The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-13 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JUNE 13, 1854.

COURT CIRCULAR.

PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAM
COMPANY.

The Queen held an investiture of the Most Honourable
Order of the Bath, at three o'clock yesterday afternoon, at
Buckingham Palace.

At the half-yearly meeting of the Peninsular and Ori-
ental Steam Company, held yesterday, the report was
unanimously adopted. A recommendation of the directors
to suspend the declaration of a dividend until the comple-
tion of the annual accounts produced apparently some dis-
appointment, but created little discussion, full confidence
being expressed in the management. It was stated that
the increased cost of fuel, with the general advance in
wages and materials, has interfered with the revenue of
the company, but that the receipts continue to exceed the
expenditure. A fresh appeal is to be made to Government
for relief in connexion with the contract for postal service,
and if this shall prove unsuccessful, the opinion of the
shareholders is to be taken as to future proceedings. With
regard to the emoluments of managing directors, Mr. B.
M. Willcox has voluntarily resigned his share, retiring
from active duties, but continuing his seat at the board.
Mr. Arthur Anderson relinquishes about half of his allow-
ance, appropriating a portion to the institution of a provi-
dent and good service fund for the officers and servants of
the company, but for the present retains his appointment.
Special votes of thanks woro passed for these concessions,
and it is proposed that some substantial acknowledgment
shall hereafter be offered. Annexed is an abstract of the
report ;

The Knights Grand Cross having been robed in their
mantles of crimson satin, were called over by Bath King of
Arms, when the following knights answered :

General Viscount Combermere.
Viscount Palmerston.

The Earl of Clarendon.
Lieutenant-General Lord Seaton.

Lieutenant-General Sir Willoughby Cotton.
Lieutenant-General Sir George Pollock.
General Viscount Hardinge.
Major-General Sir Henry George Smith, Bart.
Sir George Hamilton Seymour.
Lieutenant-General Sif John Hunter Littler.
Lieutenant-General Sir James Lillyman Caldwell.
Right Hon. Sir George Grey, Bart..
Major-General Sir Joseph Thackwell, and
Lieutenant-General Sir John Fox Burgoyne
The officers of the order attended in their mantles; chains,
and badges. The following, were present :
The Genealogist—W. Aston Blount, Esq.
Bath King of Arms—Algernon Greville, Esq.
GJatletnau Usher - Albert W. Woods, Esq. (Lancaster
Herald).
The knights and officers assembled in the Green Drawing-
room. The Queen and Prince Albert were conducted by the
Lord Chamberlain to the Throne-room, where her Majesty,
the sovereign of the order, sat i❑ a chair of state. Her Ma-
jesty wore the mantle and collar of the Bath. His Royal
Highness Prince Albert stood by the side of the Queen, and
wore his mantle as great master of the Bath and the col.ar of
the order. The officers of State and the Miers of the
Crown occupied their usual station near her Majesty.
Her Majesty's guard of the honourable corps of Geritlemen-
at-Arms was on duty in the room, under the command of the
Lieutenant. The sub-officers, Lieutenant-Colonel Neville and
Major Cooke, were on duty with the corps.
The Knights Grand Cross, accompanied by the officers of
the Bath, entered the Throne-room, the former ranging
themselves on each side of the apartment.

