The Sun.
London, England, 1839-07-02 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

TIM Queen dined last evening with her Majesty the
Queen Dowager at Marlborough House. Her Majesty
and suite arrived in three of the Royal carriages at a
quarter before eight o'clock. The Princess of Leiningen,
accompanied the Queen. Her Majesty's suite consisted
of the Countess of Burlington, Lady in Waiting ; the Earl
of Uxbridge, Lord Chamberlain ; the Earl of'Albemarle,
G. C. 1-i., Master of the Horse; Lord Gardner, Lord in
Waiting.; Hon. Colonel Cavendish (Clerk Marshal),
Equerry in Waiting ; and the Hon. William Cowper,
Groom in Waiting.
The party at Marlborough House to meet her Majesty
consisted of their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Glou-
cester, the Duke of Sussex, the Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge, and the Princess Augusta of Cambridge ;
their Serene Highnesses the Princesses of Hohenlohe and
Prince Edward of Saxe Weimer; Earl Howe, Earl and
Countess of Denbigh, Viscount and Viscountess Barring-
ton, Hon. Miss Hope Johnstone, Hon. Miss Boyle, Hon,
Mr. Ashley, Hon. Captain Curzon, and the Rev. J. Ryle
Wood.
liar Majesty the Queen Dowager had afterwards an
c•vcning party. The company consisted pi incipally of the
' Ladies and Gentlemen of the Household of their Majesties
and of the Royal Family.
Her Royal Highness the Princess Sophia Matilda
rivcd at Marlborough House, at half-past nine o'clock.
The Quoit rode out on horseback yesterday afternoon,
attended by the Countess of Burlington, Honourable
Miss Cavendish, Baroness Lehzen, Miss Quentin, Earl of
Uxbridge, Hon. Colonel Cavendish, Lord Gardner, Hon.
C. A. Murray, Hon. W. Cowper, Sir F. Stovin, Mr.
Rich, and Sir G. Quentin..
Viscount Melbourne and Lord Holland bad audiences
yesterday of the Queen.
Colonel Cavendish, Clerk Marshal, has relieved Colonel
Wemyss in attendance on her Majesty, and has taken the
Equerry's duty for the ensuing month.
The Queen Dowager, accompanied by the Princesses
of Hohenlohe, and attended by:i the lion. Miss Hope
Johnstone, took an airing yesterday in a pony barouche
alai four.
The Princess Augusta, attended by Lady Mary Pelham,
left town at eleven o'clock yesterday morning for her resi-
dence, Frogmore Lodge, near Windsor,
Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar arrived at Marlborough
house on Sunday night.
The Rev. Dr. Thomson and the Rev. James Harpur
had an interview with Viscount Melbourne yesterday in
Downing-street.
Mr. John Wood, Chairman, and Mr. Dehany, Solicitor
to the Excise, had an interview with the Chancellor of the
Exchequer yesterday in Downing-street.
Mr. Loch had an interview yesterday with Viscount
Melbourne.

THE CALEDONIAN FANCY BALL

This ball, for the benefit of the Scottish Hospital and
the Caledonian Asylum, was held last evening at Willis's
Rooms, King-street, St. James's, under the immediate pa-
tronage of our gracious Sovereign and several of the most
distinguished ornaments of her Court.
The number of tickets being r:ecessarily limited, the dif-
ficulty of obtaining one was very great, the demand even
xceeding that of former years. The spacious ball-room
was festooned with verdiant foliage, entwined with roses,
and gaily decorated with the choicest evergreens. The
Ladies Patronesses sat on a raised dais at the upper end.
In the small galleries on either side were placed Tay-
lor's band and Weippert's for quadrilles. By mid-
night the spacious room was filled to overflowing ;
nearly 800 persons were present. The coup d'ceil was
splendid. At about a quarter to one o'clock, the Royal
party arrived from Marlborough-house, including the
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and the Duchess of
Gloucester. Their Royal Highnesses were received and
escorted up the grand staircase by the principal noblemen
and gentlemen present, and ore entering the ball room the
bands struck up " God save the Queen." lininr2diately
after the boys educated in the asylum, preceded by a body
of Highland gentlemen, marched up and around the room,
the pipers in full costume, playing "The Highland Laddie."
Aftergoing through the usual routine, they retired. Dancing
commenced soon after, and was continued with great ani-
mation till a late hour in the morning.
Among the company present were—the Duchess Dow-
ager of Richmond, the Countess of Errol, Lady Stuart de
Rothsay, Lady Camperdown, Lady Willoughby D'Eresby,
the Countess of Mansfield, the Countess of Haddington,
the Countess of Morton, Lady M'Kenzie, Lady E. Foley,
Lady Keith, the Duchess of Bedford, Lady Fletcher,
Lady Charteris, Lady Belhaven, Marchioness of Abercorn,
Lady Dunmore, Lady George Fane, Duchess of Somerset,
Princess of Capua, Countess of Pembroke, Duchess of
Montrose, the Duchess of Roxburgh, &c., Marquis of
Abercorn, Right Hon. Sir R. Gordon, the Marquis of
Ormonde, Sir Charles D'Albiac, Lord Villiers, Viscount
Northland, Le Comte de Bivage, Sir S. W. Clayton, Bart.,
M. P, Admiral Mackay, the Prince of Mysore, Lord George
Mariners, Sir John fsl'Neil, Lord Sondes, Sir T. Hop.
burr, Sir F. Johnston, Sir John De Beauvoir, Lord Ossul-
ston, Sir Alexander Johnston, Lord A. Loftus, Le Comte
Macnamara, Lord Powerscourt, Prince Soutzo, the Prince
of Oude, Lord Blayney, Prince Napoleon, Duke of Rox-
burgh, the Earl of Errol, the Earl of March, Lord Dun-
more, Lord Leveson, Prince of Capua, Lord llovvard,
Lord Duffrin, Earl Craven, Baron Werner, Admiral Inby,
Viscount Maynard, Ea'l Waldegrave, Viscount Persignay,
Duke of 'Montrose.

