The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-25 00:00:00

INAUGURATION OF THE BURY (LANCASHIRE)
ATIIENSUM.

The opening of the Bury Athenmum was celebrated on
Wednesday evening by a tea party and soiree, presided
over by Lord Stanley, M.P. for Lynn, and attended by
several hundred persons, a large proportion of them being
ladies. The foundation stone Iva"; laid inlBso by the present
Earl of Derby, the institution being intended to supersede
one of a similar character which had been in existeriee at
Bury since 1837, but had become inadequate to the wants
of the town. Among the gentlemen who took part in the
proceedings on Wednesday evening were,-the Lord Bishop
of Manchester, Mr. John Cheetham, M.P , Mr. Richard
Fort, the Rev. C. Richson, the Rev. Dr. Vaughan, of Man-
chester, and Mr. Edmund Grundy, of the Wylde, the pre-
sident of the institution.
Lord STANLEY, M.P, who was intoduced by Mr. Grundy,
the president of the institution, was received with the
warmest demonstration of applause He said L dies and
gentlemen, I thank you heartily for this welcome,,-a and the
first words which I speak shall be to express the high gra-
tification which I feel in addressing you for the first time
face to face-inhabitants of that town of Bury between
which and myself there exists an old hereditary :min aion.
(Hear.) I rejoice the more because we are not assembled
here for any purpose of political context or social stre nor
for mere unmeaning amusement and festivity -pleasant: •
deed at the moment, but barren of results for-heurein.
but we are met together here for a purpose, the highest
and the noblest which can bring together the citizens of
free State ; because we aro met here to do what in us lies
to remove from this country the reproach under which we
too justly lie-the common reproach of national ignorance;
because we are met here to accomplish a work which we
hope and trust will be not for this generation only, but for
our children and our children's children. (Hear.) I have
spoken of this Athenteum as an educational institution, and
I believe in so speaking lam correct. lam well aware that
it is language used by some that education is a thing which
properly belongs only to the season of youth ; but I main-
tain that idea is erroneous. I hold, that for me and for
every one of us education is a thing which must continue
to the very end of our existence. It is a law of our nature.
Our minds are so constituted that we must necessarily and
always be either learning something or forgetting some-
thing ; and it is with the matters of instruction as with
many others, there is no standing still; you must go for-
ward or backward. And not only is this the case as regards
acquired knowledge, but also in reference to the powers of
the mind itself, which, like the body, can only be kept in
proper vigour and health by a succession-a series of efforts
and exertions. Those exertions, let them assume what-
ever form they may, are, in fact, an educational process.
(Applause.) I apprehend it will not be necessary to de-
tain you long by any reference to the circumstances under
which this Athenaeum originated. You are well aware
that there has existed for a considerable time in this
town-I believe for a period of not less than 15 or 16 years
-an institution intended aubstautialiy for the name educa-
tional purposes-an institution concerning which I confess
I know very little-an institution which, I believe has
been productive of excellent results, so far as it went, but
, which was of late felt to be inadequate and insufficient to
the wants of this great and growing population. About five
years ago-I think it was in 1848--the first public proposal
was issued to establish this institution.