" In order to meet, in some degree, the increased expenses
caused by the high cost of fuel, dtc, the directors deemed it
necessary to recur, on and after the 4th of Febru try last, to
rates of passage fares similar to those which existed previ-
ous to the Ist of January, 1853, when they were reduced on
the opening of the communication twice a-mouth with
India and China. Looking to the growing requirements of
trade and intercourse in the East, the expediency of ccono-
nizing the navigation of the company's lines of communica-
tion, by providing vesseN with screw propulsion, and to the
propriety of making timely arrangements for liquidating the
sums borrowed on debentures, the directors in the early part
of this year, applied to the Crown for a supplemental charter
of incorporation, to enable the company to increase its capital
by one million sterling. This charter has been granted, and
the new shares will be issued at par, in the proportions of
two new shares to three old shares. The directors do not
contemplate any immediate issue of these new shares, nor do
they expect that they will be under the necessity of calling
for more than a small proportion of the additional capital to
be issued thereby for some time to come. At the last annual
general meeting the directors reported fully their proceed-
ings in respect to the application made to the Government
for relief under the difficulties in which the company was
placed in executing the contract postal service, which had
arisen from the scarcity of shipping and the enhanced cost
of fuel at the various depots. Although that application
was unsuccessful, the declaration of war against the Em-
peror of Russia was considered to afford a proper ground
for again making a similar application, inasmuch as the de-
claration of war was an act of the Government, which has
not only greatly aggravated, but will, in all probability,
render continuous the increase in the cost of fuel, seamen's
wages, naval stores, marine insurance, and other expenses
of navigation. The directors have therefore applied again to
her Majesty's Government for such an augmentation of the
payment for the postal service as the company may be found
fairly entitled to, in consideration of the altered state of cir-
cumstances caused by the war ; and the Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty have so far responded to the application as
to intimate their willingness to institute an inquiry into the
matter, which will soon take place. The grounds upon which
the present claim has been based are so reasonable, that the
board can scarcely anticipate a second failure in obtaining relief
at the hands of Government. Should they be disappointed in
this expectation, they will, if necessary, call a special meeting
of the shareholders, to take into consideration the future
policy of the company. On the transit through Egypt the
directors are enabled to report satisfactorily. The Pasha
has, iu addition to other facilities, agreed to a reduction of
one.half of the transit duty from the Ist of July next, as a
preliminary step to its entire removal. This arrangement
is applicable to the travellers and commerce of all
countries ; and, as the transit duty forms at present a
heavy addition to the cost of transit of valuable articles, such
as raw silk, &c., its reduction and abolition will remove a
serious obstruction to the adoption of the route of Egypt for
such articles ; and, in conjunction with new regulations
about to be adopted for meeting the growing requirements of
this trade, can scarcely fail to prove highly beneficial to the
company's interests. The construction of the railway between
Alexandria and Cairo is progressing with vigour. About 30
miles of the railway from the Cairo terminus towards Alex-
andria is also constructed, leaving only 36 miles now to com-
plete the whole line between Alexandria and Cairo. This, it
is expected, will be finished in the course of next year, and will
entirely supersede the water conveyance ,by the Nile, and re-
duce the journey between Alexandria and Cairo to bout six
hours. Considering that the whole of the fuel consumed
during the six months embraced in the period of this report
was purchased at enormously enhanced prices—that most of
the new ships have been kept back from completion and em-
ployment by the strikes of workmen and other uncontrol-
able circumstances—that the execution of the contract
postal service has caused an expenditure exceding the pay-
ment received for it, and that the claim for indemnification ou
that account remains yet undetermined—the directors feel
compelled to recommend that any declaration of dividend
should be postponed to the next annual general meeting,
when statements of the company's accounts will, as usual, be
laid before you, and when they trust the receipts and expen-
diture of the company may exhibit a more favourable result
than they can reasonably be expected to do at present. In-
stead of drawing upon probable future profits to supply a
present deficiency, or ceasing to set aside those reserves which
are necessary to maintain the property at its original value,
and provide for its security against accident, the directors
deem it the wisest and most honest course to recommend no

