The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-13 00:00:00

STAMPED a

Her Majesty's ship Firefly, 5, surveying vessel,
Lieut.-Commander G. R. Wilkinson, left on Monday.
for Tunis, to continue the survey of the coast be-
tween Cape Bon and the Island of Jerbah. The
Cossack, 20, Lieut. - Commander Borlase (in charge),
returned yesterday from the lonian Islands and
Greece. Captain Rolland, who has been absent on
leave, reassumed the command on her arrival. The
Magicienne, 16, Capt. W. Armytage, will leave to-
day for Athens and Smyrna, taking a mail. She will
probably meet Prince Arthur at the latter place.
The Surprise, 4, gunboat, is daily expected from
Athens. The Caradoc, 2, despatch-vessel, Lieut.-
Commander E. H. Wilkinson, left Alexandria on
the 30th ult., with Sir H. Bulwer, for the coast of
Syria and Constantinople. A Turkish squadron, con-
sisting of a line-of-battle ship and two 50-gun fri-
gates, which have recently been fitted in England with
screw machinery, arrived here on Sunday, the last
port of departure being Cagliari. They are bound for
Constantinople. The line-of-battle ship Kassova is
an 84 and carries the flag of Vice-Admiral Edhem
Pasha. The Turkish corvette Mansour, which arrived
on the 30th ult. from Tunis with pilgrims, left on Tues-
day for Monastier. The Prussian war brig Mosquito
left on Monday for Cadiz (pursuant to orders re-
ceived from head-quarters), under the command of
her First-Lieut. (Pirne), her commander being un-
able to proceed in her, in consequence of his not
having recovered from the effects of a fractured
limb caused by a fall from a horse. Every attention
has been paid to the sufferer by the medical officers
in the Royal Naval Hospital here, and I am happy
to say he is progressing favourably. The Pysche,
2, despatch vessel, has been placed at the disposal
of Prince Hohenlohe Langenberg, for conveyance to
Naples, or elsewhere, as the health of the Princess
may permit. The Hydra, 2, surveying vessel, Capt.
A. L. Mansell, was at Patras on the 17th of March,
having arrived there from Cephalonia. On the 15th
two Greek brigs fouled her and Her Majesty's
ship Surprise, damaging the Hydra's boat,
&c. She is engaged surveying the coast near
Patras, and in the Gulf of Corinth, but, owing
to the unfavourable weather, little has been
accomplished during the last six weeks. Mr. J.
I J. T. Gowland, master, R.N., late assist.-surveyor
on board ;this vessel, has passed through Malta on
his way to New Zealand, he having been appointed
additional master to her Majesty's ship Curacoa,
for surveying duties on that station. Mr. V. John-
son, late master of her Majesty's ship Malacca, has
just joined the Hydra, vice Staff-Commander J.
Stokes. Mr. H. Hodge has been appointed assist.-
paymaster in charge of the Psyche, vice Boyton, de-
serted. The Resistance, 16, Capt. Chamberlain, was
inspected on Tuesday by the Commander-in-Chief."
Yesterday Rear-Admiral S. Robinson, Controller
of the Navy, paid an official visit to Chatham dock-
yard, and in conjunction with the heads of the de-
partments inspected the ironclad frigates Lord
Warden and Bellerophon, both of which are rapidly
drawing towards completion. In the afternoon the
Controller, accompanied by Capt. Stewart, C. 8.,
and other officials, embarked from the dockyard
pier on board the Alder, Master-Commander Bla-
key, and proceeded down the harbour to inspect the
ironclad frigate Minotaur, 26, 6,621 tons, 1,350-
horse power, returning to the dockyard late in the
afternoon. Admiral Robinson will prolong his
stay at Chatham for some two or three days.
Her Majesty's ironcased ship Research, 1,253 tons,
and 200-horse power, Capt. Arthur Wilmhurst,
yesterday left the outer basin at Woolwich, and
was made fast in the stream preparatory to the em-
barcation of her powder and shot to be used in the
forthcoming trial of Commander Scott's wrought
iron carriage and platform fitted on board for ex-
perimental practice under sea way.
The War Department vessel Lord Vivian, Mr.
Dimond master, sailed yesterday from Woolwich
for Portsmouth, laden with a cargo of general stores,
including three 12-ton 300-pounder guns for the
newly-built 26-gun iron ship Minotaur under fit-
ment at present at Sheerness.
The ironcased screw steamship Caledonia, 31,
which has been some time under repair and altera-
tion in dock at Keyham steam yard, was removed on
Tuesday into Hamoaze. After a further trial of her
engines she will probably be brought forward for
commission. At Plymouth it is reported that she
will be sent to the Mediterranean in place of the
Revenge, which came home on Tuesday.
The iron screw troopship Urgent, Capt. Samuel
H. Henderson, arrived in Portland Roads on Mon-
day night with three companies of the 75th Regt.,
for duty at Portland and Weymouth, to relieve three
companies of the 87th Fusileers, who have been doing
duty at the above places for some month past. After
disembarking and embarking one company of each
regiment at Weymouth and two companies at Port-
land, the Urgent left for Portsmouth at 3 p.m. on
Tuesday. The 87th detachment, which was under
the command of Major Lyons while at Portland,
have gained for themselves especial praise for their
exemplary conduct, and their departure is much re-
gretted by the inhabitants of both Portland and
Weymouth.

