The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-13 00:00:00

THE FEMALE SCHOOL OF ART,

The distribution of prizes to the successful stu-
dents belonging to the Female School of Art in
connection with the Science and Art Department
of the Committee of Council on Education, took
place on Thursday afternoon at University College.
The Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe presided and
distributed the prizes, and on the platform were the
Hon, Frederick Byng, Professor Westmacott, Pro-
fessor Donaldson, the Rev. E. Bayley, &c. The
theatre of the college was crowded by the students
and their friends.

The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said
he highly appreciated the objects which the Female
SchoJl of Art desired to secure. The fact of the
school being under the special patronage of her
Majesty was one of the many illustrations of her
Majesty's benevolence, and showed that the school
was deserving of her countenance. A very consider-
able degree of importance was attached to the in-
stitution. It was useful not only to the young
women who attended it, but to the nation at large.
Wherever the fine arts were cultivated they were
found to humanise and elevate the mind. Besides,
the education which the young women obtained
enabled them afterwards to obtain employment by
which they could honourably maintain themselves.
The improvement of ornamental design in manufac-
ture was a matter of the greatest importance, and
that result would be gained by the prosperity of
the school. It was the desire of the friends of the
school that it should be self-supporting, and he
would greatly rejoice when that result was accom-
plished. (Cheers.) He understood that if 30 or 40
additional pupils were obtained the school would be
enabled to support itself. He hoped that in the inter-
val that must elapse between the withdrawal of Go-
vernment assistance and the time when the school
might be expected to maintain itself it would be well
supported by public subscriptions. (Applause.) He
was glad of the steady progress it had made, and it
would give him great satisfaction to hear that
it
was Prospering to the satisfaction of its friends.
ag.
The report was then read. It gave r
that
ing account of the progreo of the school, stating
ass 30
the number attending was 110.
medals were to bedistributed,
Id be ea
number that by the rules co!
nt of the pre-
enlv 'gune report then olluded to the
and stated that
are, 8W
ail:rEt:lll:dh. highest
whichA
for a grant to ac-
taihieseGs
ooNt;etrhnonasecnhtoohl
But even if this
purpose.
complish that
rant would not suf-
was successful the g
orks required ,and,
appeal
ion of thew
flee for the completion of
that public subscriptions
adin Qbeneenena-sbed
therefore, it was hoped
medals , medallion s, and
would be given.
ate medals
and the proceedings
books were then p
the customary votes of thanks to
were closed with
the chairman:
The cards, certifier

The Obsetvateur de la Corso announces that the
Government has decided on establishing. a new port for
13astia, in the Bay of St. Nicholas.

French sergeant, writing from Mexico to his
friends, calls the graveyard at Orizaba not/ c mrdin
a'acclimatation.