had elapsed from the time of that
protwo years
Only
being issued
when sufficient funds had been collected teal the ro-
moters in commencing the building itself. usti
In
1850 the
first stone was laid, and now, towards the close of 1853, we
are met here to celebrate the completion of the under-
taking then begun. Five ears nl have, therefore,
elapsed from the projection of this institution to its final
completion. One word I must say with reference to those
who have taken an active part in promoting and carrying it
out. There is, indeed, one person whose name is connected
with this building to whom I alone am not at liberty to
advert ; but this I will venture to say, in my father's name,
and I am sure I may say it with truth, there is no man in
public life, let him belong to what political party he may,
who is more deeply and sincerely interested in this great
question-the great question of the age-the question of
national instruction. There is no man more sincerely de-
sirous to raise the working class in the social scale. (Ap-
plause.) Gentlemen, I have looked through the subscrip-
tion lists whieh were opened at the time when this under-
taking was commenced, and I must say I think it reflects
credit upon the wealthier inhabitants of this town that
a very large portion of the total amount required should
have been contributed in sums comparatively large by the
principal employers of labour in this neighbourhood. A
emu of something like 1,2001. has been raised in 12 single
contributions. (Hear, hear.) I have observed, further,
that of the whole sum hitherto required and expended
-a sum of about 5,000/.-scarcely less than one-half
has been subscribed in sums exceeding 51. and a very
large part of that amount has been subscribed in sums
considerably larger. I think, therefore, we have here
a gratifying proof that an institution founded, indeed, for
the benefit of all classes, but founded especially for the
benefit of the less wealthy class, has met with the cordial
and disinterested support of the more wealthy classes in the
community of this town. (Hear, hear.) This is a kind of
assistance which no man may be proud of offering, and
which no man need be ashamed to receive. It is not elee-
mosynary, it is not degrading to any one, it cannot injure
any man's self-reliance, it cannot wound any man's just '
feeling of independence ; it is simply a recognition of a
solemn duty, the discharge of an obligation by those who,
under the laws of this country, have risen, and prospered,
and grown wealthy-an obligation which they owe to their
country and to those classes of their countrymen by whose
labour their wealth has been raised. There is just one
other point connected with this institution on which I
wish to say a word. You are probably aware that by au
act passed in Parliament a few years ago, I think in 1848,
it is in the power of any town or borough to charge a part
of the expense of maintaining an institution like this upon
a public rate. I think it is honourable and creditable to
you that you have not done so. It is not that to adopt
that mode of raising a sum for the purpose of establishing
a free library is not perfectly proper and legitimate. I
think there is none more so. (Hear.) In the United States,
where I am afraid I raust say they are considerably in ad-
vance of us in matters of education-in the United States
their is no hetver rate than the rate they pay for school-
ing, and I believe none more willingly paid. I think,
therefore, other means failing, any inhabitant of any
borough would be perfectly justified in applying for that
public aid which the Legislature has placed it in your
power to obtain ; but it is of course more honourable
in you, and it shows a greater reliance upon your own
resources, that you have not chosen to avail your-
selves of that aid, but have been content to found
this institution, leaving it to the public spirit of the
community to support and maintain it. (Great applause.)
I apprehend that the principal objects of this institution
are threefold. There are the evening classes, respecting
the advantages and benefits of which I need say nothing.
There are the lectures, which will, occasionally, perhaps,
frequently-I almost hope regularly-be delivered ;nd
there is the free library, which it is intended to open, and
I believe you have actually opened, to all persons whatever.
But, as regards these lectures though I should be very sorry
to say anything in disparagement of them, believing them
very valuable as a means of instruction, for they are useful,
if attended regularly and consecutively, and in so far as they
serve to stimulate the curiosity and arouse the attention in
regard to subjects to which we might otherwise be indif-
ferent -and especially useful, inasmuch as they replace by
intellectual occupation, even though the lowest of intellec-
tual amusements, other occupations and amusements which
might be less deserving of approbation,-yet I must say I
attach far less importance to them than to the other princi-
pal feature of t'lis institution-the library which you have
opened-because I believe that any man who is really anxi-
ous to study can do so infinitely better by himself, with the
help of books, than he can possibly do by attending any
lectures that may be delivered. It is hardly possible for
' any mas, unless he attends a long course of lectures, which
a thousand unforeseen accidents may prevent him from
being able to do-it is hardly possible for any man to study
in that manner any subject systematically and consecutively,
and, moreover, inasmuch as the lecturer has to address him-
sea. to a very large number at once, and of different capaci-
ties, he must address himself in such a manner as to be un-
derstood by all. But a man who studies and reads for him-
self can pick out for his reading that class of information
which, if I may be allowed to use the phrase, ho is most ca-
pable of assimilating and digesting. I believe the evening
classes, if attended regularly, will also be productive of very
great good, but the one feature of the institution which I
dwell upon most, and the one which I most recommend to
your notice, is that free library which you have opened
downstairs ; and I name it particularly on this account,
that although you have started it very well, and have a fair
collection of books to begin with, there is yet a good deal
to be done in that respect ; and I heartily hope we shall
not fall into the error of supposing that because we have
opened this institution well therefore all is done, and nothing
more is required ; but that we shall continue to support
and maintain it-if necessary to augment its funds-at all
events, to prevent their falling off-with as much zeal and
energy as you have displayed at first. (Applause.) If I were
to enter upon the wide range of questions which is I
con-
nected with the uses and results of institutions like i
this,
am afraid I should occupy a great deal more of your
unrtime
than you could possibly spare, and that I should
;but
ex-
haust you and myself without exhausting the
subject there are one or two reflections which naturally forcethem
solves upon us. We hear every day-it is one of
the
com-
monplaces of the age - but, though commonplace,
not the less true-of the wonderful materialhichdaily
and yearly
progress which
It is
which
is being made, and of the triumphs
man is gaining over nature ;of e
increased
dpa powers which
hliVnhe
we possess in regard to the outward and natural
are all familiar with the wondersofinrastail
nrataadaneoaunsd
tele-
graphs, with the rapid and
almostwhich have almost
inter-
change of thought; with the inventions
annihilated time and spacetd perhaps not without some
it is not uncommon for
some persons to contrast, and
ng progress which indisputabl
belongs to the present y
progress. No don
plausibility, that increasing
there
nge, with our moral and intellectual
is some ground for contrast
between them, an doubt,
and,
no doubt, the intellectual progress
of any nation in the world can hardly keep pace with that
of which our age is
wonderful material progress
witness.