Mr. William Pellatt, late master-in-command of
the War Department steam store vessel Balaclava,
lost on the coast of Wexford on the 24th February
last, was a few days ago examined at Woolwich by
a committee consisting of Captain Gordon, C. 8.,
Superintendent of Military Stores at Woolwich ;
Captain Harris, from the Board of Trade ; and
Commander Biddlecombe, Master-Attendant in
Woolwich dockyard, for the purpose of investigat-
ing the circumstances attending the wreck of the
above-named vessel. The result of the inquiry was
yesterday made known at Woolwich, and was that
—" Taking into consideration the high testimonials
and character of Mr. Pellatt during the lengthened
period of service of upwards of 27 years, he is sen-
tenced to be: superseded from his duties and to be
mulcted of all pay and emolument for the ensuing I
three months."

, Yesterday afternoon the whole of the forces quar-
tered at Chatham garrison, including the troops of
the line, the Royal Marine Light Infantry, the Royal
Engineers, and the Royal Artillery, were marched
from their respective quarters to Chatham Great
Lines, where, under Lthe direction of Major-Gen.
Sir Robert Walpole, K.C.8., they went through
the evolutions of a brigade field-day.
Thefollowiugappointments have been made at

the Admiralty :—Lieut. J. Nott, to command the
Spider, ordered to be recommissioned ; Lieut. R.
Elliot, to command the Doterel, ordered to be re-
commissioned ; Lieut. F. Hardy, to command the
Tilbury, commissioned ; Lieut. R. B. Nicholetts, to
the Mutine ; the Rev. Thomas J. Main, chaplain
additional, to the Excellent ; the Rev. J. W. Grimes,
chaplain and naval instructor, to the Excellent, vice
the Rev. T. J. Main, complement altered ; Henry
M. Harrison and Henry Bullamore, assist.-pay-
masters, to the Royal Adelaide.
Royal General Theatrical Fund.

