The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-04 00:00:00

IMMISSION.

The commissioners assembled on Thursday at Abing-
don-street. Present, the Right Hun. Henry Labou-
ehere, Sir John Patteson, and Mr. C. Lewis.
Mr. Dakin examined—l am a chemist and druggist,
and extensively engaged with the trade with China. I
have been for 10 or 11 years a member of the Common
Council. I have been chairman of the Gresham Com-
mittee. Mr. Bennoch and Mr. Waddilove, who were
examined yesterday, appeared anxious to arrive at a
knowledge of the state of the Gresham Estate funds,
and I have now a brief statement of the income and
expenditure of the moiety of the estate received by the
City, and I find that the accounts nearly balance each
other. As trustees of the will of Sir Thomas Gresham,
the corporation has advanced a vary large sum of money
to carry out the objects which the testator had in view.
The Mercers' Company have also made large advances
in respect of their moiety of the estate ; and had it not
been for this assistance the trust might almost be called
insolvent. lam anxious to state that there is a strong
feeling in. the City in favour of adapting the Gresham
trust to the requirements of the day.
The Chairman--Then, have the Gresham trustees any
surplus after payment of the professors and other charges
incidental to the trust ?
Witness—They have no surplus. On the 10th of
October, 1852, they had only 5291. 7s. 2d., although
they had received large advances from the City and
the Mercers' Company.
The Chairman—Then the trust is virtually insolvent ?
Witness—That, perhaps, is a strong term to use ; the
difference between income and expenditure is so
small. I heard the evidence yesterday with respect
to City improvements, and it appeared to me that
improvements come from the
the suggestions for
best source—namely,..
the inhabitants of the districts,
who would naturally
be the first to appreciate
their necessity. As far as my experience . goes I
think the corporation has adopted towards other
trusts very much the same course which they have taken
with reference to Gresham trust—that is, that they
have advanced very large sums of money in their capa-
city of trustees which have not been returned. With
regard to the navigation trust, do not think the I
cor-
poration derive any advantage from it, but that, on the
contrary, if they were relieved of the trust, they would
get rid of a responsible duty for which they receive no
return. It is not my opinion that the officers of the
corporation are too highly paid. In the case of the City
architect and the City solicitor I am of opinion that
their emoluments are much lower than their professional
charges would have amounted to ; and I have reason to
know that the City solicitor expects that whenever the
corporation are in good humour and in funds, they will
make him some compensation, as he considers they owe
him some thousands of pounds. A statement has been
before the commissioners by Mr. Travers, that the ma-
jority of the members of the common council are retail
traders. Now, if Mr. Travers had described them as
Mr. Macaulay has done in the History of England, I
could take no exception to his evidence ; but I cannot
agree in the description given by him, as my own know-
ledge of the facts assures me that the vast majority of
the common council are not of the " small shopkeeper
class," but are persons like Mr. Travers himself, largely
engaged in mercantile pursuits.
The Chairman—But as a matter of fact, is not the
representation correct that the great mass of persons
largely engaged in mercantile and banking houses stand
aloof from the corporation ? Witness—lt is true that
many of the leading merchants and bankers are not
connected with the corporation. At the same time it
is necessary to state that many very leading merchants
are connected with the corporation. Many of the
members of the firms to which you allude cannot
find time to discharge public •duties, but they have
time to discharge the duties of private bodies in cases
where their services are remunerated.
The Chairman : I presume you think it would be de-
'sirable that all traders of standing and eminence, whether
wholesale or retail, should take i part in municipalaffairs.