of the human mind •
No doubt, you cannot improve human nature, you can-
notthe Powers with the
increase
rapidity,s and with the same certainty which
same
you can increase your power over nature by means
of some mechanical discovery • but this, I think, should
not that be forgotten-in material progress of which we
are so justly proud wo find a sure, although an indirect,
means for the increase and permanence of moral and intel-
lectual progress. Ido not mean to say by that that there
should tend to give greater power to intellectual minds
than that which was possessed by the minds of those who
preceded us. I don't suppose that is the case. I nave no
doubt that there have been men from the earliest ages of
the world-men like Aristotle, men like Bacon, men like
Newton-whose intellectual capacity is not exceeded, per-
haps is not equalled, by any who are likely to follow them
in the present or any future age ; but the difference
between the ages in which they lived and the ago in
which we live is this,---not that individual minds are
more powerful, but that the number of minds cultivated
and developed is infinitely greater than at any other time.
No man can read the history of the majority of those who
have made great discoveries in literature or science in for-
mer ages without a feeling at once of pride and pain- pain
at the laborious and often upward course which the great,iffi_
minds were compelled to take, and at the necessaryof which
culties thrown in their way by material obstacles
I shall presently speak. The difference b
but that what
between this and
past ages is not merely that more is known,_e
persons
and this
is known is known by a larger number P
also I will say, that in the present day,it is
scarcely
Ns_
class of life it may
sible that a great intellect,
in whatever
arise, or under whatever circumstances, should be starved
and stunted for want of proper culture and development.
Contrastthe position of the artisan or operative in the pre-
intellectual culture with what it was
100 years ago. Any ma
sent day in regard to
living
by his own labour at that
period who should hays aformed the design of prosecuting
any deep and systematic and extensive study- - where must
for the first elements of all knowledge,
he begin ? Evensand writing, he would have to de-
pond upon such teaching
the power of reading
as he could obtain at home ; for
there were scarcely any schools for the workitpg
-

Worthy of the name, nooks, again, were almost entirely
out of his reach, for I need not tell you that those large
and costly folios and qtartos we now see on the shelves of
old libraries were totally inaccessible, by their price, to
the great majority of men. Book-clubs were unknown in
theme dayei so that the circulation even of the most po-
pular works was comparatively limited, We are told that
there were no newspapers in existence a century ago, but I
leave it to all who have seen them, especially those of the
earlier part of the last eentury, to compare them with
those we have at the present day, and they will see that
from such sources as those scarcely any valuable informa-
tion mild be derived. But take the same class at the pre-
sent day, and, in the first place, they are comparatively
is the point to which I was anxious to come—it is by
much more wealthy ; in the next place, although I am far
from saying they are perfect in that respect, still undoubt-
edly the opportunities of attending instruction at school
are infinitely greater than they were ; and, lastly—and this
means of institutions of this nature that we are ready,
that we undertake furnish all those who will bring the
will to learn, with the requisite proportion of elementary
knowledge which is indispensable to all study,—to all
such, I say, we offer the means of obtaining instruction
unfettered by the obstacles which poverty might
otherwise present. (Great applause.) The time is
pretty well gone by when we shall bear of the danger
of educating the people ; we know very well tho danger
now lies on the other side, that we shall leave them un-
educated. (Applause.) It has sometimes been said that
those the majority of whose days are spent in mechanical
toil have little leisure and little desire for any instruction
that deserves the name ; but you have sufficiently refuted
that assertion, and the manufacturing population of Man-
chester have abundantly refuted it. Nothing is more
creditable to the population of this country, and nothing
can render us more hopeful of the future, than the
manner in which those, the greater part of whose lives
is spent in daily toil for their daily subsistence, devote
the small remnant that is left, not to idle amusement,
but to rational and profitable instruction. (Applause.)