LORD HowDEN.-We regret to state that for
some days past no amendment has taken place in the state
of health of this venerable and respected Nobleman, and
it is painful to add that his Lordship is consequently
becoming feeble and exhausted. Doctors Holland and
Chambers are in daily attendance on his Lordship.
On Friday next the Budget comes on, and we
most particularly impress on all Members, anxious for the
measure of the penny-postage, to attend in their places
that day. When we gave Ministers credit for conferring
on the country the important boon, implied in the adoption
of Mr. RoWland Hill's scheme, we of course conceived
that it would be adopted with the most perfect good faith,
We have heard, however, that the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer entertains intentions with regard to it, which, if
acted on, must place the scheme on a most insecure basis.
We have learned that he does not mean to secure to the
public the boon by Act of Parliament, but to leave it with a
resolution of the House, which of course would extend only
to one year. Should such be the intention of the Right
Hon. Gentleman, we conceive the friends of the scheme
ought at once to take it out of his hands, and proceed with
it in the only way in which its safety can be permanently
secured. We may have been unjust towards the Right
Hon. Gentleman ; but it is our duty to warn Liberal
Members of the intentions attributed to him, that they
may be at their post on Friday. Assuredly the country,
after its hopes have been raised by the promise of an im-
provement which comes home to every man's business and
bosom, will be grievously disappointed if it should turn
out after all that Ministers contemplated merely a tem-
porary concession. So long as the measure rests only on
an annual vote, there will be a constant temptation on the
part of cfficial men to avoid renewing the resolution. _.Mo rning Chronicle.
Mr. Hume moves this day for a " Select Com-
mittee to inquire into the pecuniary transactions of the
Bank of England since the resumption of cash payments;
and particularlay to ascertain how far these transactions
produced the alarming crisis of the manufacturing, coin.
mercial, and financial affairs of the country in 1825 -6, and
in 1836- 7 ; and also to inquire whether, as the Bank of
England is at present constituted, there ever can he stabi-
lity in the currency, or confidence in the commercial trans-
ections of the country." This motion is so extensive as to em.
brace the whole question between the public and the Bank of
England, The Bank has been clearly convicted, on its
own statements, of having materially contributed to the
commercial distress of the country at various periods. It
has increased its issues at the very period when it was
called on to curtail them. There can be no difficulty,
too, in showing that its misconduct is not accidental, but
the result of the necessity in which it is placed, of' making
high profits to the proprietors of Bank Stock. We re-
joice, therefore, that the subject is coming under discus-
sion, and that at a time when the forced reduction of
prices of various commodities—the necessary result of
the operations of the Bank—will ensure a more than
ordinary attention to the question. It has been shown by
Mr. Jones Loyd, that the public never can be secure under
the existing system ; that the Bank is in possession of in-
compatible functions; and that the body which has the
management of the currency, ought to have no concern
whatever with banking. The Bank, in its capacity of
banker, lies under a constant temptation to make an impro-
per use of its power over the issues. We say nothing now
of the difficulty of conceiving how a set of merchants, in
possession of the regulation of the issues, and knowing
beforehaed what the effect on prices of a contraction or
expansion will be, can refrain from turning their know-
ledge to account in their private dealings. Men embarked
in trade, and having commodities to sell, will not be
strongly tempted to throw down prices at a time when they
have an interest in keeping them up, however much -the
welfare of the country may demand a contraction of the
issues. We have always, too, protested against all mys-
tery with regard to the treasures of the Bank. The pub-
lic ought to be taught to look from day to day at what is
going on, and to connect the state of the exchanges with
the state of the currency. The system tends to keep men
constantly in the dark, and ruinous fluctuations in prices
are the consequence.-21forning Chronicle.
THE LADY FLORA HASTINGS.---We regret
to state that no improVement in the situation of this lady
has taker, place. The announcement yesterday was that
her Ladyship had become weaker since the preceding day
( Sunday).
BALLOON ASCENT FROM BAYSWATER.--
Mr. Hampton, who is now generally known to those who
pay any attention to what is called the " science" of ae-
rostation, as having made a descent in a newly-constructed
parachute, from Cheltenham, last year, and about a month
since a more hazardous one from Cremorne-house, Chelsea,
last evening ascended, with his Albion Balloon, from the
Flora Gardens, at Bayswater, without the parachute.' The
evening was delightful, and along the road from Tyburn
Turnpike to near the Hippodrome course, was a dense mass
of spectators. In the gardens there was a very respectable
company, including a great many ladies. The ascent was
to take place at six o'clock, but it was a quarter to eight
before Mr. Hampton stepped into the car, when the cords
were instantly loosened, and the balloon ascended to a
great height almost perpendicularly. It then took a course
towards Surrey, and remained in view for about twenty
minutes. Mr. Hampton expresses his intention of making
a descent in his parachute in a few days, from an altitude of
three miles.. He will make this foolhardy experiment
once too often.

GAME.—Sportsmen will be glad to hear that
most favourable reports of the breeding season are received
from all parts of the country. The southern counties have
escaped the effects of the cold weather which has been in-
jurious to the northern. In the extensive preserves of
Co!onel George Wyndham, at Petworth, late the seat of
the Earl of Egremont, game of all sorts abounds in an
unusual degree, as the Colonel has destroyed the foxes,
which, being preserved by the late owner, were very
numerous and destructive.