The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-24 00:00:00

THE► SUN, LONDON, F.RIOAY EyEIWiG, FEBRUARY 24, 1865.1

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAM.)

AMERICA.
(Per the Peruvian.)
NEW. YORK, FEB. 11 (Afternoon).
The following despatch has been received from
be headquarters of the Army of the Potomac

February 8.
The sth corps fell back to the line of works at
Hatcher's Run on Monday night. The Confede-
rates did not follow very vigorously, nor did they
make any attempt to show their position. It was
believed, however, they would do so yesterday
morning, but up to noon no sign of an attack
appeared, nor did the Confederates seem to be in
strong force in the vicinity.
It was therefere determined to send a recon-
naissance out over the grounds occupied by us
the day previously, and ascertain where the Con-
federates were, and, if possible, force them back
to their works at Dabney's Mills.
General Crawford's division was selected for the
duty, which they performed to the entire satisfac-
tion of the commanding general.
The column moved about noon, taking Dabney's
Mills-road, and after advancing about a half mile
struck the Confederate pickets, who fell back as our

men advanced.
A line of battle was then formed, the right rest-
ing on Hatcher's Run, and the left supported by
part of General Wheaton's command of the 6th
Corps. The entire line then advanced cautiously
through the thick woods on each side of the road,
and before going far met the Confederates in force,
when a sharp engagement immediately began. The
Confederates were steadily driven back until they
took refuge behind their works at the Mill, where
they made a determined stand. The fighting here
was kept up until dark, when our men commenced
throwing up slight breastworks to protect them-
selves.

The Confederates did not seem disposed to attack
again as they had the day previously, and the object
of the movement having been accomplished by the
development of their position, our troops were with-
drawn during the night to their former ground on
the Vaughan-road, in the vicinity of which strong
works had been erected.
The losses in the movement were as follows:
Killed, five officers and 66 men ; wounded, 28
officers and 491 men ; missing, four officers and 587
men ; total, 37 officers and 1,144 men out of 4,000
who went into the engagement.
No doubt a lirge proportion of those put down
missing will appear in a few days, as is usually the

case.
The heavy loss indicates the manner in which the
men acquitted themselves, and they have been
highly complimented for their bravery by the com-
manding officers.
The loss in the 6th corps is not reported.
Among the casualties is Captain T. T. Cooper,
39th Mass. regiment, wounded.
To-day has been very quiet.
The weather has cleared off, but the roads are in
a bad condition from the severe storm of yesterday.
(Signed) W. D. APGREGOR.
Headquarters of the Army of the Potomac,
Feb. 8, 8 p.m.
Nothing of interest has transpired to-day, although
the weather has been more favourable than for
several days past. The troops are busy building
works along the newly-made lines, which will take
some days to complete.

ROME.

ROME, FEB. 23.

Papal decrees have been issued ordering the cano-
nisation of German Cousin, of Solosa, and Peter
Arbries, of Saragossa, martyred in 1485.

The Pope has delivered a discourse to the parish
priests in Rome, on the principal duties ofe7le-
siastics in the present time.

AUSTRIA.
VIENNA, FEB. 24nr.

The Minister of State has addressed a letter to
the Chairman of the Finance Committee of the
Lower House of the Reichsrath, stating that
no representative of the Government will hence-
forth be present at the sittiny: of the Committee
until the Lower House shall have decided whether
the vote on the Budgets of 1865 and 1866 is to be
taken upon the basis of an understanding between
the House and the Government.

OUT WARD BOMBAY MAIL.
MALTA, FEB. 23.

The Massilia, from Southampton on the 12th
inst., reached Malta on the 21st (night) and left at
noon yesterday for Alexandria.
The Poonah, from Marseilles on the 20th inst.,
arrived at 10 p.m. yesterday, and left at 6 a.m.
to-day for Alexandria.

BANK OF FRANCE.

PARIS, FEB. 23.