Nor will it again be argued, as it has sometimes been,
that to opon to those who have little prospect of rising
above their actual position in life all the sources of
English literature, is only to make them discontented with
their present state. I think we have begun to recognise as
a public truth that which we all individually and privately
feel in ourselves--namely, that there is
no greaterblessing
that Providence has given to man than that power which
we have by means of literature, of living out of ourselves,
of forgetting our oven troubles and our own individual
thoughts, in the thoughts of the great minds
of ages gone
by. (Applause.) If there is a cause for apprehension in
regard to education at the present clay, it is rather that
we may perhaps be. laying too much stress upon what
mpy be called the purely utilitarian and material part
of education. I do not mean to deny that every inven-
tion and every discovery by which a man increases the
power of mankind over nature is a great result not only
to the individual, but to the world; but the number of
such discoveries is comparatively small, and to each
man, 1 believe, the great end of education should be,
not the vague and uncertain prospect of obtaining
future results for the world at large, but that certain
reward which he himself will reap in the increase
of the intellectual powers, and consequently the aqg-
mentation of happiness. I don't believe that any man is
ever obtained great results in literature or in science
who did not love literature and science for their own
sakes. (Applause.) I believe it has occasionally been
urged against institutions like the present that those who
promote them attach, in the scheme of life, too great and
exorbitant a value to these as compared with other matters.
I think we must all feel that to any man knowledge cannot
be everything ; that knowledge is power, but that power
may be dangeross. Knowledge brings responsibility • and
for him who errs with the power conferred by knowledge it
had been better that he had remained in ignorance. But
these results are not in our hands, and all that we say is
this—that the desire of knowledge is natural to man—that
it is one of the strongest instincts implanted in him by the
Author of his being ; and that, being so, it is an impulse
which he is bound to follow, and that we are bound, so far
as in our power lies, to aid him in following it. That is
the object we propose to ourselves—to remove out of the
path of the student, especially the poor student, all those
material obstacles which would encumber and retard his
progress. The results must be left to the efforts of the in-
dividual himself, and you may be content to leave them
contentedly and cheerfully in the hands of an overruling
Providence. (Loud applause.)
The Rev. Mr. THORBURN then read a report, giving a
history of the origin of the institution. The site of the
present building had been gratuitously granted them by
the late Earl of Derby, who had enhanced the gift by a do-
nation of 100 guineas. Might such liberality- ever distin-
guish that illustrious house, and bring down upon it, to
the latest posterity, the compensations of Providence and
the benedictions of society. The building had been erected
at a cost of 4,8751., and this had been met by subscriptions
up to 4,4811., leaving a balance due to the treasurer of about
3931., which it was hoped would soon be supplied by fur-
ther public contributions.
The Lord Bishop of MANCHESTER here rose and observed
that while he did not wish to depart in the slightest degree
from acknowledging the liberality of the house of Derby,
and was perfectly willing to hope and pray that the bless-
ings of Providence might rest upon them, he could never
consent to adopt the form that the " compensations" of
Providence may do so; and he trusted, therefore, that he
might not be called upon to move an amendment to sub-
stitute the word " blessings" for " compensations."
The Rev. Mr. THORBURN said, as far as he was ooncerned
the alteration might be made at once ; he believed the
word "compensations" had simply bean adopted from some
of Bishop Outler's arguments.
The Rev. C. RIORSON was then called upon by the chair.
man to address the meeting on the benefits of mechanics'
institutions. He was very glad to hear such a flattering
account of this institution, but it was essential that such
an establishment should be self-supporting, and theirs could
not be said to be so entirely until all the teachers in the
classes ceased to render their services gratuitously. And
they must not lose sight of the necessity of sustaining
there the support which had been accorded so spiritedly
in the outset. At the present time it was notorious that
these institutions were, generally, failures, partly owing
to the deficiency of the members in the necessary primary
instruction, partly to the attempt to make such institutions
class institutions and under class management, and, above
all, owing to the lamentable proneness of the working
classes to waste their time by setting in public-houses. It
must be remembered also that the kind of instruction
afforded by mechanics' institutions at their first projection
was much below the requirements of the present day. In
the education of the productive classes, it was now hupera-
ative that they should have what was called secondary
instruction, so that children of all grades and classes should
have an opportunity for their development, which would
enable them to take the places which were now occupied
by foreign artists. He trusted that much would be effected
in this direction by the establishments in London promoted
by the Royal Commission and the efforts of Dr. Lyon May-
fair and Mr. Cole. (Applause.)