Witness : This would be a consumation devoutly to
be wished for ; but however desirable it may be in theory,
I fear that, with the present constitution of the corpora-
tion, it could not be carried out in practice. I believe
the first-class merchants do not join the corporation be-
cause they will not give their time without being paid
for it. Extraordinary aptitude for business is far from
being a disqualification for office in the corporation has
quite a contrary effect. I have been a member of the
Bridge-house Estate committee, and I was one of a de-
putation appointed to wait upon the directors of the
Southikark-bridge Company, with the view of opening
negotiations for the purchase of the bridge, The sum re-
quired by the directors was 300,0001., and although we
urged upon their attention the very small profit which
the bridge yielded, they did not appear disposed to abate
their terms, but told us that when we applied again the
price might be higher. I believe, if the corporation were
met by the company in a spirit of fairness, they could,
with the assistance of Government, throw the bridge
open. The corporation was also informed by competent
persons that a large sum would be required (about
115,500) for making the approaches necessary for the
accommodation of the traffic that would have to pass
over the bridge ; and under these circumstances I
do not think they can be fairly chargeable with
delay in not having purchased the structure sooner. I
do not think the mere question of whether 300,000
eie..„1.1 ha raid for tht, hridgo nr 220.000 i. has haAn
the obstacle to opening it to the public. With regard to
the entertainments at the Mansion House, I believe they
have been conducted with all requisite economy, and that
they have a higher aim and purpose than mere city feasts.
It seems to me that they have afforded a favourable op-
portunity to the Sovereign and the nobles of the land to
meet the middle classes, and thus to cement and
strengthen the whole fabric of society. The cost of the
entertainment given to her Majesty in 1851 was met by
a vote of 5,000 guineas, and some hundreds of pounds
out of that sum were paid hack to the City chamber.
This contrasts favourably with the expenditure in 1817,
when the allied Sovereigns were entertained in the
Guildhall. The expenditure on that occasion amounted
to more than 25,0001., although the corporation was
then in debt.
Mr. John Simon, officer of health to the City, de-
scribed the nature of his duties, and said that the system
of inspection carried out in the City was excellent, and
better than in the other portions of the metropolis. The
population of the City proper had increased within the
last ten years from 125,000 to 130,000.
Mr. Dakin was recalled and examined on the subject
of the Irish estates of the corporation. The Irish So-
ciety was originated in the reign of James I. when a
portion of the province of Ulster was given to the citizens
of London, being Protestants, upon condition that they
would erect forts and otherwise protect the property.
The London companies lent money at the time to the
Crown, and they had parts of the province apportioned
to them in consideration, In the course of time the
companies and the corporation became less identified.
Other portions of the estates, which were not divisible,
were afterwards given to the Irish Society in trust. The
Irish Society did not recognise any control by the cor-
poration other than one of supervision. The funds of
the Irish Society were returned to the country in the
shape of charitable gifts.
The Chairman—What becomes of the surplus revenue ?
Mr. Dakin—When I was deputy-governor of the
Irish Society there was no surplus, for the society was
in debt. The average income of the society is about
9,0001. a-year, and the principal expenditure is for the
maintenance of public schools.
The Chairman—Has the Irish Society any politica
influence in the boroughs of Coleraine and London-
derry ?
Mr. Dakin—None, except as owners of property.
The Chairman—Then the Irish Society has, in fact,
no beneficial interest in the estates ?
Mr. Dakin—None whatever.
The Chairman—Do you know whether any applica-
tion has ever been made to the society to sell their
estates ?
Mr. Dakin—No application of the kind was ever
made to the society during the period when I was con-
nected with it,; neither do I think any such would have
been entertained, as the society take great pride in
their management of the property. The Irish Society
has nothing whatever to do with the property of the
London companies in Ireland.
The Chairman—To whom is the Irish Society respon
Bible, in the case of the neglect of duty ?
Mr. Dakin—l apprehend to the corporation of Lon-
don, which has a visitorial.control over them.
The Chairman—Do you think the estates are econo-
mically managed, or that there are more officers than
are required ?
Mr. Dakin—l think the estates are managed with
prudence and economy, and that there is no tendency to
multiply offices. The corporation has no interest in the
proceedso of the Irish estates. The accounts of the Irish
ciety are pomintre.d carefully rpexufurpl loyserdited by a sub-committee ap-
committee and ea amined—Was chairman of the freedom
was anxious to membercontradict of the Common Council. He
the assertion that extreme se-
verity was used towards
unabl,e to take up thefrpersons who declined or were
part
ordom. He considered it was
mosit unfair on the
CoMr. Travers to animadvert
upon the conduct of the
admitted that he was not acTurn9tint,Souncii, although he
-praole-e-a with the manner in
which they conducted their
The Chairman said this was merengs.
their
rof opinion,
on which the commissioners would forrnmat own con-
elusions, and it was desirable that the witness should
.confine himself simply to a contradiction of facts which •
had been deposed to.
