The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-21 00:00:00

REFORM OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY.

For some months past a Royal Commission has
been inquiring into the alleged defects of the Royal
Academy. The Commissioners were Earl Stanhope,
Lords Hardinge and Elcho, Sir Francis Head, and
Messrs. Databy Seymour, William Stirling, and
Henry Reeve. And they now advise the Crown so
far to aster the constitution of the artistic body as
to enlarge the nunaer of members, and to introduce
lay members into it. They. say the number 40
should be raised to 6e ; ten of the new members
being non-professional—that is, non-artistic ; their
function being to represent the public at the Council
board in Trafalgar-square, and to represent the
Academy in Parliament, in the press, and elsewhere.
In the second place, they recommend that the
number of Associates of the Royal Academy should
be raised from 20 to 50. They propose to give tq
these 50 Associates a share in the general govern-
ment of the Academy : a change about which we
should think there can be no serious dispute.
They would have the President really elected by
the whole body of artists, not nominated by the
Crown, as at present, under a pretence of election
by the 40.
Following the pattern of Belgium and other coun-
tries, they suggest that there should be an Asso-
ciate class in connection with the Academy, to in-
clude distinguished painters and sculptors of foreign
nations. They would also provide a class into which
designers, carvers, seal-engravers, and other art-
workmen might be brought.

The Commiesioners propose to increase the Presi.
dent's salary by a large sum—to make him a sort o.
artistic Lord Mayor.

THE CARGO OF THE PETERHOFF.—The special
commissioners appointed by the United States

District Court to examine and make a true and perfect in.

ventory of the cargo of the steamer Peterhoff, report that a
very large portion of the said cargo will be found, on an
examination of the inventory, to be particularly adapted to
army uses ; that large numbers of cases contain " Blucher
boots," which are known as army shoes ; a number of cases
contain cavalry boots, and are so labelled ; that one hun-
dred and ninety-two bales of the cargo consist of gray
blankets adapted to the use of the army, and are believed
to be such as are used in the United States army ; ninety-

five casks contain horse shoes of a large size ; thirty-six

cases of a large size contain artillery harness in sets for
four horses, with two riding saddles attached to each set;
there were also on board two hydraulic presses adapted to

cotton; that a considerable portion of said ciago consists of
drugs directed `• Burchard and Co., Successors, Matamoras,
Mexico, in which an assorted lot of drugs—quinine,
calomel, morph ne, and chloroform—form an important

portion.
CURIOUS EXAMPLE OF THE VORACITY OF A
PIKE.—One of the most remarkable of these occurred
during the last few years to Mr. L--, of Chippenham,
Wiltshire. This gentleman had set a trimmer in the River
Avon over night, and on proceeding the next morning to
take it up, he found a heavy pike apparently fast upon his
hooks. In order to extract these he was übliged to open

the fish, and in doing so perceived another pike of consider-
able size inside the first, from the mouth of which the line
proceeded. This fish it was also found necessary to open,
when, extraordinary to state, a third pike, of about !lb.
weight, and already partly digested, was discovered ih the
stomach of the second. This last fish was, of course, the
original taker of the bait, having been subsequently pouched
by a later corner, to be, in its turn, also afterwards seized
and gorged.—Cholmondeley Pennell' a 4'4ngler- Naturalist."
DESTRUCTIVE FlRE.—Late on Sunday night a
very serious fire broke out on the premises of a Mr. Phillips,
who carries on the business of a marine store dealer in
South-street, Bishop Stortford. Four houses and a range
of workshops were destroyed, involving a loss estimated at
£3,000. A man named Marshall was badly injured. The
cause of the fire is not known.

