The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-06 00:00:00

FRENCH SHIPS ON TIIE STOCKS.

The Moniteur de la Plutte gives the following list of
vessels of different sizes, as being now on the stocks :
" Bretagne, steam line-of-battle ship, Ist rate ; Alge-
siras, Arcole, Imperial, Intrtpide, Redoubtable, Ville de
Bordeaux, Ville de Lyon, and Ville de Nantes, ditto, 3d
rates.; Souverain (Ist rate), Alexandre, Tilsit, Breslau,
Castiglione, Massena, Fontenoy, and Eylau (2d rates),
fitting with screws. Imperatrice Eugdnie, Ardente,
Audaciense, Foudre, Iropdtuense, and Souveraine, Ist
rate steam frigates ; D'Assas and Volta, Ist class
steam corvettes ; Devastation, Tonnante, Lave, Fou-
droyante, and Congreve, floating batteries ; Fleche,
Alarme, Fusde, Mitraille, Etineelle, Eclair, Grenade,
Flarnme, Dragonne, Fulminante, Aigrette, Avalanche,
Tourmente, Tempete, Redoute, Poudre, Arquebuso,
Salve, and Lance, steam gun-boats ; Aigle, Rodeur,
Croiseur, Podor, Dialmath, Guetteur, Pecheur, Ebri4,
Grand Bassani' Basilic, Akba, and Guet'-n'Dar, steam
advice boats • Fournaise, Torche, Trombe, Tocsin, and
Bombe, bomb vessels ; Gironde, Dordogne, Loire,
Durance, Nevre, Meuse, Marne, Saone, Rhin, Isere,
Meurthe, Rhone, and Yonne, steam corvette trans-
ports."

BIRMINGHAM INSTITUTION FOR THE
RELIEF OF DEAFNESS.

The annual meeting_of the subscribers to the Institu-
tion for the Relief of _Deafness took place at tne rooms in
the institution, in Cherry-street, on Thursday last, when
there were present the Mayor, (in the chair,) R. Mar-
tineau, Esq., F. I. Welch, Esq., the Rev. J. C. Miller,
Aldermen Baldwin and Lucy, Mr. Councillor Chance,
Mr. Dufton, and others. Letters explanatory of the
absence of Mr. Alderman Buckley and Mr. J. 0. Mason
were read. The report showed a continued increase in
the benefits conferred on the poor of the town, by means
of the relief the society afforded ; 288 cases had been at-
tended to by Mr. Dufton, the surgeon, of which 145 had
been cured, 98 relieved, and 45 were incurable. The
number of 3,578 patients had, from the commencement
of , the institution, received gratuitous relief. The
Treasurer's statement showed that the balance in hand
was 751. 12s. 10d.—The Rev. J. C. Miller moved the first
resolution, which, with the others, will be found in our
advertising department. He observed that he felt it to
be the duty of the ministers of religion to hold themselves
at the call of a committee like the present, or of a gen-
tleman like Mr. Dufton, who had devoted so much
valuable time to the relief of such a serious bodily ail-
ment as they had heard described. He felt it important
in these days, when there were so many religious insti-
tutions calling for zealous Christian aid, that they should
not forget there were others which had claims upon
them ; and they should not slacken their zeal in behalf
of those which were merely of a philanthropic cha-
racter. He had no doubt if all.those who had obtained
relief from that institution could have been present,
they would be able to give much interesting infor-
mation as to the great value and importance of such an
institution ; and it afforded to Mr. Dufton matter for
pleasurable reflection that during the last few years he
had been the means of supplying relief to so many hun-
dreds. It was a great satisfaction to know in Eirming-
ham to feel (and he said so without any invidiousness
to other medical gentlemen of the town) that they pos-
sessed one person to R hom they could apply with full
confidence in any case of deafness. In Birmingham
they were very well off with regard to the medical staff.
Generally speaking, there were few towns in the king-
dom that were better off in this respect. He would not
elevate Mr. Dufton at the expense of other gentlemen,
but having made the car the organ of his particular
study, he (Mr. Miller) had reason to believe, from
his own experience, that he would be found a kind,
skilful, and generous member of his profession. One.
of his (Mr. Miller's) objects, therefore, in attending
the meeting, was to offer his own personal gratitude
to Mr. Dufton, and to bear his testimony in favour of
the institution. Mr. Welch seconded the notion, which
was passed.—Mr Martineau, in proposing the next re-
solution, said that he had been a subscriber to the in-
stitution since its commencement, and the expressions
of gratitude he had constantly heard from those who
had been relieved through its agency were frequent,
unanimous, and of the warmest kind. In conclusion,
he bore witness to the esteem in which Mr. Dufton was
held, and the sacrifices be had made for the welfare of
those sufferers who had been under his treatment.—Mr.
Alderman Baldwin seconded the resolution, in support-
ing which Mr. Alderman Lucy stated that he had la-
boured under deafness since he was a child, and spared
no expense in obtaining relief; but he had received
more permanent relief under Mr. Dutton than under
any one else. Thanks having been voted to Mr. Coun-
cillor Chance for his continued services as honorary
secretary, and thanks having been accorded to the
Mayor for presiding, the proceedings terminated,—Mid-
land Counties Iferald.

MARKET NEWS-(TELIS DAY.)

CORN EXutiANGE.

To-day's market was very moderately supplied with
English wheat ; nevertheless, the demand for all kinds
was in a sluggish state, at Monday's prices.
There was a fair supply of foreign wheat on offer, and the
sale for all descriptions ruled very inactive, at barely
stationary prices.
We were well supplied with barley, in which only a
limited business was doing, at late rates.
Malt was very dull, and rather lower to purchase.
The show of oats was extensive. All descriptions were
heavy, and the quotations wore barely supported.
Beans, peas, and flour commanded very little attention.

Wheat.
720

r. nglish
Irish •• • •
Foreign ..