
about three years, and the average period of treatment
about seven weeks. In one case the disease had existed
more than 60 years ; in two cases more than 50 ; and in six
cases more than 40 years.

AN IMPUDENT IMPOSTOR.—One "Reverend Alfred
Thomas Wood, D.D.," is in custody in Hull, on the
charge of obtaining money by false pretences. He levied
contributions on the charitable for the alleged support of
a church in Liberia. He told one of the witnesses
against him, that George and Eliza Harris, mentioned
in " Uncle Tom's Cabin," were " members of his
church," and that Cassy died six weeks after her arrival
in Liberia. "He attended her death-bed and she died
a very happy death," ,