The following is the return of the Bank of France
for the week ending to-day, together with the cor-
responding figures of the previous account :

DEBTOR.

Feb. 23.

Feb. 16.

fr. c. fr. c.
Capital of the Bank.... 182,500,000 182,500,000
Profits in addition to

capital (Art. 8, Law,
June 9, 1857
Reserve of the Bank
and its branches 22,105,750 14 22,105,750 14
Reserve in landed pro-
perty 4,000,000 4,000,000
Notes in circulation .
Banknotes to order and

receipts payable at
sight 5,451;251 83 5,859,523 42
Treasury account cur-
rent creditor
Current accounts, Paris 124,657,523 75 116,517,152 02
Do. branch banks
Dividends payable 2102003 75 • 2,301,653 75
Discounts and sundry
interests
Rediscounted the last
- -

six months 2,789,444 05 2,789,444 05
Sundries

Total
CREDITOR.

Feb. 23. Feb. 16.
Cash in hand and in fr. c. fr. c.
Branch banks
Commercial bills over-
due
Commercial bills dis-
counted, not yet due 289,959,172 50 298,239,775 99
Do. branch banks 294,935,926 305,900,282
Advances on deposit of
bullion 12,067,431 55 12,576,931 55
Do. branch banks 3,895,400 3,935,000
Do. on French Public
Securities 14,102,900 14,301,200
Do. by branch banks 8,308,900 8,623,600
Do. on railway shares
and debentures
D. branch hanks 16,754,350 16,869,850
Do. on Credit Foncier
Bonds
Do. branches
Do. to the State (Con-
vention, June 10,
1857) 6O 000 000 60,000,000
Government Stock re-
serve 12,980,750 '
serve 12,980,750 14 12,980,750 14
Do. disposable
Rentes Immobalis6es
(Law, Juno 2, 1857) 100,000,000 100,000,000
Hotel and furniture of
the Bank and landed
property branches
Expenses of manage- '
ment...
Sundries

460,015 55 223,930 56
5,057,375 58 2,801,268 65

Total 1,263,387,025 50 1,272,417,135 41
(Signed) The Senator Governor of the Bank of France,
EouLA:s-i).

Provident Clerks' Benevolent Fund.

The twenty-fourth annual meeting of the Provi-
dent Clerks' Benevolent Fund was held on Wed-
nesday evening at the London Tavern, at which
John Abel Smith, Esq., M.P., presided.
The formal business having been disposed of,
The SECRETARY (Mr. W. T. Linford) read the
annual report as follows :

" The board of directors have much pleasure in present-
ing to the members and friends of the Provident Clerks'
Benevolent Fund their twenty-fourth annual report. The
income of the fund foi 1864 was as follows :—From annual
subscriptions, £674 2s. Od. ; from life subscriptions, £3l
10s. Od. ; from annual subscriptions of ss. and upwards
from members being clerks, £B5B ss. Od. ; from donations,
£574 Os. 6d.—£2,137 17s. 6d.; from interest, dividends,
etc., £1,227 ss. 6d. ; total, £3,365 3s. Od. Among the dona-
tions the board refer with especial pleasure to the sum of
£5OO allotted to this institution by Robert Wigram Craw-
ford, Esq., M.P. for the city of London, out of a large sum
placed at his disposal by the munificence of the Hon.
Rustomjee Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, member of the Legisla-
tive Council of Bombay. Independently of the value of
this noble donation, the board are much gratified at this
recognition of the claims of the Provident Clerks' Benevo-
lent fund by a gentleman who has long been one of its

