The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-26 00:00:00

the Royal Observatory, and read a long letter from
the late Mr. Dent to the Secretary of the Admiralty im-
pugning the character of the improvements introduced
by himself. Several members. objected to the readine-
of the letter, on the ground that it related to matters ef
a personal rather than a scientific interest ; and the
Chairman observed that the society was not the arena
for personal discussion. The lecturer was at length per-
-
nutted to read his reply to Mr,
Dent's letter, in which
he strongly maintained the superiority of his chrono-
meters, as shown by the recorded results of the various
trials, continued for twenty-four weeks in each year, for
four years. At the close of the lecture, Mr. Denison,
one of the jurors who had reported on the question at
the Great Exhibition, defended the statements of Mr.
Dent, and the mode in which the experiments were con-
ducted, as the best calculated to obtain the most correct
results, and contended that Mr. Loseby, with respect to
the point of secondary compensation, for which he
claimed credit, had been beaten in every year. The
Chairman, with a view to afford the lecturer the oppor-
tunity of reply, suggested the adjournment of the dis-
cussion to Monday evening, when Mr. Wenham will
read a paper on a subject closely connected with the
lecture of the evening, viz., "On Glass Balance Springs."
llia,nks were then voted to Mr. Loseby for his valuable
and ingenious paper.
It was then stated by the Secretary that, at the meet-
ing on Wednesday evening next, an announcement of an
important character would be made relative to the in-
tended Exhibition in Paris in 1855, and also with re-
spect to the operation of the French tariff, and its re-
striction on the introduction of British manufactures.
It was also stated that his Royal Highness Prince Albert
would preside at the distribution of the medals given by
the society, on the 10th of June.

ANNIVERSARY DINNER OF THE FISH-
MONGERS' COMPANY.