The Right Hon. Sir James Robert George Graham, Bart.,
was introduced between Sir Joseph Thackwell and Sir John
Burgoyne, the two junior Knights Grand Cross present, pre-
ceded by Bath King of Arms (carrying the ensigns of the
order on a crimson velvet cushion) and by the gentleman
usher of the order. Sir James Graham advanced to the
Queen and knelt before her, when her Majesty, with the
sword of state, was graciously pleased to confer the honour of
knighthood upon him. Sir James kissed her Majesty's hand.
The Queen, assisted by Prince Albert, then invested the right
honourable baronet with the ribbon and badge of a Knight
Grand Cross (civil division) of the Order of the Bath, and
also delivered to him the star of the order. Sir James again
kissed his Sovereign's hand and retired.
Mr. dames Como Melvill was introduced between Bath
King of Arms and the Gentleman Usher, the former bearing
the ensigns of the order on a crimson velvet cushion, and re-
ceived from the Queen the honour of
.knighthood, and was
afterwards invested by her Majesty with the ribbon and badge
of a Knight Commander (civil division) of the Bath.
Rear-Admiral George Robert Lambert was introduced be-
tween Bath King of Arms and the Gentleman Usher, and,
kneeling near the Queen, had the hour of knighthood con-
ferred upon him by her Majesty, and was also invested by the
Queen with the ribbon and badge of a Knight Commander
(military division) of the Order of the Bath.
The Knights Grand Cross were again called over by the
Queen's command, and with the officers of the order retired
from the presence of the Sovereign with the usual reverences.
The Queen afterwards held a Privy Council. Present, his
Royal Highness Prince Albert, Lord J. Russell, the Earl of
Aberdeen, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Viscount Palmerston,
the Earl of Clarendon, the Duke of Newcastle, Sir George
Grey, Sir James Graham, Sir Charles Wood, the Right Hon.
Sidney Herbert, Earl Granville, the Marquis of Breadalbane,
Earl Spencer, the Duke of Wellington, and the Marquis of
Abercorn.
Before the Council, the Duke of Newcastle had an audience
of the Queen, and resigned the seals as Secretary of State.
At the Council her Majesty was pleased to declare the
Right Hon. Lord John Russell, Lord President of her most
honourable Privy Council, and his lordship took his place at
the board accordingly.
The Right Hon. sir George Grey, Bart., Knight Grand
Cross of the Bath, having accepted the seals as one of her
Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, was sworn in.
The most noble Henry Duke of Newcastle, having accepted
the seals as fourth Secretary of State, was a'so sworn in.
Mr. C. Greville was the clerk of the council in waiting.
The Court was attended by the Duchess of Sutherland,
mistress of the robes ; the Countess of Mount-Edgcumbe,
lady in waiting ; Lord Foley, the captain of the hon. corps of
Gentlemen-at-Arms; Viscount Sydney, captain of the Yeo-
men of the Guard ; Viscount Combermere, gold stick in
waiting; the Earl of Mulgrave, treasurer of the household ;
Lord Ernest Bruce, vice-chamberlain; Viscount Drumlanrig,
comptroller of the household ; Lord Camoys, lord in waiting ;
Lord George Lennox, lord in waiting to Prince Albert; Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Topham, lieutenant of the hon. corps of Gen-
tlemen-at-Arms ; Sir George Lee, lieutenant of the Yeomen
of the Guard ; the Hon. Mortimer Sackville West, groom in
waiting; Colonel Wylde, groom in waiting to Prince Albert;
Sir Wm. Martins, gentleman usher to the sword of State ;
Major Harmar, standard-bearer to the hon. corps of Gentle-
inen-at-Arms ; Colonel M'Douall, silver stick in waiting ;
Colonel Fludyer (Grenadier Guards), field officer in waiting,
brigade of Foot Guards ; Lieutenant Koppel (Grenadier
Guards), adjutant in waiting, brigade of Foot Guards ; Mr.
Joseph Skip Lloyd, clerk of the cheque, and adjutant of the
hon. corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms ' • and Messrs. G. G. Mac-
pherson and C. E. Phipps, pages of honour in waiting.
Her Majesty's guard of the Yeomen of the Guard was on
duty under the command of Major Phibbs, exon in waiting.
A guard of honour of the Scots Fusilier Guards was on
duty with the band of the regiment.
Captain the Hon. Dudley de Rose has relieved Captain Du
Plat in his duties as equerry in waiting to Prince Albert.
Prince Albert, accompanied by the Prince of Wales, and
attended by his equerry in waiting, visited the gardens of the
Royal Botanic Society in the Regent's-park yesterday
morning.
The King of Portugal and the Duke of Oporto, attended
by the Viscount Carreira, Baron do Sarmento, Colonel
Folque, Lord de Tabky, and Colonel Wylde, also visited the
Botanic Gardens, and afterwards wcut to inspect the
Coliseum.

dividend, unless arising from clear profits realised during the
period on which they report ; and, while advising that which
they trust will prove to be a temporary inconvenience rather
than depart from the system hitherto adopted, they feel much
satisfaction in being able to state that the property and
financial position of the company are in a sound state, the
fleet in efficient order, and the future prospects of the enter-
prise by no means discouraging."

The following are the particulars of the fleet of the

company : •
For the Southampton and Alexandria Service :

Horse-
Toni. power.
2,500 630
2,200 4-,0
1,600 450
1,700 450
For the Malta and Marseilles Service :-
Vectis 9OO 400
Valetta.
For the Constantinople and Peninsular Servi
900 20
600 200
500 160
1,090 420
1,165 400
Government Transport Service :
Himalaya 3,500 700
For the Suez and Calcutta Service :
Bentinck
Hindostan
Precursor 1,600 500
Oriental
Bengal
Colombo
For the Calcutta and China Service :-
Pekin .... 1,200 430
Lady Mary Wood 650 260
Formosa BOO 220
Chusan. 750 103
Shanghai 7OO 100
For the Bombay and China service :-
Singapore 4 1,300 500
Ganges
Malta 1,250 450
Erin
Pottinger
Achilles
Bombay 1,200 280
Douro
Cadiz B5O 220
For the Singapore and Sydney service
1,035 230
1,200 280

