The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-01 00:00:00

The House of Commons and the Dinner

Question,

The Select Committee of the House of Commons,
appointed to control the arrangements of the kitchen
and refreshment rooms in the department of the
Sergeant-at-Arms, have just agreed to a report
respecting the complaints which have been made us
to the arrangements for dining in the Lower House.
It seems that the situation of keeper of the refresh-
ment rooms is considered anything but a desirable
post. Prior to the appointment of the present
keeper the situation had been declined by several
of the principal hotel-keepers and restaurateurs in
London. The business is confined to the duration
of the session, and no dinners are wanted on Wed-
nesdays, Saturdays, or Sundays. But the great
trouble of the keeper is that the members are un-
able to order their dinners a shot t time before they
are required, as they cannot tell when they may
have the opportunity of dining. At the end of an
important speech or debate there is at once a rush
to the rooms ; " and I consider," says Mr. Steers,
"that no reasonable amount of servants will be
able to supply the immediate wants of members on
such occasions." "It is the number at once," con-
tinues the unfortunate keeper, " that makes the
confusion ; no notice, no intimation, but everything
is expected to be ready then and there, even though
nothing has been doing in the room for an hour
previously. During the ten years I have held my
appointment, I have never once been short of sup-
ply, and many members, during last session, were
witnesses to my plentifully preparing for 150 or
mere, and only 10 or 12 dining. Even these mos'
unprofitable disappointments I can meet, and do not
require them to be thought of; but the only consi-
deration which I hope to obtain is, that members,
generally, will endeavour to lessen that confusion
which is only caused by so many wishing to dine at
one and the same time." Plate, linen, glass, china,
candles, coals, &c., and all kitchen utensils, &c.,are
provided, and an allowance of £3OO per annum is
made to the keeper of the refreshment rooms to pro-
vide waiters and other servants, and to pay for
washing, &c. The committee ere of opinion that
the cooking and serving up of the dinners are not
so good as they ought to be, and that the wines and
spirits provided are not satisfactory. Upon these
points they have passed the following resolutions
—"lt is the opinion of this committee that the
state of the kitchen and refreshment department is
unsatisfactory, and ought to be. amended. That, un-
less the committee should be of opinion, in themonth
of July next, that the well-founded causes of
complaint against the present mode of management
have been removed, it will be their duty to recom-
mend that the present keeper of the refreshment
rooms be superseded. That the present arrange-
ment under which the wines and spirits are pro-
vided by the manager of the kitchen be discontinued,
and that three or more cellars be provided, each of
these cellars to be placed at the disposal of diffe-
rent wine merchants, to be named by the commit
tee, who will each be paid weekly for the wine
consumed." The committee are strongly of opinion
that the width of the rooms must be increased, and
a report and plan of Mr. Barry are included in the
return_ The cost of the enlargement suggested
would be £4,650. In an appendix appears a paper
put in by Lord R. Montagu, showing the prices
current at the House of Commons and ten of the
London clubs. These prices relate to upwards of
50 articles, dishes, or meals. We give the "table"
at the various places. At the House of Commons,
the Carlton, and the Junior United Service, it is
6d.; at the United Service, Bd.; at the Athenaeum,
Reform, and Union, 9d.; and at the Conservative,
Travellers', and Oxford and Cambridge, ls.

Loss OF THE SARAH PALMER, EAST INDIAMAN.
—The Liverpool Mercury announces the loss of on..
of the finest ships that ever entered the Mersey, the Saiah
Palmer, Captain Reid, belonging to Liverpool. She sailed
from Calcutta on the 21st January, bound to Liverpool,
with a cargo valued at £120,000, and consisting of 1,770
maunds saltpetre, 19,553 maunds rice, 2,926 maunds seeds,
2,036 bales jute, 2,147 bales of cotton, a quantity of indigo
and other produce; and from information received at the
rooms of the Underwriters' Ass ciation, on Wednesday
afternuon, trim Mr. J. W. Walsh, agent for Lloyd's a
Wexford, it appears that she was wrecked near Tuskar ou
Wednesday, that one boat containing several of the crew
is missing, and there is no probability of any portion of her
cargo or materials being saved till the gale moderates.
The Liverpool steam tug Rattler was in attendance at
the scene of the disaster in order to render assistance.
The officers and crew of the Sarah Palmer number about
40 men.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN A TYNE BUILDING