Last evening the twentieth anniversary of this in-
stitution was held at the Freemasons' Tavern ; Mr.
Wilkie Collins in the chair. There was a pretty
numerous company.
After the usual loyal and constitutional toasts,
which were received with the customary enthusiasm,
The CHAIRMAN, introducing the toast of the
evening, said that in proposing the prosperity of the
Royal Theatrical Fund, he had to couple with it
the name of the best and truest friend which the
fund possessed--that of Mr. Buckstone. (Hear,
hear.) The toast which he was about to propose
presented itself under various aspects to those who
occupied the same position he had the honour to fill
that evening. He should consider the position
which the player occupied in regard to the enemies
of his art and its friends. Amongst the social abuses
which the social reformers had 'failed to sweep away
was that of Brummagem puritanism—(hear, hear,
and laughter)—which had all the narrowness of
view and all the intolerance of puritanism, without
the self-sacrificing heroism which distinguished the
puritans of old. The Brummagem puritans re-
garded the stage as a bull looked upon a piece of red
cloth. (Laughter.) One of the liberals of this class
stated lately, in Scotland, that he saw no harm in
a man's taking a walk on a Sunday. (Laughter.)
Another, who was not a liberal, came into the com-
partment of a railway in which he and some friends
were coming up to that dinner, and objected to their
smoking on moral grounds. (Laughter.) The
same class of people objected to working men who
Were members of mechanics' institutions amusing
themselves by reading novels after their day's work.
(Laughter.) Now he thought that one of the ser-
vices which the actor rendered to the public was,
that he fought six days in the week the battle of the
public against the Brummagem puritans. (Hear,
hear.) Then as regarded the position of the actor
towards his friends, who did not remember with
pleasure the first night he went to the play ? and
there was not a period of life from childhood to old age
which the player didnot do his utmost to gratify and
to cheer. (Hear.) But there was a time when the
player, from failing health, was no longer able to
amuse and entertain—whenthe doctor told him that
if he meant to preserve his life he must cease to fol-
low his profession. (Hear, hear.) The public eye
could not follow the stricken actor. The public
only looked at his successor. Who, then, was to
follow the retired player when the lights were out,
the curtain down, and the theatre empty ? He was
glad to say that at this moment of distress the best
helping hands were held out to the poor actor—the
hands of his brethren in art. (Hear, hear.) In the
application of the funds of the charity there was no
distinction of class. All, from the highest to the
lowest members of the profession, were equally
eligible. (Hear.) In conclusion, he recommended
the institution to the grateful and sympathising con-
sideration of the public. (Cheers.)
Mr. BUCKSTONE, in returning thanks, said—
Gentlemen,—As this is the twentieth annual dinner
of the General Theatrical Fund, at all of which,
with but one exception, I have been present in my
capacity of treasurer, you will see that I have spoken
nineteen times on behalf of our institution, and as
my subject must always be the same, you may natu-
rally suppose that I have quite exhausted it ; while,
on the other hand, I may naturally suppose that you
have had quite enough of me ; but as my main ob-
ject has been at all times to touch your hearts and
dip into your pockets—(laughter)-- I can only say
I will contrive to do my best to accomplish that task,
aided by our excellent chairman, Mr. Wilkie Collins,
whose presence here this evening is an event of which
every member of our fund and every friend to it can-
not but feel greatly gratified, especially when I tell
you that for three years severe illness has pre-
vented his fulfilling a promise to preside
over us on one of these occasions. But here
he is at last, and I only hope his coming out
to-night will not be injurious to him, more particu-
larly as it is now " After Dark," and that on
going home he may not encounter any " Woman in
White"—(laughter)—although I must make the de-
licate confession that I have lately formed an ac-
quaintance with " A Woman in Mauve"—(laugh-
ter)—in whose society I have been so exceedingly
happy that I hope it will be a long time before I
shall have to part with it. (Cheers.) However, it
is with great pride and pleasure that I • see our
author of " The Woman in White" in the chair,
and-to know that his name will be enrolled on the
list of distinguished novelists who have come for-
ward to plead the cause of our fund at these festi-
vals. We are proud of that list ; indeed we ought
to be when it contains such names as Sir Edward
Bulwer Lytton, Mr. Charles Dickens, the late
deeply-deplored William Makepeace Thackeray,
Mr. Shirley Brooks, and now, though last not least,
in our " dear love," Mr. Wilkie Collins. Now,
gentlemen, it is my duty to tell you the state
of our fund, and what we do with it. Our capital
when this night is over will amount to £13,500;
but large as this sum may seem it is hardly sufficient
to do all that is required of us, for we have 22 annui-
tants, 13 of whom are ladies and 9 are gentlemen.
Why the ladies should be so much in the majority
I do not know, except that, on reference to the re-
gistrar-general's weekly return, we invariably find
there are more girls born in every seven days than
boys. I will not say that this is an argument in
favour of polygamy. I will only observe it is an esta-
blished fact. In addition to the number of annui-
tants now on our fund, we soon expect others to
claim their rights—indeed, so numerous have be-
come the claimants that, in order to pay a fair pro-
portion of the annuitants,we have been compelled to
resort to our reserve fund ; for during the last 12
months we have disbursed to our retired actors and
actresses £987 10s., have also paid the funeral ex-
penses of three deceased members, amounting to
£29, and have returned to the widow of a late sub-
scriber £24 Bs. ; making altogether no less a sum
distributed during the past year than £1,040. And
now, gentlemen, I must tell you of a severe disap-
pointment we have met with. At one of our din-
ners, held at the London Tavern in 1852, the late
much respected Mr. T. P. Cooke was sitting next
to me. Previous to my usual address on the occa-
sion he informed me it was his intention to leave our
fund a legacy of £l,ooo—(cheers)—or property !•e-
-presenting that amount. I announced his intention
on that evening, which announcement was received
with prolonged cheers. That is now 13 years ago.
His will was made to that effect, and not till within
a short time of his decease did he alter the docu-
ment in favour of the Dramatic College : his reason
for doing so was, as I have heard, that he considered
the General Theatrical Fund so prosperous that it
did not require such a legacy, while it would be of
the greatest service to that excellent institution the
Dramatic College. Of course Mr. Cooke had a
perfect right to do as he liked with his own, and all
we could do was to submit to the disappointment
and endeavour to discover some way to make up for
it. We accordingly took a benefit at Drury-lane
Theatre, which, though it produced nearly £lOO, in-
cluding 25 guineas kindly and generously given by
the Prince of Wales for his box on that occasion,
we should have cleared much more had we not been
placed between two fires. Our benefit took place
on Monday, Feb. 13. On the Thursday before that
event Ur. Paul Bedford appealed to his friends and

