The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-04 00:00:00

Royal Botanic Society of London,

There was a magnificent exhibition at the ecciety's gar-
dens, in the Regent's-park, on Saturday. The fruits,
especially the grapes, pines, and paellas, might, from their
size and richness, have been gathered in a garden that had
been presided over by Pomona herself. There was one pine
amongst those exhibited that weighed over ten pounde,
and there were three bunches of grapes more than ten
pounds each. These fruits did, indeed, look magnificent,
but we must add that they were very tantalising also. The
exotic orchids were very beautiful, and so were the gera-
niums. The ambition of the growers of geraniums appears
now to be to exhibit the largest plant in the smallest pot.
Among the company present were the Princess Mary of
Cambridge, the Bishop of Oxford, Marquis of Bristol, Earl
of Home, Earl of St. German's and Countess of St. Ger-
man's, Lord Chesham, Lord Yarborough, Lord A. Hervey,
Lady Mary Hervey, Lord Alfred Hervey, Lady Laura
Palmer, Lrdy Elizabeth Waldegrave, Lady Duncombe,
Lady Julia Powers, Lady Anson, Lady Laura Grattan,
Lady Mary Stanley, Lady Cremorne, Lady Frances Rus-
sell, Lady Yarborough, Lady Proby, Lady Bannerman,
Lady Isabella Blatchford, L ,dy Painter, Lady M'Farlano,
Baron Nathan De Rothschild, Sir Walter Stirling, Sir
Philip Duncombe, Sir John Anson, Sir William Hooker,
General Dixon, Colonel Hammer, Hon. Mrs. Calthorpe,
lion. Mr and Mrs Twistleton, Miss Burdett Coutts, Mrs
Gladstone and family, and the Portuguese, Russian,
Danish, Spanish, and Austrian Ministers.

The bands of the Ist Life Guards and of the Royal Horse
Guards performed during the day a selection of overtures
from the principal operas, marches, and dance music.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE—This Day,

CITY BETTING—Tnis DAY.

JULY STAKES.
6 to 5 agst The Duke
7to 4 agst Liddington
000DWOOD STAKES.
Bto 1 agst Bally Edmond
Bto 1 agst Highflyer colt
10 to 1 agst Blcndin
12 to 1 agst Madcap
13 to 1 agst Thalettris
14 to 1 agst Cloxton
14 to 1 agst Myrtle
15 to 1 agst Baktitchi Serai
Very little betting. Most of time occupied in settling.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

LONDON, July 4.—Wind this day at noon—North-
West; moderate breeze and fine weather,
CLYDE, July 4.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Jane, from St
Jago de Cuba.

CARDIFF, July 2.—Wind N.W.—Sailed—St Pierre, for
St Thomas.

HULL, July 20—Wind S.W,—Arrived—Titania, from
Miramichi.

PORTSMOUTH, July 3.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Her
Majesty's ship Dromedary, from Malta, and proceeded for
Woolwich.

NEWPORT, July 2.—Wind S.W.—Sailed—Louisa, for
New York.

GRIMSBY, July 3.—Wind N.W.—Arrived—Relionce,
from Quebec.

(BY MAGNETIC TELEGRAM)
GRAVESEND, Monday Morning.
Arrived, July 3—Seine et Tamiee, from Paris—Aboukir,
from Dunkirk—Furet, and Napoleon, from Gravelines—
Alardus,trom Soderham—Grey, from Havannah—Esturias,
from Porto Rico—Regina, from Quabec—Flecha, from
Ghent—Spitfire, from Reggefure.

DEAL, Monday Morning.
Anchored—Sir Harry Parker, from London for Shanghai.
Passed —Fanny schooner, from London, for West—
Scottish !laid, from Rouen, for Shields ; Aurora, screw
steamer, for Genoa, and William Miles, for Canterbury—
both from London.

THE ROYAL WILTSHIRE LIFEBOAT.—A. grand
demonstration took place at Marlborough a few
days ago on the occasion of the naming and presentation
of the "Royal Wiltshire" lifeboat, the cost of which had
been collected in the county by Captain N. J. Reed, R.N.,
of Marlborough. Early in the morning the town mani-
fested great interest in the humane undertaking ; and when
the lifeboat mounted on its transporting carriage, was
drawn through the town by a team of fine horses, gaily
decorated, thousands of people followed the procession,
which was headed by a band of music. Captain Reed,
R.N., on behalf of the county of Wiltshire, presented the
boat to the National Lifeboat Institution. He said it was
a proud day for him to assist in presenting the society with
so splendid a lifeboat on behalf of the county of Wiltshire;
and he felt assured that every one present wished the life-
boat " God Speed." Richard Lewis, Esq., Secretary of
the National Lifeboat Institution, then acknowledged
the lifeboat in an appropriate speech. He said that he felt
assured the crew of the lifeboat at Dover would always dis-
tinguish themselves in the Royal Witshire when the hour
of need came. (Hear, hear.) He referred to the remark-
able fact that last winter the neighbouring lifeboat at Rams.
gate, in conjunction with a steamtug, had saved 120 per-
sons from two shipwrecks on the Goodwin Sands, during
an awful midnight storm. The lifeboats of the institution
rescue on an average between 400 and 500 persons every
year; and altegeth.r, sines the establishment of the society,
nearly 14,000 shipwrecked sailors hal been rescued through
its instrumentality. (Cheers.) He requested them to imagine
such an army proceeding through their principal street, and
then to conceive the number of persons connected with
these 14,000 men, and they would probably find that 40,0001
persons had been saved from being widows and orphans.
The Rev. T. W. Dowding then pronounced, iu sti.table
and impressive terms, a benediction on the lifeboat. Mrs
Kean, Capt. Reed's daughter, in the unavoidable absence
of the Marchioness of Ailesbury, proceeded, amidst• hearty
acclamation of the people, to name the boat the Royal 'Wilt-
shire. The lifeboat was afterwards sent by rail to Dover.

ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL, GRAT'S-INN-ItOAD.—
The number of patients relieved at this hospital during the
week ending the 2,1 o auly was 3,923, of which 1,261 were
new cases.
The Hon. Edward Chandos Leigh is appointed
Recorder of Stamford, in the room of Mr Flowers, appointed
a metropolitan police maq:istrate.—Observer.
MR. COLLEY GRAT TAN, TUE VETERAN Armor.
OF HIGHATATs AND LI:WAYS " now lies, we grieve to
learn, in a precarious state.

Mg. CUVENTRY PATMOLE, the popular poet of
tho domestic affections (vice; " The Angel in the House")
has recently becoure a convert to the Roman Catholit.;
religion.