liberal supporters, and who has had many opportunities of
becoming acquainted with its usefulness. Pursuant to the
resolution of the last annual general meeting, an election
of annuitants took place on the 26th May last, when the
following were elected, viz. :—Two clerks to annuities of
£3O each ; two clerks to annuities of £25 each ; five widows
to annuities of £2O each ; three widows to annuities of £l5
each—making a total of £255 per annum. Seven annui-
tants have died during the year, viz., two clerks and five
widows. There were on the fund on the 31st December
last 70 annuitants, who were receiving collectively £1,310
per annum. The board now recommend that 12 additional
annuitants, viz., three clerks and nine widows of clerks, be
elected. A resolution to that effect will be submitted to
the meeting. The sum of £229 lOs has been distributed in
gratuities during the past year. Since the establishment
of the fund, 105 annuitants have been elected who have
received collectively £12,497 9s. sd. In addition to the
above, £2,725 17s. has been awarded in gratuities to meet
cases of sudden or temporary need, and the sum of £37,940
has been advanced on loan to 1,897 members. Although
it affords the board much gratification to be able to pre-
sent to the members the above satisfactory report, they
cannot ignore the fact that the claims on the fund increase
with greater rapidity than the increase in its means. The
Provident Clerks' Benevolent Fund is now in its 25th year,
and looking back over the past quarter of a century, all
who are interested in its welfare will acknowledge with
thankfulness the amount of good that has been achieved.
Those who have received the aid of the fund may all point
with becoming pride to the fact that they were contributors
to its means ; and it has been the earnest endeavour of the
board, by the most rigid economy, to render it as far as
possible self-supporting. By this means very nearly 90
per cent. of the gross income has been devoted strictly to
the purposes of the fund, a proportion probably equalled
by no institution of the kind in this country. It would,
however, be unreasonable to expect that the Provident
Clerks' Benevolent Fund, devoted as it is to the necessi-
ties of a class peculiarly exposed to misfortince from causes
over which they have no control, should be wholly inde-
pendent of public support and assistance, and the many
pressing cases now before the board, have determined
them to renew their appeal in this the 25th year of the

fund, by means of a public dinner. On this occasion as on
a former one the help of every member will be asked, and
from the gratifying response then made, no doubt is felt
by the board that the result will be eminently satisfactory."
The balance-sheet for the year ending Dec. 31,
1864, was next read, which showed a balance of re-
ceipts over expenditure of £1,482 ss. 4d., and also
that the disposable fund amounted to no less than
£29,346.

The CHAIRMAN, who, on rising, was received
with loud applause, said it was his agreeable and
annual duty to propose the adoption of the report
and balance-sheet, which had just been presented to
the members by the directors. He did not think it
necessary to trouble the meeting with many obser-
vations, although he could not refrain from express-
ing his gratification at the satisfactory state of

affairs. There was an old proverb that permanency
was almost a condition attached to gradual success.
He foresaw that this institution was destined to be
permanent, and that as it was intended so it
was likely to take a permanent place among the
most useful institutions in the kingdom. (Hear,
hear.) At the same time he could not say it had
done all he wished it to do ; and though he grate-
fully acknowledged the presence of those who were
in the room, he should like to have seen a larger

number of those who ought to feel an interest in the
progress of an institution in which their welfare
was so deeply concerned. He had thought a thou-
sand times what could be done to make the clerks of
England take a more lively interest in this benevo-
lent fund. Government, when it interested itself in
any matter, issued commissions to inquire ; but he
hoped, although they could not do that, some one
would devise a plan to stimulate the interests and
feelings he wished to excite. There were two points
referred to in the report which he could not pass
without notice, and the one which was last men-
tioned he would take first. He thought it highly
creditable to the management, and equally honour-
able to the clerks who were members, that the loss
on loans to members should have been so small (£4
7s. 6d.) It was a marvellous proof of the care and
discretion with which the affairs of the society were 11
conducted and the high character of that class to
whom the loans had been made. The next fact he
begged to refer to was the donation from the Hon.
Rustomjee Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, of the Legislative
Council of Bombay, who was an old friend of his.
(cheers.) This was a remarkable proof of that
happy, charitable, and benign feeling which was
spreading (and he thanked God for it) as between
class and class, and people and people. Re thanked
God, and he heartily rejoiced in the noble example
which the celebrated philanthropist had set to others
at a great distance from them. He was exceedingly
glad, and he was sure that those whom he addressed
would share in his feeling, that Mr. Crawford had