The Lord Bishop of MANCHESTER then rose, and was
received with much applause. After expressing his grati-
fication at the successful establishment of the institution,
his lordship proceeded—Ladies and gentlemen, we have
heard much this evening, and most admirably said, with
respect to the advantages of institutions like the present.
lam not at all blind or indifferent to that advantage. I
should do wrong, and most wrong, if I did not to the ut-
most of my power endeavour to inculcate them upon you ;
but, at the same timepas has been well and truly said, the
subject is a large one, and embraces one or two minor
branches, which, on an occasion like the present, I may
not pass over without some defalcation of duty. It it
true the objects of this institution are most excellent ;
your primary classes will give the means of instruction to
a large number of members of your town who are willing
to receive them ; your lectures will give, not, as has been
often and erroneously supposed, a complete, and accurate,
and minute explanation and illustration of the different
points they embrace, but will give, if properly and ably
conducted, a useful and valuable bird's oye view of the
study of that which in individual study has been already
passed over. And it has been well and truly said that
your library will be of all others the most valuable, inas-
much as you give to the student the means not only of
perfecting the knowledge derived from the classes in the
school-rooms, of realising and perfecting the information
obtained from lectures, but also of working for !himself,
and giving him that which is the peculiar privilege of
every Englishman—and God be praised has been for years,
and God be praised there is every prospect of continuing
so for a long time—of availing himself to the fullest ex-
tent of whatever power and ability God has blessed him
with. While I laud the means, while I entreat you not
to be wanting to the fullest extent, and not merely as
regards exertion, not merely as regards feeling, which
may evaporate before this evening has passed away, but
in earnest and indefatigable efforts to snake this institu-
tion,
as far as you possibly can effect it, co-operatewith another kind of institution, you oweother
duty to the community among which
youlive—an-
other still more important duty to that God who has
placed you here, and imposed all the responsibilities under
which you exist. You may open evening classes, and have
lectures here, and present a library here, stored with able
instructors, stored with gifted writers, stored with
all those
records of learning, genius, and talent which past ages or
the present age may afford ; but, unlessyou perform your
bounden duty, not merely intellectually, but morally; not
merely morally, but religiously; not ierely religiousl
but civilly, to prepare youth to receive the benefits-of that
instruction, you are failing in a primary and most essential
element of your duty in every respect. (Applause.) A.
speaker who has preceded me has told you of the advan-
tage of secondary education, and I, for one, will never un-
dervalue it, but I will take his own illustration, I will fol-
low him on his own ground, I will take the very circum-
stance he himself has alluded to, and I will ask you to con-
sider that very circumstance alone, depending, as it does,
upon an entirely secondary and inferior branch, which
ought not to be named for a moment in comparison with
those greater, and higher, and holier interests which affect
all the members of a large and important community like
this, as most of us know. He has told you of institutions
preparing in London under the auspices of the Royal Com-
mission, and promoted by Mr. Cole and others. It is per-
fectly true that for the last three-quarters of a century
art has been encouraged in England in a manner alto-
gether unprecedented; it is perfectly true that the libe-
rality of George lll.—that the talent of West, and of
Reynolds before him, and of Lrwrence succeeding him
—that the labours of the Royal Academy of Artst the
labours of other art institutions arising from To
which I will not too curiously inquire into, but pur-
sued with au assiduity, an industry, paltersrinciple
cost,
carried on by
.thevery acerbity of the principles
done much for and
which
brought them into existence—all these have
training up students of art. But go to any one otfheoulritt
ex-
hibitions, from the larger ones in some
c 2
towns, and I
and more bumble ones among
ask you if you can find one outouefr
representing the
provincialundred historical pic-
tures--one out of a hundred picturesdoes not show that how_
departments of art—which does
may be in the humbler
ever talented or skilled the painter and more truthful, in
departments of art—in the higher
the historic, in the learned, in the classical, in the pure