- -
YARD.—About three o'clock yesterday morning, a
man passing along the street adjoining the extensive iron
shipbuilding yard of Messrs. Palmer Brothers, Wellington
Quay, which is situated on the river Tyne, a few miles
from Newcastle-on.-Tyne, discovered that a fire had broken
out on the premises of those well-known ship builders. He
at once gave the alarm, and the manager of the yard, Mr.
Clennand, was aroused. A mounted messenger was
despatched to North Shields for the fire-engine. The river
engine and the Shields engine arrived about an hour after
the discovery of the conflagration. It was found to have
originated amongst a quantity of timber, planks, and props,
stored in an open space at the west end of the yard, he
quantity of wood was very large. As a strong breeze was
blowing at the time from NNW., the flames
spread with dreadful rapidity. For a length of time the
water poured upon the burning mass appeared to be in-
effectual in checking its destructive progress. A large iron
vessel, of about 1,000 tons, nearly completed, was placed in
imminent danger by the fire. The scaffolding at that side
next the flames was speedily destroyed. The fire then laid
hold upon the shores and keel blocks. The shores were
burnt, and had to be replaced, at great risk to the men who
undertook the perilous task. The keel-blocks were only
saved from total destruction by continuous streams of water
being poured upon them. Had they given way the ship
must have fallen over and been destroyed. As it is, she is
much damaged, the side nearest the flames having at one

tine been red hot. Her decks are partially burnt.- About
six o'clock the fire was subdued, but not before it had al
most burnt itself out. The damage sustained is very con.
siderable, being estimated at several thousands of pounds,
but we understand the loss is covered by insurance.--
Scotsman.

TERRIFIC EXPLOSlON.—Yesterday morning, be

tween 10 and 11, a terrific explosion took place on
the premises of Mr. Darby, artist of fireworks, Regent-
street, Lambeth, which it is feared will terminate with loss
of life. A man of the name of Thomas Davis was so severely
burnt that he was conveyed to the hospital,

THE CHARITY COMMTSSIONERS.—The report of
the Charity Commissioners for the past year has
been issued. Ihe number of special applications made to
the board during the year was 1,234; in the previous
year the number was 1,179. No appeal from their
orders, which are commonly without any cost, has yet
been prosecuted. The annual transfers to the official trus-
tt es have progressively increased. The sum of £330,131
108. 2d. transferred to them during 1862 is the largest
reached in any year. The amount of stock standing in the
name of the official trustees of charitable tunds on Dec. 31
was £1,379,227 Os. ld., which is apportioned among 2,637
charities, and the commissioners report that " the auties
connected with the apportionment and regular remittance
of the dividends on thes, stuns, which amount ed in the year
1862 to an aggregate am unt of £39,233 9s 63. to the ad-
ministering trustees, though much complicated by the nu-
merous changes among the recipients, which are of most fre-
quent occurrence, have been discharged with great exacti-
tude and efficiency."

THE ASYLUM FOR IDIOTS, EARLSWOOD.—The
annual general meeting of the subscribers to this
charity was held at the London Tavern yesterday, to re-
ceive the various reports, and to elect thirty applicants,
viz., five for life, and twenty- five for the ordinary period
of five years. The number of candidates was 160, of whom
21 were in the life case list. Mr. Alderman Abbis presided.
Mr. Nicholas, the secretary, read the report, which stated
that the Prince of WaleA had extended his patronage to the
charity. The inmates of the asylum numbered 337. The
board were desirous of adopting at all times beneficial
amendments, but they could not forget that they were the
guardians of the finances of the charity. The gross income
of the year, including the balanceof £1,446 10s. 4d. on hand
at the last audit, had been £21,675 14s. 3d. The pupils'
payments had amounted to £6,993 17s. 9d. The legacies
had been £2,540 14s. 3d., among which had been £l,OOO
left by the late Rev. Dr. Andrew Reed, and a like amount
left by Mrs. Ann Cutts. After meeting the necessary ex-
penditure, a balance remained of £915 16s, 3d. The report
was adopted.

The unemployed operatives of Manchester have
formed themselves into a society for the purpose of
emigrating to Canada. In a few weeks 1,000 persons have
enrolled themselves on the books, and from the small pit-
tance doled out weekly to them they subscribe all they can
to the furtherance of their object.

LONDONDERRY, April 30.—The steamship North
American, from Portland on the morning of the 19th inst.,
arrived here this evening. Her news has been fully antici-
pated by the City of Now York, via Queenstown,