The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-29 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL.

Yesterday a special meeting (adjourned from the Wed-
nesday previous) of the governors of this hospital as-
sembled in their board-room, at twelve o'clock, to take
into consideration the remaining resolutions in the report
of the committee.

Sir R. INGLIS was voted to the chair, and having read
the minutes of the last meeting,
The Hon. Captain MAUDE brought forward the reso-
lutions referring to the division of the duties of house-
steward and secretary.
At this stage of the proceedings his Royal Highness
the Duke of CAMBRIDGE (who is a governor of this
hospital) entered the room, and seated himself on the
chairman's right, amidst loud cheers. His Royal High.
ness stated that in consequence of a letter received by
him, complaining of the conduct of ono of the hospital
surgeons, he had gone over the hospital, every part of
which he had inspected, He had also read the evidence
taken before the committee, and thought the governors
were indebted to those gentlemen for their exertions.
He had attended many hospitals, and presided Over
some, and considered the internal arrangements of this
hospital were inferior to most of them. Such was the
inevitable result of the open board, which he rejoiced to
hear was to be changed for a close one. his Royal
Highness repeated his firm conviction that the committee
deserved the highest credit for what they had done, and
he should most strongly support all the resole ions in
their report. Ile had come down there to state his views
thus frankly. He had no feeling of partiality or bias, and
was solely influenced by a regard for the interests of the
hospital. His Royal Highness shortly afterwards retired
amidst continued cheering.
A brief discussion ensued on the following resolutions,
all the speakers assenting in -their propriety. -It was
mentioned that in 1826 the number of patients was
5,972, and in 1846, 12,495 ; the secretary, therefore,
though enabled in 1826 to combine the office of house
steward with that of secretary, would clearly, under so
large an increase of patients, field it impossible to do so
efficiently.
The resolutions, which are as follow, were put and
carried without opposition :
" That it is indispensable that the office of house
steward and secretary should be divided, and that for the
vigilant and punctual administration of the business of
the hospital, for the maintenance of order throughout
the establishment, for the perfect superintendence of all
the persons employed, and of the effects of the hospital,
and to ensure the greatest economy of labour and ex-
penditure, an active and intelligent house steward should
be immediately appointed, to reside in the house, and
who will devote himself early and late to the general
good government of the hospital.
" That the secretary to the hospital should no longer
reside in the house ; and that his duties for the future
be confined to the business originating with the board,
to the proper keeping of the accounts, and to the anni-
versary and other duties incidental .to the office of
secretary.

" That the duties of the matron require revision,
with such modifications as the appointment of an Effi-
cient house steward may render necessary, and espe-
cially with reference to the engagement and dismissal
of nurses, and to the existing regulations for their
hours of attendance, so that they may be able to dis-
charge their arduous duties with greater comfort to
themselves, and to devote more care and attention to the
patients.

" That the regulations affecting the nurses require
careful reconsideration. The number at present em-
ployed appear to your committee too few, only six hours
out of the 24 hours being allowed to the night nurses
for rest and recreation. the remuneration and the mode
in which it is given are also susceptible of much improve-
ment; and it is deserving consideration, whether the sys-
tem of nursing sisters successfully adopted in many of
the largest hospitals, should not be introduced into this
establishment_

" That the medical committee shall for the future meet
weekly, and report in writing to the board their opinion
as to the general efficiency of the management of the
hospital, with any suggestions for improvements or alte-
rations calculated to increase the efficiency of the trcat-
ment of the patients."
The lion. Captain MAUDE said that he now came to
the most painful part of their task, but the committee
had been driven to this course by the evidence brought
before them, though they had hoped to have been spared
this duty ;by Mr. Tuson's voluntary resignation. Mr.
Tuson had declined- adopting any such course, and thus
the committee had no alternative after the evidence ad-
duced, and which the governors had doubtless read, but
to propose the following resolution:—" And lastly, your
committee have the painful duty to report that, after
mature and anxious consideration of the subject, it is in
their opinion essential to the welfare of the patients in
the hospital, to that harmonious action amongst the
medical officers, by which alone their duties can be most
efficiently discharged, and to the restoration of the
school of medicine and surgery attached to the hospital,
that Mr. Tuson, one of the surgeons, should resign his
appointment."
The meeting were for nearly five hours engaged in
discussing this resolution, which was ultimately put by
the chair, and carried by a majority of 18, there being
for it 51, against it 33.
Thanks having been voted to the chairman, the meet-
ing adjourned.