he is not wholly and entirely Ificiont. (Applause.) ladies,
and gentlemen, we want education(e for the you
, not meet a large constituency like this On the present.i a
4 oc-
casionre and not emphatically and earnestly warn them of
what I believe to be their duty. You have done well ;
you have erected a goodly building ; you have formed a
goodly establishment ; you have come forward on large
and liberal principles to promote that which is calculated
under the blessing of Providence, for the benefit of those
you educate the young,
amid whom you live : but, unless
you have but erected it on a foundation of sand. Let me
vil, so
ci pray you that this is a great, practical and important,
, and religious question. Let me pray you to
consider that, coming among you as I now do
in a sp of
kindness and friendship, I._ am not straying from thet re-
cord—l am not departing
trom the part assigned to me—
if I endeavour to rouse You for' moment to complete that
noble platform which in
I this building you have been per-
mitted to construct. do fully believe that this insti-
tution will do ranch good ; but I must again repeat to
you, what I have intimated before, that unless you train
your Young, unless you second the measures which are pro-
POlied )1 others fot providin instruction for the 7°1114;

DREADFUL ACCIDENT AT PORTSMOUTH.—Yesterday,
at 10 p.m., two houses in Southside-street, Plymouth,
immediately opposite Harvey's Navy Tavern, fell down,
and, we regret to state, caused the death of several
persons. The premises, which were very old, had been
purchased by the Improvement Commissioners, for the
purpose of widening the street. They comprised a
frontage of about 70 feet by a depth of 20, having thick
stone walls at the sides. The front and rear con-
sisted chiefly of partition work. The purchaser of
the materials sold the doors, windows, and mov-
able portions in lots to various persons, who re-
moved them forthwith. The place was thus _thrown
open, and became the resort of a number of lads,
who were jumping and playing about, when, with,
the exception of the two walls, the whole suddenly fell.
,rDeldmiwmilaiietkhilan:l
in. Many escaped with slight bruises, but the follow.
ing were dug out lifeless :—William Stanbury, aged 12,,
whose father is a baker in Southside-street ; Richard
Stibbs, 9, son of a pilot in New-street ; Edward Johns,.
12, son of a fisherman ; John Foley, 10, son of a pilot -
John Stoyles, 18, mason, Cambridge-street ; and Wil-
liam Williams, 11, son of a fisherman in New-street.
Among the wounded are—John Byer, 14, son of a pilot
in New-street—foot broken; Ralph Millman, 6, son ofa.
tailoress—external injury, not expected to recover ; Jacob
Myers, 12, and George Evans, 11—slightly injured.
BURNING OF ANOTHER STEAM ANvirianDn,d-IniVriollaNi
LIVBEPOOL.—On Wednesday evening a fire broke
Messrs. Rawsthorne's steam and • d •
lane, Liverpool. The fire rapidlyprogressed
the fury of a furnace. It continued to floor until it burst out at the top, AT
out in.
e to rage fiercely for
from floor
three hours, when the mill, sails, and a portion of the
destroying it, and such was
machinery attached, fell u
taheterrfoifirccecoraf sht,h completely
pon an adjoining cottage with
concussiond that the fall shook the
Two millers bad
lives. Thereon Nvtehree avletoryg
ground. Fortunately
a n° one was hurt at the time..
etnhaerrrowaboeustcaptewefnotry theirmen
fire broke out the
store room at the to
employea
tpremises, and, at the time the
top of
tnhaemwedindw-meriell.at work Their inthe
com-
panions appear to have been so alarmed that they
forgot to communicate to them what had occurred, and
thi poor fellows only found out what a frightful situa-
tion they were in by the immense masses of smoke
which came up the tia:)-doors and staircases. In snak-
ing their escape they were met by a great body of
flame from the steam-mill, but fortunately there was
another staircase leading to the ground, by means of
which they secured their safety. A few minutes more
and they must have been either suffocated or burnt to
death. The wind-mill had just been newly renovated,.
at a cost of 1,0001. The machinery drove nine main of
grinding stones. The loss, including stock, &c., is esti-
mated at 9,000/., and it is not known whether the pre.
mises were insured.
OBERNHOF (NASSAU) LEAD AND COPPER COMPANY.
—A meeting of the Obernhof (Nassau) Lead and Copper
Company took place yesterday, when a favourable re-
port was made. The future prospects of the mines, i o
connexion with the return of ores, have induced the di-
rectors to propose an increase in the surface establish,
ment, and it has been agreed to issue among the proprie-
tors a further number of shares,
..o to participate in divi-
dends frog r r
p January next, t Rising the
necessary
capita