thought this association worthy of partaking of so
liberal a gift. It was a proof, in the first place, of
his conviction of the utility of the society, and it
was a fact of which the institution might be justly
proud. If the Parsee merchants at Bombay did so
much, he thought there were many in England who
owed a debt of gratitude to their clerks which they
had not yet discharged. (Hear, hear.) Surely
there were many in the East who had accumulated
wealth to which the clerks had been instrumental,
and who should be found ready to aid in the pro-
gress of this institution. He hoped the example of
the Parsee would not be lost sight of by the Chris-
tian—(hear, hear)—in London and England gene-
rally. It was a gratifying fact that their capital
amounted to nearly £30,000, and that the expenses
of management were so trifling. Congratulating
them on the past and present, and desiring to sti-
mulate the clerks of England to increased, exertion
for the future, he would conclude his remarks by
asking all those in favour of the gratifying report
that had been presented to them to hold up their
hand in favour of its reception.
The invitation of the chairman was instantly re-
sponded to by every person in the room holding up
his hand.

The CHAIRMAN said he had great pleasure in an-
nouncing that the report was unanimously adopted.

Mr. WELCH moved the first resolution. It was
the source of the greatest satisfaction to himself and
his colleagues to be able to admit more claimants
this year than on any previous occasion. They
elected their first claimant in 1843, and she was
the widow of a gentleman who died suddenly.
A gratuity of £lO was given her in the first instance,
and in Feb., 1843, she was elected. Since then
they had given £12,725 to 80 widows, and an
amount of good had been done which it was hardly
possible to conceive. It was on that account he was
amazed that a greater number of clerks had not
joined it. They gave also in gratuities £2,725, and
loans to clerks amounting to £37,940. He was
happy to tell them that not only was their worthy
chairman a good friend to the institution but a
good prophet, for upwards of 20 years ago he said it
was a society which must prosper—and it did pros-
per. (Hear, hear.) He must, however,agam express
his amazement that a greater number of clerks had
not joined, and he hoped they would do so as soon as
possible. There were many clerks receiving large
salaries, and he did think it would be well if they
were to spare a thought and a trifle towards those
not as fortunate. If they did not feel inclined to
give a guinea to their fund let them give half a one;
and if they objected to that let them get an old
stocking and put into it nightly a few pence, and
thus they would be enabled at the end of a year to
make a very good donation to the funds. (Laughter

and cheers.) The resolution was, that on the 25th
of May next they would elect—or as soon after as
convenient—three clerks and nine widows of clerks.
(Hear.)
Mr. REYNOLDS said it gave him great pleasure to
second the resolution. He did not think the fund
was supported as it ought to be. There were many
clerks placed—more by fortune than by talent—in
situations bringing them in a thousand a-year, and
yet they seemed to grudge 4d. or scl. a-week to
their benevolent fund. He did not think there was
a better mode of increasing their funds than by
keeping up a continual appeal to the feelings of the
class who now to so great an extent held themselves
aloof. (Hear, hear.)
The CHAIRMAN, in putting the resolution, said
he would avail himself of that opportunity of saying
that if the directors could increase the pensions
given to widows it would be doing a great service to
a large class of deserving persons who stood in need
of their sympathy, pity, and assistance. That of
course would be for the directors to consider ; he
had merely thrown it out as a suggestion ; as to
the practicability of it the directors were the best
persons to decide.
The resolution was then put to the meeting, and
carried unanimously.