SHAKSPERE'S HOUSE.
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, APRIL 24.
The annual festivities in celebration of the birthday of
the Bard of Avon took place in this his native town to-
day. Although many parties came from a distance
there were, perhaps, fewer present than on some former
occasions. There was also little public demonstration.
Save a peal of bells from the tower above the poet's last
resting place, and a banner floating above the Shakspere•
hall, everything was quiet, peaceful, and unpretending.
The meeting of the members of the Shaksperian Club
was held in the morning, at which the question of pur-
chasing the old house in which Shakspere was born was
brought under discussion. The venerable and tottering
edifice, by the terms of the will of the late possessor, was
to be sold at the death of his wife. That lady eired
in October or November last, and consequently thexppos-
sibility is, that unless some party interested in the pre-
servation of this relic—a relic, by the bye, of some little
pecuniary interest to some of the trading inhabitants of
Stratford—it will fall into the hands of those who may
unscrupulously appropriate its site to more profitable
building speculations.
In the circumstances in which they were placed, the
a
committee of the Bhskeperiau Club deemed it dvisable
7" •

(seeing that they were not in a. stuation to • purchase the
I property) to draw the attentien of Govez 'mein to the
subject. The following letter was consequently trans-
mitted to the Chief Cociiniiisigner of Woods and
Forests :-
" Stratford-npon-Avon, Nov_, 19,,1846.
"My Lord,—l am deputed tips Qhairmttn com-
mittee of the Stratford-upon-Aveti-ShakeperFrahtfub, to
address your Lordship upon 41;feqpjvot,„i1* gejitt+ea inte•
rest of which it is hoped I may permitted to plead as
some apology for the liberty of so doing. The house in
which Shakspere was born must shortly be disposed of,
in conformity with the will of its late possessor, and the
Shaksperian Club is most anxious that an opportunity
for securing the preservation of a relic so peculiarly in-
teresting should not be lost. The Shaksperian Club is
not in the possession of funds at present, but it indulges
the hope that an appeal to the country for such an object
would meet with a liberal and efficient response. An
opinion has, however, been expressed by some of the
papers of the day, in which also the Shaksperian Club
entirely concurs, that a property that has on it .a stamp
so essentially national, and to which is attached such uni-
versal interest, should, if possible be placed unaer the
protection of Government. The committee is, therefore,
desirous, before proceeding further in the matter, that
the circumstance of the property being in the market
should be brought under the notice of your Lordship,
and at the same time respectfully to offer to communi-
cate whatever information they may In able to obtain
relative to the subject, either by letter or by deputation,
as might be agreeable to your Lordship.
" I have the honour to be," &c.
To this letter the following answer was received :
" Nov. 22, 1846.

" Sir,—l am extremely oblig dto you for the commu-
nication you have been good enough to make to me,
upon the part of the Shaksperian Club, respecting the
approaching disposal of the house in which the greatest
of our poets was born ; but upon the whole, the Mem-
bers of the Government are disposed to think that the
acquisition of so interesting a property pertains still more
to the people of England than to the Government.
"I have the honour to be, your very dutiful servant.
"MORPETII."
After the receipt of this letter several meetings of this
committee were held relative to this subject, at the last
of which, in consequence of the present holders of the
property declining to name a price, and announcing their
determination duly to dispose of it by the public compe-
tition, it was resolved, " That it was not expedient to
take any public steps in the matter at present." It is to
be hoped the property will be secured by some party in-
terested in its preservation.