Mr. Leach, engineer to the navigation committee
who gave evidence a few days ago with respect to the
state of the metropolitan bridges, was recalled and re-
quested to state upon what grounds he bad come to the
conclusion that the foundations of Waterloo bridge were
not secure

Mr. Leach stated that the alterations which were con-
stantly going forward in the bed of the river rendered
the foundations unsafe ; but that, as yet, no settlement
had taken place similar to that in Blackfriars or West-
minster Bridge.
Mr. George Powell, surveyor of Waterloo-bridge since
it was opened, was next examined. He stated that the
foundations of the bridge were as sound as the Rock of
Gibraltar, and that nothing but the injudicious inter.
ference of the navigation committee in removing shoals
could injure them. The navigation committee knew
nothing about the removal, of shoal. Their habit was to
remove the bed of the river for ballast and concrete,
both of which were valuable, and not to fill up the holes
until their attention was called to the consequences.
Re repeated that the bridge was as safe as when first
built, that it would stand for ages, and that it would
continue to be an ornament to the metropolis when the
„corporation and all its officers had passed away and were
horgetten. (Laughter.)
gentleman named Leigh attended, and represented
n his City opinion, the administration of justice in the
WAS sometimes open to abuse, in consequence of the

The Charivari has the following jeu-d'esprit on the
mission of Count Orloff :
" Orloff?'—' Sire. Are your boots greased ?'—' Al-
ways, your Majesty.'—`Put them on then, and hold your-
self ready to leave in an hour —` For where, sire?'—` For
Vienna, Berlin, London, and Paris ; or for Paris, London,
Berlin, and Vienna, as you please ; the essential thing is
that you shall leave.'-4 What am Itodo in those towns?'
—` Nothing.'—' And when am I to return ?'—` When I
I shall recall you. Your mission is quite political; do not
lose sight of it. I have exhausted notes, protocols, and
circulars ; I have nothing else to amuse people with !
The moment has, then, come to let you loose in the
Eastern question. I have numerous partisans in the
European press ; these partisans take pleasure in keep-
ing alive hopes of peace amongst the populations :
I must neoosearily, from time to time, aid them a
little. Suppos3, for example, that I think right to recall
my ambassador from London, and to order my ambassador
at Paris to demand his passports—and that may happen
from one moment to another—what will become of the
friends of peace, to what branch will they cling? To the
mission of Count Orloff. " The Czar," they will say, "will
recall his ambassadors, but he gives a private mission to
his Chamberlain, Count Orloff, to the Cabinets of Schcen-
brim, Potsdam, Windsor, and the Tuileries "—to speak in
the diplomatic style of friend Capefigue, the newspaper
writer. .."Now, what will be the use," they will continue
"of such mission in the situation in which we are, if the
Czar did not still entertain some idea of negotiating ?
There is a question of laying down," they will pro-
ceed, "the basis of a new conference, perhaps of a
Congress, and Count Orloff has undertaken to come
to an understanding on the subject with the Four
Great Continental Powers. We salute, then, in Count
Orloff," the journals which are my friends will not fail to
add, '• an emissary of an approaching pacification." That
will suit me perfectly, for it is well that our adversaries
should believe in peace whilst we prepare for war. You
now understand all the importance of your mission!—
' Marvellously well, Sire ! It will, as one might say, faire
muter /a coupe.'—` Just so. Do you know Orloff, that
you do not want cleverness ? You are a Knight of Saint
Wladimir.'—' Of all classes, Sire.'—` A Knight of Saint
George?'—' Also, your Majesty.'—' A Knight of Saint
Anne.'—' Also, your Holiness.'—' That is unfortunate,
for not having lost any battle, I cannot double
your salary. Content yourself, therefore, with the
high satisfaction which I express to you. Now,
listen to my instructions :—On xeflection, I believe that
the best thing is for you to commence your rounds by
Vienna. There is in that city a centre of telegraphic lines,
from which you can profit. You will then leave Berlin:—
Yes, Sire., —` Arrived in that city, you will present my
compliments to the young Emperor, and you must cun-
ningly make the public believe that you are at Berlin.'—
' Yes, Sire.'—The essential thing in a mission like yours is
that the public shall always believe you in a different place
from that in which you really • are. At Vienna, people
must suppose that you are at Berlin—at Berlin that you
are at London—at London that you are expected at Paris,
and at Paris they must be certain that you have
just arrived at London. This uncertainty must neces-
sarily give rise to a host of telegraphic despatches, all
more or less useful to my partisans, who are at the same
time—a strange thing-2the partisans of peace. Between
ormelYes, I think it will be necessary for you to go to
London and to Paris ; but it will not produce a bad effect
to announce that you go also to those two capitals. Your
mission will also appear more plausible and more pacific.