Mr. JEPPS moved a vote of thanks to their trea-
surer, J. A. Smith, Esq., M.P., and their trustees,
Thomas Baring, Esq., M.P., ThomsOn Hankey,
M.P., W. G. Prescott, Esq., and Baron L. N.
Rothschild, M.P.
The resolution was put to the meeting by Mr. R.
Jones, and carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN returned thanks, and expressed
his deep thankfulness to Providence for having
spared them so many years to advance the interests
of so noble a charity. He could assure them that
Mr. Baring, M.P., and Baron L. N. Rothschild,
M.P., two of their trustees, felt the deepest in
terest in its welfare, and for himself he could
truly say that one of the happiest moments of
his life was that on which he took a part in esta-
blishing it. When the Government proposal was
put forward of giving annuities there was a cry of
disapprobation from all the insurance companies,
though he, for one, never believed in what was said.
It was, in his opinion, a step in the right direction,
and should be supported by the public. It had been
often said that the poor were very improvident, and
there was some reason for it, but he sincerely hoped
that the example set in these days by the higher
classes as regarded care and temperance would be
followed by those beneath them. (Hear, hear.) He
most gratefully returned them his sincere thanks,
and believed that, high as the influence of the
trustees was, and eminent as their position, they
took a just pride in being connected with that as-
sociation. (Hear, hear.) Again he entreated them
to come for ward and support a society which must
confer so many benefits on clerks and the widows
of clerks, and to do so without delay. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. PRICE proposed a vote of thanks to the
medical officers for their kind and gratuitous advice
to all their members whenever they required it.
Mr. DAWSON seconded the motion, and it was
carried unanimously.
Mr. PILCHER proposed a vote of thanks to the
auditor; Messrs. James Gfay, George E. Grey, F.
I. Scudamore, A. J. White, and W. S. Higley, which
was seconded and passed.
In proposing this vote the CHAIRMAN paid a very
handsome compliment to Mr. Scudamore, Assistant-
Secretary of the General Post-office, to whose labour
and energy the introduction of the Government
Annuities Bill was mainly due.
Mr. SCUDAMORE, in reply, said that he could not
feel that the slight services rendered by the audi-
tors to the Fund merited so handsome an acknow-
ledgment, but he hoped that there would soon be
such an increase in the receipts, in the annuity and
other vouchers, and in the securities held by the Fund
(all of which were submitted to the auditors) that
the labour of the audit would be doubled, and that
they would deserve the compliment then paid.
Adverting to the chairman's remarks, Mr. Scuda-
more said that, if he had thought the Government
Annuities Bill capable of injuring any respectable
life office, he would have deeply regretted its
introduction ; but, if it ever did so operate,
the fault would lie at the doors of the
Provident Clerks' Life Association, as, but
for the success of the efforts made by the
directors and secretary of that office, which he
had observed with the greatest surprise and pleasure,
he should not have believed that life assurance
would have been so largely adopted, even by the
humblest class of servants, in the Government De-
partment with which he was connected. He con-
sidered that the directors of the Provident Clerks'
Association had set a great example. If his friend,
Mr. Linford, the secretary, should find the Govern-
ment a troublesome competitor, he would be in the
position of the eagle who

" Felt the fatal dart,
And viewed the shaft that quivered in his heart,
Keen were his pangs, but keener far to feel
He nursed the pinion that impelled the steel."
He felt, however, that there was not the remotest
probability of any injurious rivalry. Reverting to
the subject of the Fund, Mr. Scudamore said that
however successful might be their joint efforts to
inculcate providence, there would always be
cases where the aid of benevolence was required,
and he knew of no institution that rendered
such aid in a more effectual and at the same time
judicious manner than this Fund. He was glad t o
hear there would be a festival this year, and he
promised gladly not only to do his best to assist it,
but he thought he might answer for many of his
colleagues and friends in the Government service
who would come forward on such an occasion.
Mr. JONES proposed a vote of thanks to their ex-
cellent and worthy Chairman, who had on all occa-
sions been one of the best and kindest friends.
(Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN said that he could only repeat
that which had been said on former occasions, that
he thanked them very heartily for their kindness.
If there was one thing in his past life that gave him
pleasure, it was the part he had taken in the founda-
tion of the Provident Clerks' Benevolent Fund.
i (Applause.)
The proceedings then terminated.