The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-02 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

The Queen gave a concert yesterday evening at Buck-
ingham Palace.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent arrived,
attended by Lady Augusta Bruce, Baroness de Speth,
and Colonel Sir George Couper.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester was
attended by Lady Caroline Murray and Colonel the
Hon. Augustus Liddell.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge were accompanied by their Royal Highnesses
the Hereditary Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of
Alecklenburgh Streli'z, and were attended by Lady
Augusta Cadogan and Mr. Edmond Mildmay.
His Royal Highness Prince George was attended by
Captain the Hon. James Macdonald.

his Royal Highness Prince Henry of the Netherlands
was attended by Vice-Admiral Lucas, Lieut.-Colonel
Rigut, and Lieut. the Chevalier R. Van Rappard.
His Royal Highness Prince Leopold, Count of Syra-
cuse, was attended by tho Chevalier do Colonna.
The members of the Royal Family were received and
conducted to the presence of her Majesty and the Prince
by the lion. Misses Cavendish and Kerr, Maids of Ho-
nour in Waiting; Mr. B. Ormsby Gore, Groom in
Waiting; Colonel Wylde, Groom in Waiting to the
Prince; Lieut.-Colonel the lion. C. B. Phipps, Equerry
in Waiting; and Colonel Bouverie, Equerry in W aiting
to the Prince.

His Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxo Weimar
was also present.
Her Majesty and the Prince Albert entered the State
Saloon, where the company had assembled, accompanied
by their illustrious guests, and attended by the Ladies
and Gentlemen in Waiting. The august party, followed
by the general company, passed into the Saloon, which
was fitted up for music, and the concert commenced
shortly before ten o'clock.
The following was the programme:—
PARTE PRIMA.
Quartetto, " Mi manca la voce,"
Hayes e Madlle. Alboni; Signori Gar-
doni o Mario (Moi a in Egitto) ... Rossini.
Air, " E furz i estinguere, Sig. Gar.l.oni
(II Reggente) Mercadante.
Duo, " Crudel perche Ilnora," Made. Gribi
e Sig. Coletti (Nozze di Figaro) ... Mozart.
Air, " Oh! vane pompe," Madlle. Hayes
(La Marescialia)... Nini.
Trio, " In questo estremo istante," Madame
G nisi, Signori Gardoni e Mario (Assedio
di Corinto) ... Rossini.
Tyrolienne, " Carina senti un poco,"
Madlle. Alboni ..• ••• Hummel.
Coro, " Siamo ciechi; siamo nati," Tutti
(Carnoval di Venezia) ••• ... Rossini.
PARTE SECONDA.
Duo, " E via Buffone," Signori Colletti e
Lablachs (Don Juan) ... ... Mozart.
Air, " .lo l'udia," Madame Grisi (Torquato
Tasso) Donizetti.
Duo, " Ancor giovane, a proscritto," Sig-
nori Gardoni e Mario (11 Bravo) ... Mercadante.
Trio, " Dunque it mio ben," Madlle.
Hayes, Signori Gardoni e Lablacho
(Flauto Magico) . . Mozart.
Air, "Se i miei Sospiri" (1580), Sig.
Mario ... Stradella.
Duo, " Di comforto," Madame Grisi e
Madlle. Alboni (Vestalo) Mercadante.
Coro, " Vadasi via di qui," Tutti.
Signor Costa presided at the pianoforte.
Refreshments were served to the company during the
evening in the principal dinner-room, where also the
supper was served.

About three hundred and seventy invitations were
issued.

The Queen and the Prince Albert took a carriage
drive yesterday, accompanied by the Prince of Wales,
and the Princess Ali e, and attended on horseback by
Lieut.• Colonel the Hon. C. B. Phipps and Colonel
Bouverie.

Mr. John Leo had the honour of submitting a car-
riage, with his patent wheels and axles, to his Royal
Highness Prince Albert yesterday, at Buckingham
Palace. Messrs. Pearse and Counzze, the builders of the
carriage, accompanied Mr. Lee.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Kent, the
Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and the Princess
Mary, and the llereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklen-
burgh Strelita visited the Queen yesterday.
His Royal hhighntss Prince Albert presided yesterday
afternoon at a meeting of the Commission for Promoting
and Encouraging the Fine Arts in the rebuilding of the
Palace of Westminster.

His Royal Highness arrived at three o'clock, attended
by Colonel Buuverie.
The Commissioners present were Viscount Canning,
Lord Colborne, the Right Hon. the Speaker of the House
of Commons, Viscount Mahon, the Right Hon. Sir R.
Peel, Sir R. H. Inglis, and Mr. Hallam. The Secretary,
Mr. Eastlake, was in attendance.
The meeting broke up at six o'clock.
Lieutenant-Colonel the lion. C. B. Phipps has re•
lieved General Wemyss in the duty of Equerry in Wait-
ing to the Queen; and Colonel Bouverie has relieved
Colonel the Hon. A. Gordon in the duties of Equerry in
waiting to Prince Albert.

Her Royal Highness the Hereditary Grand Duchess
of Mccklenburgh Streli'z visited her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Kent yesterday.
Sir John PeEy had an interview with Earl Grey on
Thursday.
Viscount Melville, Mr. Lafone, Lord Seymour, and
Mr. Codnor, had interviews yesterday with Earl Grey.