Mr. F. H. Burton Crosse attended her Majesty's levee at
St. James's Palace on Friday last.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, attended by
Lady Anna Maria Dawson, visited the Countess of Neuilly at
Claremont yesterday. Her Royal Highness, attended by
Lady Anna Maria Dawson and Lord James Murray, honoured
the performance of the French Plays with her presence in
the evening.
Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. R. Boyle, M.P., had an
interview with Lord Palmerston at the Home-office, yester-
day, to present a petition from the ministers, magistrates,
and others resident in the borough of Fromo and its
vicinity.
A deputation of vinegar distillers, consisting of Mr. W
Pott, Mr. J. R. T. Burnett, Mr. Underwood, Mr. Sloe, and
Mr. Pounsett, attended by Mr. T. Browning, had an inter-
view with Mr. Wilson, M.P., yesterday, at the Treasury.
Mr. Craufurd had an interview with the Chancellor of the
Exchequer yesterday. Mr. Harrison had also an interview
with the right hon. gentleman, at his official residence iu
Downing-street.

Simla .
Candis
Rip-on .
Indus.

Tagus
Iberia
Madrid
Sultan
Euxine

Screw.

}Paddle-
wheel.

Despatches were received at the Colonia.l-office yesterday
from the Governor of New Zealand.

} Screw.

/ Paddle-
f wheel.

ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.

Screw.

The new French operatic company were much more success-
ful last night when they performed Clapisson's La Promise
than they were in their first essay before the London public,
on Wednesday last, in Adams's Bijou Perdu. La Promise
is better both in book and music, and it included some good
artistes who did not appear on the opening night. The cast
was precisely the same as at the Parisian Theatre Lyrique,
where the opera ran for upwards of 100 nights. There, as
here, Madame Marie Cable was the chief attraction, and in-
deed her singing and acting as the heroine are so charming,
and thoroughly French withal, that we can scarcely wonder
at the furore they created amongst our excitable neighbours,
or the ready acceptance they have met with here, where every-
thing good of its kind is sure to be encouraged. She person-
ated a young girl, betrothed to one man, but in love with
another; and, to make matters worse, her destined hus-
band is the dear friend and benefactor of her beloved.
The latter returns from sea just as the wedding is about to
take place ; but, preferring his friend's happiness to his
own, ho heroically conceals his passion, although, like the
Spartan boy's stolen fox, it is tearing its possessor to pieces.
But still greater trials await him, for the bridegroom,
who is abruptly called away before the completion of the mar-
riage ceremony, leaves him to protect the lady during his
absence. This leads to many ludicrous situations, for the un-
willing bride, piqued by the apparent indifference of him
whom she really loves, exercises all the potent spells of co-
quetry to make him betray his trust. So long as he is awake
and in his senses, there appears to be no chance of her suc-
ceeding, so she contrives to make him tipsy, and send him to
sleep. Believing in the "in vino veritas" doctrine, she is de-
lighted to hear her name tenderly murmured, and passionate
declarations of love stammered forth by the object of her af-
fection when in what may be considered an irresponsible state,
and, having learned that the absent gentleman has sworn
never to marry a woman who has even suffered the tips of
her angers to be kissed by another, she manages at last to
compromise her lover so far as to render the hated union im-
probable, if not impossible. Eventually, everything comes
right ; the magnanimity of the disappointed bridegroom is
properly applied, and the piece ends to the satisfaction of all.
Madame Marie Cabel, as la Promise,, acted with perfect tact
and unflagging spirit. Rarely have we seen so genuine a speci-
men of the Opera Comique school as her personation of this
arduous character. Messrs. Junca, Laurent, Colson, and
Madlle. Girard are also entitled to honourable mention.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, attended by
Lady Anna Maria Dawson, Lady Caroline Harcourt, Lord
James Murray, and Col. Harcourt, honoured the performance
with her presence.

Paddle-
wheel.

Screw.

Norma .
Madras .

} Ditto.

For the China local service :
Canton
Tartar
Sir Chas. Forbes (chartered yes ) 450 150
Rajah 600 60
Manilla .
''''
..
}Steam colliers. {
635 60
VESSELS BUILDING AND FITTING OUT.
(Will be ready for service in from three to six months.)
Nubia (Liverpool)
Para (Liverpool)
' (Blackwall)

}Paddle-
wheel.

} Screw.

** * (Blackvrall)
Haddington (transport ship) 1,500
STORE AND COAL SEM&
Zenobia (Suez) 9O-
O William (Hong Kong) l,BOO
Santa Anna (Gibraltar) 1,500
Ariaclue (Alexandria)
Larkins (King George's Sound) 1,000
Orestes (Port Philip)