The Sun.
London, England, 1825-05-26 00:00:00

PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE ENLARGEMENT
AND BUILDING OF 011311 CHES AND CHAPELS.
Yesterday the Anniversary Meeting of this
Society, the object of which is to assist parishes desirous of
obtaining additional accommodation by enlarging the structure
orimproving the internal arrangement of their churches, 'was
held at the FreeniaSons"ravern. Ilis Grace the Archbishop
of CANTERBURY took the chair; and amongst those present
were the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Worcester, the
Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Bishop of Down and Connor,
and a great number of Clergymen of the highest rank and
talent.
Mr. Bnamwttr., the Secretary, read the report,.. which
announced that his Majesty having been informed of the na-
ture of this Society, had been pleased to testify his approbation
or its object and exertions by the splendid donation of 1,0001.
(This announcement was received with the highest applause.)
The report further stated, that the Society had, by the expen-
diture of 84,1401., been the means of providing church-room to
the extent of 113,714 sittings. of which 84,349 were for the
accommodation of the poor. The Society had confined its
exertions chiefly to the relief of the spiritual wants sustained
by the very many places which were not entitled to any part of
the Parliamentary grant for building new churches.
'rhe Archbishop of CANT Etter, ay diertaddressed the Meet-
ing. Ile said that great as had been their exertions, great as
had been the benefits they had diffused, and great as had been
the gratification to those who promoted such worthy objects,
the Society must in a short time cease, unless some general and
powerful exertions were made for their relief. The sum which
remained in their Treasurer's hands did not exceed.3,ooo/., and
the support.which- WAS positively promised to them was wholly

inadequate to meet the demands which poured in upon thein
from every qaarter. ilie Grace concluded by forcibly express-
ing his opinion, that the Society could only last by great and
general exertions. .
The Bishop of Losnoee then addressed the meeting. He
said, that after the munifieent donation which had been made to
them by his Majesty, there was every reason to expect that the
public would zealously contribute to the good cause in which the
Society was engaged ; that they would follow the example of
that illustrious personage when they became well acquainted '
with the nature and object of the institution to which the gra-
cious notice of his Majesty would doubtless attract the strongest •
sympathy. His Lordship then described the immense spiritual
advantage likely to arise from the active co-operation of the li-
beral public, as every guinea that was subscribed at least sop-
plied one poor person with a seat in church for ever. - lle con-
cluded by moving a vote of thanks to his Majesty for his mu-
nificent donation. .
Sir ROBE ivy PEEL seconded the motion. The generosity
of the English public might, he conceived, be fully relied upon,
if they were made fully acquainted with . the nature and great
object of the Society. The greatest advantage would be derived
from procuring in every place sufficient accommodation for the
poor, who, it was greatly to he lamented, were excluded in great
numbers from most of the churches in the very populous pa-
rishes. In one place with which he was well acquainted, an ad-
ditional gallery had been built at a very small pecuniary ex-
pence, for the . accommodation of poor persons, and it
was constantly filled. A visible improvement in their mo-
rels was produced, after no very great lapse of time ;
few depredations were committed in the neighbourhood,
and ultimately many of the gentry found they might
remove from their 'erounds spring guns, steel traps, and other
objectionable modes of protecting their property.—(hear,
hear, hear !)—lle expressed his confident opinion that there
was the most ardent 'disposition on the part of the poor to
avail themselves of the facilities which it was the object of
thin Society to procure for them. Ile contended that the in-
terests of the Nobility and Gentry, and of every well-wisher
to religion and the morel improvement of the poor, were iden-
tified with those of the Society.
The motion was carried .unanimously.
Lord KEN YON moved the thanks of the meeting to his
Grace •the Archbishop of Canterbury. His Lordship warmly
eulogized the exertions of their Chairman, and professed the
most ardent zeal in favour of the objects of the Society.—
Carried unanimousl)e
The Bishop of CitxsTEn. said they would be answerable, if
from inattention they suffered to be extinguished that sacred
spark which might be fanned into a glorious flame that would
enlighten the whole kingdom. The objects of the Society were
of primary importance., However meritorious other institu-
tions for the promotioa of religious knowledge might be, how-
ever respectahle might be their sapporters (and most respect-
able
they undoubtedly were), and with whatever skill they
might be directed, still the benefits they conferred must be
Of comparative inutility, unless it was also sought •to give
the poor opportnnities of hearing the Scriptures properly ex-
pounded. Without this facility, the sacred book might even be
productive of mischief in the hells elf the illiterate or unin-
formed.—( Hear, bear !)—His Lordship then spoke of the ad-
vantages which had been produced in his own diocese by the
enlargement of the places of worship, and he exhorted the meet-
ing to increased exertions.
A long list of subscriptions was then read. The Archbishop
of Canterbury subscribed 3001. ; Sir It. Peel, 5001. ; the Prin-
cess Augusta, 1001. ; the Bishop of London, 200/.; and the
Bishop of Worcester, 1001.
The Rev. Mr. COTTON, in presenting the report of the Lon-
don Committee, said the existence of the Society was scarcely
known in the city; but, hen all were made fully acquainted
with its objects, it could not fail to receive extensive support.
Bishop of EXETER. took the opportunity of mentioning,
that last year he had the plea-sure of consecrating a church which
was built in his diocese at the*expenee of one individual (Earl
Grosvenor), and .it was calculated to hold 1,500 persons.—
(A pplause. )
The Meeting separated after thanks were voted to the Lon-
don Committee.