's Hospital,
CHRIST'S HOSPITAL.—At a meeting,
when
the resignation of Mr.
thefrom the Committee
on ridayoflatshtte
vernors of Christ
gibgteo:ithuncap,ldtl
treasurer, ores re-
seived, a report was broil)!
of Almoners, recommending into
' in future, the funds
the Bank of England
of the hospital should be paid
for account of the governors, and to be
treasurer,
by the signatures of three governors, viz,
thewithdrawn only
of the auditors, and one of the almoners. The
tPtresi dent (Alderman Thompson) expressed his satis
faction at the proposed alteration, which he said whs
wise and prudent, as it was only right, from the interest
taken in these matters in other quarters, that the hospi-
tal should be a step in advance. The governors present
expressed their gratification at the suggested improve-
ment, and it was remarked thnt Christ's llospital would
be the second Royal Hospital which had adopted this
wholesome plan, Bethleliem Hospital having, upon the
appointment of a new treasurer, several years ago, acted
upon the same salutary recomineedation. A deep and
general expression of regr.:t was evinced by the gover-
nors present upon this occasion at the loss of the ser-
vices of the late treasurer, and the resolutions of the
grateful acknowledgments cf the governors to that gen-
tleman and Mrs. Pigeon, for whom they have also enter-
tained the highest respect, were ordered to be printed in
the daily papers.
There may now be seen in our office window a head
of asparagus, six ounces in weight, and four inches in
b:eadth. It was grown by Mr. William Webster, gt;r-
doer, 91 Nygllgsey,—,Liverpa ilercury.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF COMMONS, June 1.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
TINED READINGS.
The following Bills were read a third time and
passed:—
Torquay Market.
Transfer of Sheffield Canal to River Dun Navigation
Company.

SECOND READING.
Williams's Estate Bill was read a second time.
PETITIONS.
The Sheriffs of London presented a petition in favour
of the Smoke Bill.
Several petitions were presented from poor-law officers
praying for a superannuation fund.
Mr. AGLIONBY presented petitions praying for an
amendment of the Merchant Seamen's Act.
Mr. MACGREGOR presented a petition, numerously
signed, from a place in Scotland, praying for a thorough
reform of Parliament.
Mr. GLADSTONE presented a petition, praying for
an alteration of the Merchant Seamen's Fund.
CANADA.
In reply to Mr. MILES,
Mr. lIAWES stated that all the papers relative to the
legiAative proceedings in Canada had been hid un the
table.

EARTHQUAKE IN NEW ZEALAND.
Mr. AG LIONI3Y asked the Under-Secretary of State
for the C,lonies whether any further accounts had been
received from New Zealand on the subject of the earth-
quake which bad been felt there; and nhether the ex-
tent and amount of damage is known.
Mr. HAVES replied that since the dispatches laid on
the table on the 25th of April no dispatches had been
received from the Governor General, who then reported
the injury to be 50,0001. Official Gazettes had, however,
been since received, stating that a Commission had been
appointed, who had reported that the damage done to
the town of Wellington did not exceed 14,0001. or 15,0001.,
part of which would be paid out of the colonial fund.
He read a paper, stating that commercial confidence had
been restored in the colony.
Sir C.BURR,ELL presented a petition from a place
in Surrey. praying for protection to agriculture.
Mr. HERRIES presented a petition from the Board
of Trade of Quebec against any alteration of the navi-
gation-laws.
OVERLOADING STEAMBOATS.

In reply to Mr. CARISI7/ELE,
Mr. LABOUCIJERE stated that the result of Cap-
tain Denham's inquiries with respect to the overloading
of vessels plying iu the Irish Channel, had led the Go-
vernment to the determination that they should enforce
the Act of last session for limiting the number of pas-
sengers according to the size of vessels.
CANADA.

In reply to Mr. HER,RIES,
Mr. HAWES said it was not usual to read over the
proceedings of the Canadian Legislature during the
bitting of its session. He thought in this the Governor-
General had exercised a wise discretion.
THE DISTRESS IN IRELAND.
Lord J. RUSSELL said that ho was anxious to
answer a question which had been put to him some time
before the recess, with respect to a report which had
been current in the newspapers, and which was said to
be founded on a letter addressed to him by the Rev. J.
Anderson, of Ballinrobe.—(Hear, hear.) In that letter
the Rev. Gentleman was stated, in the first place, to
have said that he was particularly desirous to avoid say-
ing anything that might cause anxiety in the public mind.
He (Lora J. Russell) had deemed it necessary to make
the fullest icquiries upon the subject, and he found by a
letter addressed to him by the Rev. Gentleman, dated
the 19th May, that the communication said to have been
%Ade the other day was written as long ago as last No-
vember.—(ilear, hear.) By this letter it was shown
that the dreadful circumstance to which he referred oc-
curred in the Clifton Union. It bad been stated that a
person driven by want bad cut cut the liver and
heart of a shipwrecked body, in order to satisfy the
intense cravings of hunger, and that he was with difficulty
restrained from regaling himself and family upon such
a maddening repast.—(Hear, hear.) The real circum-
stances were very different. It was true that a dead
body had been cast on shore, and that it had been in
reality found by an individual who was represented as
being a person of singularly voracious appetite. He
found this body, and, without being aware that it was
human, was preparing to cut a portion of it away, but
sore of the neighbours interfered, and pointed out
what it was, when he immediately desisted.
Further, so far from this individual being in
want, he had been for a long period in regular employ-
ment by the farmers around, and in the receipt of good
wages for months past.—(Hear, hear.) He wished to
state these facts in order to disabuse the public of those
erroneous impressions which were likely to result from
such grievous misstatements of Irish distress.—(Cheers.)
Sir G. GREY said that he was anxious to read to the
House a portion of a letter which he had received from
Lord Clancarty, in correction of a report which had
ascribed to tris Lordship a statement of a great increaso
in the mortality in the Limerick Union. By this letter
it appeared thut instead of increasing, the mortality had
decidedly decreased. (The Right Hon. Baronet then
read a letter to that effect.)
_AAL ST.t...
In reply to Mr. GLADSTONE,