The most extensive conflagration that has oc-
curred for a considerable time past at the west-end
part of London commenced about ten o'clock yester-
day (Sunday) forenoon, and was entirely extin-
guished at five o'clock.
The building in which the fire commenced was
termed the Portland Bazaar and German Fair. It
stood in Langham-place, Regent-street, and had
another entrance in Great Portland-street, St.
Marylebone. The building covered a space of
ground nearly 1,000 feet square. It was only two
floors high, but the property contained in the place
was more than an ordinary observer would imagine.
For instance, the Titian and other large pictures, to
which so much praise has been awarded, were in one
portion of the bazaar. The front entrance in Lang-
ham-place was rented by Mr. H. M. Whitaker, the
well-known importer and exhibitor of foreign birds,
insects, and reptiles, whose collection formed a
great attraction of this favourite and fashionable
lounge.
The Bazaar, as most public places of amuse-
ment are, was built in a manner to afford the great-
est space. Rows of massive iron columns rose
from the base, and upon the top of these, stretched
along the immense width of the building, were
cast-iron girders. Extending towards the top,
and which formed the beautiful rcof, were
placed vertically another row of iron pillars,
and upon them rested an equal number of
iron girders, as in the floor below. Each available
space in this large range of premises was fitted
up at great expense with fancy shops and stalls,
which had been presided over by 40 or 50 young
females, all of whom have been thrown out of em-
ployment, and those who merely rented the counters
or shops have been bereft of all their property; and
as far as at present can be ascertained not a single
stall-keeper or exhibitor was insured for a penny.
The front entrance, as before stated, was in the
tenure of Mr. Whitaker, and in this compartment
—the grand entry—were birds valued at over
£2OO ; the foreign cabinets, insects rare in this
country, &c., his own property, are roughly esti-
mated in value by that naturalist at over £6OO.
Besides, he had left in his charge a celebrated talk-
ing cockatoo belonging to Lady Glentworth, which
was over £lOO in value. Upon entering this part
of the building the birds from all parts of the world
were found either upon their perches or lying on
their sides at the bottom of their cages dead, clearly
indicating that they had died from suffocation. A
number of lizards, which Mr. Whitaker stated were
of great value, had upon the smoke entering their
cages crawled under some hay, and by rolling them-
selves np in it managed to escape suffocation, and as
the fire was being got under they appeared as
lively as if nothing had happened.
The discovery of this fearful fire appears to have
been made at ten o'clock in the forenoon. This
bazaar being surrounded by the houses in Mortimer-
street, Great Portland, and Little Ridinghouse-
street, it was feared that every house near would
have been speedily levelled with the ground. In a
very brief period the Marylebone parish engine. at-
tended, as well as numerous others of the London
Brigade, one from Hodges's distillery at Lambeth,
and the two land steam engines, by Shand, Mason,
and Co., that carried off the only double prize at the
Crystal Palace last week.
The fire-plugs of the West Middlesex Company
having been drawn, a bountiful supply of water was
obtained, and the land steam-engines being
fully up at 100 lb. pressure to the square inch, they,
as well as nearly a dozen manual-power machines,
were called into operation. By this time the back
portions of several houses in the sarronndi the I)
ng streets
were in flames, Mr. Inspector Coombes,
of
pe of
division of police, and Mr. Inspeotorof
s Lifencer, from
the Royal Society for the Proteotio
Gable aspect of
Fire, came up, and seeing the
tfh°:lnasaistance of the
the conflagration sent off for
°oda,
and fortunate
police from most parts of t
it was that they did so, for thousands after thou-
sands of persons, some of
that high class little used
to bear the pressure of a London mob, instead of
driving to church, lined the roadways in order to
witness the progress of the flames.
The two land steamers by Shand, Mason, and
hand-wore engines
Co., and the ha- had the hose
from each so stretched round as to enable the fire-
men mass of flames
to attack the at each point, for
stated that the fire
it should be st had by that perm • d
ted the extensive
paletrapremises of Mr. Green, in
Langham.place, as well as the ladi ' d'
esrea mg. rooms,
and also those of Mr. Maurice in the same thorough-
fare, and at the same time the extensive show
rooms of Mr. Greene, dealer in antique furniture,
buhl, and looking-glasses —No. 24 in Mortimer-
street—were likewise b • urning with the greatest
impetuosity—looking-glasses, and mirrors, some as
high as ordinary rooms, were flying asunder, pic-
tures were blazing, and cabinets of great cost were
falling a prey to the fury of the fire. The water-
colour studio,
which contained a most extensive
collection of painti • -
ngs, was also at the same time
wrapped in flames, as well as a photographic gal-
lery at the top of the same establishment.

FATAL ACCIDENT.--On Saturday a shocking
accident occurred at No. 19, Broad-street-building,s, Broad-
street, City, by which a man named Thomas Freeman lost
his life. It appears that the premises were being pulled
down to make room for the works of the North London
Railway. Deceased was standing on the top of a wall,
when by some means he fell headlong down, and was within
a few inches of crushing police-constable 121, of the City
police, in his fall. As it was he came on his head on the
pavement, his brains were dashed cut, and his ribs broken.
He was removed to the hospital, when life was, of course,
found to be extinct. The escape of the police constable
was most miraculous, the body of deceased almost grazing
m in the descent,

The Aston Estates Bill was read a second time.
ROYAL COMMISSION.
At fifteen minutes after four o'clock Colonel CLIFFORD,
the deputy-usher of the black rod, advanced to the table
and summoned the Speaker and the house to hear the Royal
assent, by commission to several bills. The Speaker re-
turned at half past 4 o'clock.
BANKRUPTCY AND COUNTY COURT RE-
TURNS.
Mr. MURRAY gave notice that on the next motion
for going into Committee of Supply he should call
the attention of the house to the great and
unusual delay in bringing forward the usual annual state-
ment required by the Act of Parliament, with respect to
these courts, and wished the Attorney-General to explain
the cause.