Your mission terminated, we must give up tricks, and play
our cards seriously.'—'ln the meantime, Sire, I am your
last card?'—` As you say very wittily—my trump card, in
fact. But, Orloff, as your friend, though I congratulate
you on the wit you display before your master, yet, as
your master, I feel alarmed at the wit you display before
your friend. Witty people are dangerous, Let this be a
lesson to you—be less witty for the future, and put on your
boots."

KEAN AT WooLwien.—During the season Kean
played his most popular and effective characters, and on
those occasions the house was always crowded. His
acting of Shylock, Richard, Sir Giles Overreach, and
Othello was seen to perfection in a small theatre ; but
they only who have played with him can comprehend to
the full the terrific lightening-like flash of his eye. Ed-
mund Seam personally superintended the business ar-
rangements of the Woolwich theatre, and was particu-
larly anxious that they should be efficiently carried out.
To the getting up of the various pieces he paid sedulous
attention. An instance of his scrupulosity in this respect
came under my observation during the performance of
Romeo and Juliet. The " Dirge Scene," now generally
omitted, was very attractive in the country. During it,
and while Juliet is being conveyed to the tomb of all the
Capulets, a bell is solemnly tolled. This bell should
sound at proper intervals, in accordance with the music
and so anxious was Kean, who was playing Romeo, for
precision on this point, that he himself undertook the
task of striking it. Accordingly Kean stationed him-
self at the wing for that purpose, and at due intervals
sent forth a solemn sound by striking forcibly with a
stick a piece of hollow metal which he held in his left
hand. The audience was very attentive and quiet, and
the scene proceeded with strict decorum until the last
stanza of the " Dirge," when Kean, striking with in-
creased force upon the metal, his stick broke in half,
and, bounding across the stage, struck heavily the
head of the first singing lady, who shrieked aloud from
fear and pain. All was instantly confusion, and the
curtain drooped without poor Juliet's funeral ohsequies
being concluded. One evening a venerable, enthusiastic
old gentleman was present in the stage box during
Kean's performance of Othello. His demonstrations of
delight Were irrestrainable, and attracted the attention
of the whole audience.ut Othello's great scene with
lago so violently excited him, that he suddenly started
pulp,
a,
tia y strikingex e
laim
ehisd, hand,,Gaorrni
"Garrick
the fervoenrt
didof
anything the box,
irk
e-
tli at."— The Era.
SOCIETY FOR IMPROVING THE CONDITION OF THE
INSANE.- —At the last meeting of this society, which
took place at the residence of the treasurer, Sir Alex-
ander Morison, 26, Cavendish-square, the following
awards were determined upon :---To Ellen Hopper, of
ilethlem Hospital, who had been an attendant upon the
insane for 18 years, three guineas ; to Melicent
of Duddeston Hall Asylum, near Birmingham, for a
similar period, an award of two guineas ; and to Ann
Hudson, a special award of two guineas. To William
Huntridge, of Duddeston Hall Asylum, the first award
for males of three guineas, having been an attendant
upon the insane for 26 years ; and to John Bel, of
Osbaldick Asylum, near York, the second award for
meritorious conduct, two guineas. There were 16 can-
didates, all of whom possessed excellent credentials, and
averaging from 18 years' service upon the insane.