The resolution was passed, and the Chairman said it
would afford him great pleasure to communicate that reso-
lution to Mr. Cobden's family.
The CH/lIRMAN said that he would now proceed with
what was more particularly the business of the evening.
They might call that assembly the inaugural meeting of
their Reform Union, the objects of which were pretty
generally known. In order to promote those objects
Parliament—
(applause)—but they proposed to send two members to
in doing that they would have a very
arduous work, for they had to convert a majority of the
existing electors. He hoped that the meetings of that
Union, by disseminating information and promoting dis-
cussion, would tend to secure that
.object. (Hear, hear.)
He would afford the meeting a little information about
the misdeeds of the Tone; and their systein of taxa-
tion, by a„lluding to the state of affairs as they
existed some years ago? and he would show in
what direction taxes had
ferring to these points hen removed. After re-
at some length, the Chairman
said that the local Conservative Association expressed no
regret for the past and promised nothing for the future;
nothing therefore remained for the electors to do but to
remove the representative of the Conservatives (Lieut.-
Col. Gray), and restore him to the calm and peaceful walks
of private life which he so eminently adorned. (Laughter,)
To disabuse the public of any idea to the contrary ho (the
chairman) said that he had no intention of allowing him-
self to be put in nomination for the representation of the
borough, for he would do nothing that would have the pos-
sible effect of jeopardising the seat of Mr. Barnes. The
resolution he had to propose was that the Bolton branch of
the National Reform Union being worthy of support that
meeting pledged itself to use all the means in its power to
increase its numbers and carry out its object.
The motion was seconded by Mr. W. Crumblehulme,
supported by Mr. Jacob Bright, and adopted.
A vote of thanks to the chairman for presiding closed the
proceedings.

And then he drew a dial from his poke,
And looking on it with lack lustre eye,
Says very wisely, 'lt is ten e'clock :
Thus we may see,' quoth he, ' how the worldsiu KwsapgEsAras."
I

Benson's Pocket Dials are artistic, accurate time
' markers, made in every size, suitable for everybody, and
are sent to every part of the kingdom, safe by post, at 5,6,
7,8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 2.0, 21, 22, 23,
24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35 guineas in
gold cases; and at 2,3, 4,5, 6,7, 8,9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 guineas in silver
cases. A descriptive pamphlet post free for two stamps.
.-J. W. Benson, Ludgate-hill, Watch and clock maker to
the Prince of Wales.