PRIVATE BILL LEGISLATION.
Mr. HODGSON gave notice that on Thursday he should
address a question to the President of the Board of Trade
with respect to the course the Government intended to pm.-
sure on this subject.
BOMARSUND.
Mr. R. LONG asked whether Government had received
information of the reconstruction of batteries at Bomarsund,
and whether they had forwarded any remonstrances ?
Mr. LAYARD replied that no information of the kind
had reached her Majesty's Government.
MR. JOHN CLARE AND THE WARRIOR.
Mr. CONINGHAM asked questions regarding the
claims of Mr. John Clare, jun., to be the inventor and
patentee of the Warrior description of vessel.
Lord C. PAGET explained that a jury had decided
against the claim of Mr, Clare, jun„ and the Queen's Bench
had since refused a rule for a new trial. The question had
been entirely set at rest. The Secretary of the. Admiralty
was of opinion that this gentleman had no claim upon the
public.
GION teplied that, al all th
ARMSTRONG AND WHITWORTII GUNS.
tete experiments had th©
yt h
sooner therereport? Armstrong
Y
is
elapse before
worth,Si Sir
re
CommitteeJ.
ailrq'ufooraf sTit:eheArdee $ ioTviliNl
guns required not been
ed some time would yet
yet supplied, h°
"rready.
NAAs asked the Under Secretary " Foreign
the report would be
JAPAN.
rweeglalredsintaLhi oshsetdiliatni:
uestion as to the instructions i
Chief of her Majesty's fleet ler
,ssued to the Coln-
AffairsLo rd
a (1 .
_PALMERSTON id it was a
in in
a Japannde r -i
a?
tnet.to publish instrue-
er rule for the Govermn
leers
before the matters
v ry p op
tions sent to naval and military Gill
to which they had reference completedwereell
eLordr
could not permit the information required ; therefore he
STATUE OF GEORGE to be given.
SQ U ,
11. IN LEICESTER-
Dir. COWPER expla* ARE'
called to the terribly lned that his attention had been
in the reign of that m mutilated figure of George 11., sot up
onarch. Since that period an act
had been passed not
permitting the erection of publi,
statues without the
had no power to Commission of Public Works. I'4
interfere with the statue.
In reply to Mr. HADFI ELD CIRCUITS.
The SOLICITO
in R- GENERAL intimated that a bill
alter the circuits
lie would accordance with the desires of the pub-
the House of shortlybeLord introduced by the Lord Chancellor into
, with the hope that it would be passed
during the
present ,
the session. There was no intention to in-
creasenumber of Judges.
Withdrawal of the Adjourned Debate on

Mr. Roebuck's Motion.
Mr. ROEBUCK rose, at a quarter past five, in an un-
usually crowdeded house, to intimate that he desired to
move that the order for receiving the adjourned debate be
read, in order that it might be discharged. (Applause.)
He desired to state that he brought forward his motion with
an earnest desire in order to put an end to the terrible car-
nage in America; but, for doing so he had boen subjected
to much obliquoy out of doors, and within the house, from
a noisy, if not a very unwise party. (Cheers, and hear,
hear.) That the noble lord at the head of the Government
having stated that the motion would be an impediment to
the good government of the country he would withdraw it.
After a few remarks from Mr. LINDSAY, the motion was
withdrawn.

LIVERPOOL, SUNDAY.

The royal mail steamship Scotia, Captain Jud-
kins, from New York on the lst inst., arrived in the
Mersey yesterday morning, bringing 200 passengers
and 160,000 dots. in specie.
The following, from the correspondent of the
New Jerk Times, is the " very latest " from the
army of the Potomac, previous to the departure of
the Scotia :

" Head-quarters, Army of the Potomac,
June 30 (Evening), 8 p.m.