- -
Viscount Palmerston has thrown off all traces of
the gout, says the Court Journal. The noble viscount with
the viscountess went to Brocket last Saturday and remained
till Monday ; and, short as the change was, it did wonders
towards restoring the Premier to his usual state of health.
The new Federal Commander-in-Chief, General
Meade, is said to be a native of Maidstone.
THE SESSION AND THE PARLIAMENT.—It is said

that the session will close on the 28th inst., remarks
the Law Times. It will be at once the shorte3t and most
unproductive of any that has been held since the Reform
Act. There are whispers about that it is to be the last of
the present Parliament, and this is by no means improbable.
An excuse would have been gladly seized for a dissolution
ere now, but the Opposition has cleverly refused to provide
one, while the state of her Majesty's health forbade a
merely experimental appeal to the country. But the soli-
citors should make ready for the fight, which may come at
any time ; the present registration will demand their special
attention, for it is certain to provide the constituencies for
the next general election.

THE CHANNEL FLEET.—The Channel fleet, under
the command of Rear-Admiral Dacres, left Great
Yarmouth Roads on Sunday evening for the north. It had
been expected that the squadron would remainin the Roads
until yesterday, but the weather having moderated on Sun-
day it was considered advisable to proceed with the cruise
at once, and some ono of the northern ports will have the
privilege of a visit from the squadron three or four days
this week, The squadron comprises the Edgar, 71 guns,
Rear-Admiral D acres, Captain Hornby, 800 men, 600 horse-
power; the Emerald, 35, Captain Cumming, 510 men,
600 horse-power ; the Liverpool, 39, Captain Lambert, 540
men, 600 horse-power; the Warrior, 40, Captain the
Honourable A. Cochrane, 710 men, 1,200 horse-power; the
Black Prince, 40, Captain Wainwright, 726 men, 1,200
horse power ; the Resistance. 16, Captain Chamberlain, 482
600-horse power; the Defence, 16, Captain Phillimore, 468
men, 600-horse power; the Royal Oak, 35, Captain Camp-
bell, 547 men, 800-horse power ; and a steam tender with
20 men, making a total of upwards of 4,800 men. It is
scarcely necessary to recall the fact that the Warrior, the
Black Prince, the Resistance, the Defence, and the
Royal Oak are iron clads ; the cruise from the Downs to
Yarmouth was almost the first voyage made by the Royal
Oak, and it is stated that she has realised the expectations
formed respecting her, both as regards sea-going qualities
and speed. The iron•clads have, of course, been objects
of lively interest to residents in the eastern counties.
The Great Eastern Railway Company has reaped quite a
harvest in conveying excursionists to the fleet from Nor-
wich, Lowestoft, Ipswich, and various other points of its
reseau ; and up to yesterday trains were constantly con-
veying large numbers of excursionists to Yarmouth. The
mayor and local authorities of Yarmouth made strenuous
exertions to secure the presence of the squadron in the road-
stead a few days longer, and a letter was even addressed to
the Admiralty on the subject, but with no avail, Rear-
Admiral Dacres and the officers of the fleet were much gra-
tified with the cordial reception which they experienced in
Yarmouth, and many of the latter uvailed themselves of the
opportunity of visiting Norwich and other neighbouring
inland towns.
The fair of Saint-Benoit (Eure), just held, was
marked by considerable animation in business. Young
horses from Picardy and La Perche were sold, the former
at from 800 fr. to 900 fr., and the latter at from 400 fr, to
700 fr. Little business was done in sheep and cows, but
3,560 fleeces were sold at from 2fr, 10c. to 2fr. 50c. the
kilo.
The Charivari publishes a woodcut in which a
French soldier is represented in front of the city of
Mexico, ruminating deeply. Behind a tree appears a. Rus-
sian with his long lance, who exclaims :—" He seems quite
undecided what he should do at present. .. . I hope he
will not turn round to my part of the world I"
A letter from Perpignan states that several
places in the neighbourhood of Pracle's (Pyrenees-Orien-
tales) have been twice visited by violent hailstorms within
the last few days. The damage done to the standing crops
in the communes of Bolquare, Odeillo, and Eyne is esti-
mated at 50,000 fr. Several other places also suffered) but
in a less degree.