NATIONAL SHIPWRECK PRESERVATION
SOCIETY.

Yesterday the first Anniversary Dinner of tile
Royal National Institution, for the Preservation of Life from
Shipwreck,. was held at the City of London Tavern ; his Royal
Ilig.hness the Duke of YORK in the Chair. He was supported
on his right by the Earl of Manvers, Lord Viscount Exmouth,
Thomas Wilson, -Esq., i'ILP., and on his left by Viscount
TorriOgton, Mr. Alderman Thompson, M.P., and
.several
-others.
The cloth being removed, the healths of the King, the Royal
Family, the Army and Navy, and the Institution, which was
to he commemorated,-were drank with the customary honours.
Mr. WI esoN then rose, to ask a bumper to the health of his
Royal Highness. the Duke of York—(Cheers.)—who had greeted
the meeting with his presence. -.He felt proud to see so numerous
and respectable a company assembledito commemorate the anni-
versary of an Institution whose objects must meet with the ap-
probation of every humane and patriotic mind. One advantage
possessed we over foreign widows, .and that was in the number
of our private charities. Yet they were not more national to us
than to.others they might be enjoyed all over the world. The
great secret which England possessed was, that through every
gradation of society, front the throne to the meanest subject, an
anxious desire was felt to aid and asiist those whom misfortune
or accident rendered objects of public sympathy.—(Cheers.)—
The Princes of the blood.did not scruple to descend-from their •
elevated situations to mingle with their fellow creatures, and
pour the oil of cOmfort into the wounded heart.—( Hear, hearl)
—in private life so bright an example would be cherished and
admired : but, when the extimple was given by the Prince it
not .only shed a lustre around the throne, but aimed its influ-
ence to every heart and mind. Under the auspices of his Royal
Highness, he dad-no doubt that the great work which the So-
ciety had undertaken mould, triumph over every obstacle. He
left to the meeting to feel the adyantages of the Institution ;
and would content himself with observinte, that .the tin L bight
come, when., perhaps, many of those whom he now addressed
might be snatched frome premature grave by the exertions of
the Society ; and, if the misfortune should not befal.themselves
it might visit their families, and those who -were nearest
.and
dearest to them.—(Cheers.)e-Drank with three times three.
His Ro var. HIGHNESS, in returning thanks, said, no man
was more anxious to meet his fellow subjects than himself, or
felt more happy at their approbation of his conduct. We were
a commercial and a naval nation ; and an institution, like the
present, might be ranked among the first of the many charities
for which this country was distinguished. Long Might it con-
tinue.— (Cheers. )—The highest and the lowest among us, might
sooner or later participate in the benefits of so humane and ex-
cellent a screlety—(Cheers.)
The health of the Earl of Liverpool, the President of the In-
stitution, was then proposed and drank, with three times three.
On the health of the Tice-Presidents being drank; Viscount
Torrington briefly returned thanks.
The healths of the Office-ly,arers of the Society were then
' given, and.suitably acknowledged.
. The ROYAL CliAlttmax retired soon after ten o'clock, at-
tended by the majority of the company, after an evening spent
in the uunost hilarity and good feeling; to both which the cor.
dial and condescending manners of his Royal Highness mainly
contributed.

OPTIIALMIC INFIRMARY.
The twentieth Anniversary of thi74 admirable
institution was yesterday, held at the Albion Tavern, in Al-
dersgate-street. T. llEwsx, Esq. 31. P. was in the Chair,
supported by Mr. Bing, M.P., and Mr. Whitbread, M.P.
Doctors Babington, Farm, and other medidal men of eminence,
were also present.
After the removal of the cloth, Benedicite Mum was sung by
the professional gentlemen present. The customary toasts were
then drank with the usual honours.
Dr. FARRE then read the report, and pronounced an elo-
quent speech on the utility of the Institution, not only in Eng-
land, but in all parts of 'the world. Since the establishment of
the Infirmary, the contributions amounted to 15,8161., during •
which 60,255 out-patients had been admitted, of which it was
estimated that 50,592 had been cured; but it was the establish-
ment for in-patients, or cases requiring operation for cataract
and artificial pupil, which had been the chief source of expen-
diture of the funds of the Infirmary. " Calculating," says the
Report, " the expenditure only by the number °font-patients,
it may be remarked, that for every}guinea contributed, four pa-
tients have been admitted at the Infirmary, and thus an extent
of service, and a facility of rendeting it most amply repaying
the expenditure, have been placed within the reach of every be-
nevolent man. If an estimate of the relative expense of the
prescriptive and operative departments be required, the annual
expenditure of the whole ektabli.hment may be taken at 8001.,
of which about 3001, should be assigned to the out-patients, and
SOO/. to the in-patients."
The CHAIRMAM then proposed—" Prosperity to the Lon-
don Opthalmic Infirmary," which was received with great
applause.
The healths of Mr. Byng and Mr. Whitbread were then
drank.
Mr. BENG, in returning thanks; observed, that from the
number of Institutions to which he belonged, he was unable
to forward this one so much as he wished, but he was so con-
vinced of its utility, that he should from henceforth double his
subscription.
Mr. WHITBREAD also returned thanks.
After which the subscriptions, amounting to a pretty large
sum, were read over. Various other toasts were then given,
and the company did not rise from the festive board till an ad-
vanced hour.