" I am just in from the front, and send by a mes-
senger to Frederick a brief despatch of the occur-
rences of yesterday and to-day. The rebel force
which made the raid on the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad consisted of Stnart's whole force, with eight
pieces of artillery. On Monday night they arrived
at Westminster, and interrupted the Western Mary-
land railroad, and threw out strong pickets, and
shot two citizens who attempted to escape and give
ns information. Early this morning General Gregg
attacked Stuart, and drove him all the way from
Westminster to Hanover, Pennsylvania, a distance
of eighteen miles. During the forenoon Generals
Kilpatrick and Caster drove Stuart out of Hanover
after a splendid fight, and they are still pursuing
him ; part of his force going toward Gettysburg
and part toward York. During the day General
Burford drove a regiment of rebel infantry out of
Gettysburg, ivho also retired in a north-easterly
direction. You may expect to hear of brilliant
news. The whole army is in splendid spirits. The
rebels are reported to have burned Cashtown, Penn.,
yesterday. It is between Gettysburg and Chem-
beraburg."
On the 28th of June Colonel Hardie arrived at
the head-quarters of the army of the Potomac by
special train from Washington, bearing despatches
relieving General Hooker from the command of the
army of the Potomac, and appointing Major-Gene-
ral Meade, commanding the sth corps, his successor.
Soou after the reception of the orders at head-quar-
ters, General Hker issued the following fa well
address:
" Headquarters, Army of the Potomac, Frede-
ricksburg, Maryland, June 28.
" In conformity with the orders of the War De-
partment, dated June 27, I relinquished the com-
mand of the army of the Potomac. It is transferred
to Major-General George G. Meade, a brave and
accomplished officer, who has nobly earned the con-
fidence and esteem of the army on many a well-
fought field. Impressed with the belief that my
usefulness as the commander of the army of the
Potomac is impaired, I part from it, yet not without
the deepest emotion. The sorrow of parting with
the army of so many battles is relieved by the con-
viction that the courage and devotion of this army
will not cease nor fail ; that it will yield to my suc-
cessor, as it has to me, a willing and hearty support.
With the earnest prayer that the triumph of its
arms may bring successes worthy of it and the
nation, I bid it farewell.
" JOSEPH HOOKER, Major-General.
";a. F. Barstow, Acting Adjutant-General."
The following is the address of General Meade on
takfug command of the army of the Potomac:—
" Headquarters, Army of the Potomac,
June 28.
tt By direction of the President of the United
States, I hereby assume the command of the army
of the Potomac. As a soldier, in obeying this order
—an order totally unexpected and unsolicited—l
have no promises or pledges to make. The country
looks to this env to relieve it from the devastation
and disgrace of a hostile invasion. Whatever
fatigues and sacrifices we may be called upon to
undergo, let ns have in view constantly the magni -
tude of the interests involved, and let each man
determine to do his duty, leaving to an all-con-
trolling Providence the decision of the contest. It
is with just diffidence that I relieve in the command
of this army an eminent and accomplished soldier,
whose name must ever appear conspicuous in the
history of his achievements, but I rely upon the
hearty support of my companions in arms to assist
me in the discharge of the duties of the important
trust which has been confided to me.
" GEORGE G. MEADE, Major-General
Commanding.
e S. F. Barstow, Assistant Adjutant-General."
The New York Herald, of the Ist of July, ex-
plains the cause of General Hooker's removal :
" Maryland Heights, June 28.
"We were visited here yesterday by Major-
General Hooker, accompanied by Brigadier-General
Warren. The object of the Commanding-General's
ride from Poolesville, Monocacy, Frederick, or
somewhere thereabouts, was to inquire into the
propriety of evacuating the heights. He sent for
Colonel Reynolds, our able engineer, and asked him
what the object was in holding the heights ? The
colonel replied that he had often asked the same
question, and never got a satisfactory answer.
General Hooker then issued an order that the place
should be evacuated by seven o'clock next morning.
That such guns as cculd not be taken away should
be destroyed, and the stores removed. Immediately
after he informed General Halleck of what he had
done, whereupon he received a despatch in reply,
countermanding the order, and saying that the for-
tifications had cost too much to be given up, unless
under the most urgent necessity. He considered
Harper's Ferry to be the ley to the present and
future operations of the army of the Potomac.
General Hookerra comment upon this was natural
enough, " What is the use of holding on to the key
after the door is smashed ?" Another order of
General Hooker's was treated with the same want
of respect by General :Halleck. General Hooker
felt terribly mortified. While on his way back from
here, after a visit of a couple of hours, he received
an order from Washington removing him from the
command, and placing Major-General Meade in his
stead."

The New York Times of the lat inst. says :
"The rebels no longer menace Harrisburg. The
army of the Potomac, under its new commander,
General Meade, was in rapid motion on Monday
and yesterday. Its progress on Monday was such
as to relieve the line of the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road from rebel cavalry, and to restore telegraphic
communication with Frederick. What its progress
yesterday was will be best indicated by the charac-
ter of the advises to be received to-clay, which will
probably be of the most important ,character. A
despatch from Harrisburg expresses the belief
entertained by the authorities there' that Lee
was yesterday engaged in concentrating' his forces
on the line of the Cumberland Vall,9y Rail-
road, between Shippenaburg and Chambereburg,
in anticipation of an attack by the army
of the Potomac. Ewen corps, however, was

still in front of Harrisburg until last evening, when
it retreated, and is known to have gone beyond
Carlisle, A rebel infantry force was seen yesterday
morning about 14 miles from Harrisburg moving
towards the city, but nothing was subsequently
heard from it.
The following proclamation has been issued by
the Mayor of Philadelphia :
" Citizens of Philadelphia-02e more appeal is
made to you in the name of duty and of manhood.
You can close your eyes no longer to the startling
danger and disgrace which hangs over your State

and city. The foot of the rebel is already at your
capital, and unless you arouse to instant action it
may in a few days hence cross your own thres-
holds. There is yet time to prepare for defence.
You number more than fifty thousand able-bodied
men ; the means to arm and equip yourselves are at
hand. Close your many factories, workshops, and
stores before the stern necessity of common safety
makes it obligatory. Assemble yourselves forthwith

for organisation and drill. Come ready to devote
yourselves to the protection of your homes until
your services shall be no longer needed. Spurn
from you those who would delude yon to inactivity
or disaffection. Their tongues and hearts are more
false and hateful than even the invaders of your
soil. Let no one refuse to arm who will not be able
to justify himself before man and God, in sight of a
desolated hearth, or a dishonoured family.
" ALEXANDER HENRY, Mayor of Philadelphia."
Gen. Ewell has issued an order to his troops at
Chambersburg, prohibiting all irregularities, an
at
ating that all the supplies which may be neces-