'• Last night the,annual &Liner of this ancient company
took plade in tlieirViMellon-trOgtirilfeeegegoomi
Shaw, Prime Warden, in the chair supported on the
right by Viscount Hardinge, the Baron de Goldsmid,
Sir R. Bethell, Solicitor-General, Mr. J. Masterinan,
M.P., and Sir J. Duke, M.P. ; and on the left by Ad-
miral Sir C. Napier, Mr. W. G. Hayter, M.P., Mr.
W. Keogh, M.P., Solicitor-General for Ireland, Mr.
Sergeant Goulburn, Mr. Sergeant Channell, Mr. Alder-
man Thompson, M.P., and Mr. H. A. Aglionby, M.P.
Among the company present we also observed—Mr.
Alderman Cubitt, M.P., Mr. E. Miall, M.P., Mr. E.
Ball, M.P., Mr. Hadfield, M.P., Mr. F. Crossley,
M.P., Mr. J. Kershaw, M.P., Mr. Cheetham, M.P.,
Mr. M. Chambers, M.P., Mr. Alderman Humphery, &c.
Lord HARDING; in reply to the toast of "The Army
and Navy," said that the army felt deeply sensible of
any compliment given to them, and were particularly
proud to be associated with the citizens of London, who,
they remembered, after the battle of Waterloo and other
serious occasions, when thousands of orphans were de-
prived of their fathers, had come forward with a great
and generous liberality to repair the misfortunes of war.
He assured the meeting that the army was at the pre-
sent moment in an admirable state of discipline. It bad
been proved in recent times, he said, by the battles
which had taken place in India under Sir C. Napier, Lord
Gough, and others, that the British soldiers had not dege-
nerated from what they were in the glorious days of the
Peninsular war, when they fought and conquered, and did
their duty like men. (Hear, hear.) The army and navy
had a very serious duty to perform in enabling this great
commercial country to carry on its transactions in security.
The one branch of the service held our colonial posses-
sions in safety, and it was a remarkable fact that, in
Australia our soldiers did not go to the diggings, but re-
mained firmly at their posts, while the other branch of
the service did its duty triumphantly on every sea.
(Hear.) He begged also to say, that he was proud t)
have his name associated with that of his gallant friend
Sir C. Napier, whom he had the good fortune to know
for upwards of 40 years—his first acquaintance with him
having commenced at the battle of Busaco, when the
present General Sir 'C. Napier having been wounded
with a spent ball, he saw his gallant friend- carrying him
off the field of battle. (Hear.) His gallant friend had,
therefore, learnt the profession of a soldier under the
great Duke ; and might, if he had continued in it, been
as distinguished as a soldier as he had since been as a
sailor, le trusted that this country would long con-
tinue to enjoy its present peace and prosperity, and that
his gallant friend and himself would not be called upon
for any further operations. (Cheers.)
Admiral Sir C. NAPIER begged to return thanks, in
the firt.plac, to the company for the honour they had
kne lipinin inviting him to that magnificent festival,
aritl,,,in:Vielbcond place, to the chairman for coupling
his haine %,ith the profession to which he had the honour
to belong. He had had frequent occasions in this great
cournilocial capital of the, world of returning thanks fdr
the navy, but he did notithink he, had onier done so with
more pleasure than on the present occasion, because he
was happy to say that we had at last got a navy--
(laughter) ---thanks to the late Government, who came
forward and told the Parliament and the country that
the navy was in an unsatisfactory state, and that the
country was not secure—the consequence of which was
that Parliament, he might almost say by acclamation,
had voted a larger force for the protection of the coun-
try, and that force, lie hoped and trusted, would soon
arrive at the point which it ought to reach. (Hear,
hear.) The present Government, he must also say to
their credit, had followed up the views of the late
Government, and carried them out as far as they
possibly could. The late Government did even
a little more, for, although he was not a friend of theirs,
he thought it just and due to them to say that, finding
that the navy had for many years been. very greatly
neglected, they appointed a committee to investigate
the cause of the neglect—he might almost call it the
falling off of the British navy, and a very proper report
the committee had made. The present Government, he
was happy to say, had carried it out to a great extent.
They had improved the position of the sailor ; they
had given him more pay, and they had laid a foundaoon
for the establishment of a strong and permanent navy--
in the same way as we had a permanent army and a.
permanent artillery. He hoped and trusted that the
encouragement which was now being given to the
navy would bring forth good fruits, and that we should
no longer see the Government begging and praying
sailors to come forward and enter the navy ; but that
we should see them anxious to enter it as one of the
most splendid situations which a sailor could pos-
sibly possess. (Hear, hear.) Perhaps the time was
come when the British navy would be looked up to
with more attention and respect than it had been for
a great number of years. There was a storm brewing
in the east which looked very black indeed. God only
knew how it would end. At the very moment he was
speaking, perhaps, the fate of the Turkish empire waa
sealed. He hoped it was not, for he must say we were
not in a position to defend the Turkish empire ; but we
were in a position which would force us to be extremely
cautious in what we did. The Emperor of Russia was
famed for his moderation. He hoped we were not de-
ceived in him ; but he seemed to have Turkey at his
feet. (Hear, bear.) If what we were told was true,
his ultimatum had been rejected, and the Turks must,
therefore, depend on themselves, for we could give them
but little support. It was true we had a fleet in the
Mediterranean, and that the French had a fleet there
too ; but we ought not to forget that Russia had a fleet
of 30 sail of the line in the Baltic, and if we offended
Russia, he wanted to know how we were to defend our-
selves. (Hear, hear.) Thanks to the past and the pre-
sent Administration, we had got ten sail of the line, but
ten of course would not speak in the way that 20 would
do ; and Russia, he repeated, had 30 sail of the line in
the Baltic, while we had only ten there. But he believed,
nevertheless, that with that ten sail of the line, manned
as he hoped they would be, we might do a good deal,
and though he would not say that it would enable us to
oppose the enormous force of Russia, yet one thing he
would say, that, if unfortunately war should be declared,
the British navy would be " ready, aye ready" to do its
duty. (Applause.)
The following toasts were then given in succession :
"Her Majesty's Ministers," by the Prime Warden, for
which Mr. Hayter returned thanks ; "The Prime
Warden," by Lord Hardinge, to which the former re-
plied , • " The Honorary Freemen of the Company,: by,
the Prime Warden ; " The Representatives of the City,"
by the Prime Warden, which was acknowledged by, Sir
James Duke ; " The health of Baron de Goldsmid, by
the Prime Warden, who expressed an earnest hope that
the community (the Jews) to which that gentleman be-
longed would soon be admitted to all the rights and pri-
vileges of British subjects, for which Baron de Goldsmid
returned thanks ; " The Solicitor-General for England,"
by the Prime Warden, for which Sir R, Bethell returned.
thanks.
The PRIME WARDEN, in giving "The health of M
Keogh, the Solicitor-General for Ireland," said, that
if
the principle were established throughout that country
which was acted upon by the Fishmongers' Company
towards their 500 tenants there, hethFiought it would be
productive of great advantage. The
Com-
pany made no distinction as regarded ttemreligious
prin-
ciples of their tenants, but treated Catholic and Protes-
tant, Presbyterian and. Methodist,
sortwfthteenqaunat-lriignhdt_
nl-
gence. They also recognised
that was to say, where a tenantahad improved the estate,
he received from the incoming tenant a sum equivalent
to the value of thein
improvements.ear.
Mr. KEOGH, returning thanks, , corroborated the
statement of the Prime Warden, that the Fishmongers'
Company had long been distinguished in Ireland by the
manner in which they treated their tenants ; and said
he could safely add his testimony, thatotio ifofaltlhothße
lords went and did likeWiseth
ish
dominions would ere longbe a helppr annd an assistance,t
instead of a drag on this country. •
Several other toasts were given, and the company,
which consisted of upwards of 100 persons, separated
about half-past 11 o'clock.
The dinner, which was in the highest degree sump-
tuous, was provided by Messrs. Ring and Brymer,
Corahill. Mr. Harker acted as toastmaster ; and a
selection of vocal music was performed in the course of
the evening, under the direction of Mr. Hobbs, assisted
by Mr. Frances, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Machin, and Mr.
J-L Phillips. - - - -•-