ORGANIZATION of the GOVERN-
MENT OF PRUSSIA.
(From La Presse.)
Frederick William IV. was bora on the 15th of Oc-
tober, 1795, and has consequently entered his 51st year.
Married in the year 1823 to Elizabeth Louisa, daughter
of the King of Bavaria, born in 1801, he has no children.
He has reigned since the 7th of June, 1840, the day of
the death of his father, Frederick William 111. His
brother, Frederick William Louis, born the 22d of
March, 1797, is Prince Royal of Prussia. In Prussia
the Government belongs to the King exclusively ; he
exercises the sovereign power with the assistance of a
Council of State, of a Minister of State, and of Privy
Councillors. The Council of State is composed of a
president and a vice-president, of the Princes of the
Royal Family having attained the age of 18 years, of
the Ministers of State, of the commanders-in-chief and
presidents of provinces, of 60 officers who attain their
seats in the Council through the confidence of the Go-
vernment. The Ministers of State are composed of the
Prince of Prussia and of all the Privy Councillors on
duty. The private Ministries are nine in number, viz.,
the Ministry of the King's Household, divided into two
departments; 2, the Ministry of War, divided into two
departments, under the direction of General Von Boyen;
3, the Ministry of Public Worship, of Public Instruction,
and of Medical Affairs, three departments, under the
direction of Dr. Eichhorn; 4, the Administration of the
Treasury and the Mint, directed by General Von Thile;
.5, the Ministry of the Revision of the Laws, directed by
Dr. Savigny ; 6, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, of
which the head is Baron de Canitz ; 7, the Ministry of
the Interior, directed by Baron Von Bodelschwing—
Velmede, at present Royal Commissioner to the United
Diet ; 8, the Ministry of Justice, under the direction of
the Privy Councillor Uhden; 9, the Ministry of Finance,
divided into four compartments, under the control of the
Privy Councillor Duesberg. There are, moreover,
certain central or superior authorities subservient to the
departments of the Ministry. The first are—the
General Tribunal of Censure attached to the Ministry of
Justice, the Direction of Public Works, the Consulting
Committee of Arts and Finances, the General Direction
of the Lottery, the Committee of Examining Com-
missaries attached to the Ministry of Finance, the
Archives of the State and of the Cabinet, under the
special direction of the Ministers of the Royal House-
hold and of Foreign Affairs. The second are—the
Court of Accounts, the Post-office, the General Admi-
nistration of the Debts of the State, the Commercial and
Statistical Offices, and the General' Commission of the
Royal Commands. The Court has likewise its officers—
the grand chamberlain and the grand marshal, the
master of the royal hounds, a general inspector of the
Antic music, a grand butler, a grand master of the
ceremonies, a marshal of the Court, and inferior officers,
such as prefects of the Castles of Koenigsberg, Stolzen-
felds, Breslau. The State Budget for the year 1847 pre-
sents the most perfect t goilibrium. The revenue and
the expenditure amount equally to 64,033.697 'dollars.
Direct taxation figures for 19,319 966 dollars ; the
indirect taxes amount to 26,782,334 dollars ; the salt
monopoly to 4 992,200 dollars, and the produce of the
courts of justice to 4,032,215 dollars. In the expenditure
the na'ional debt figures for 7,219,320 dollars, the
Ministry of Public Worship and Instruction for
25,770,502 dollars—nearly cue-half the expenditure ex
elusive of the notioval debt. The remainder is absorbed
by the other administrations. There (1,,•s not appear to
be any fund for secret service money. The army on the
peace establishment is composed of the infantry of the
Royal Guard, 11,202 men ; 40 regiments of the line,
63,384 men : cavalry, six regiments of the guard, 3,764
men ; 32 regiments of the line, 19,360 men : artiPery,
brigade of the guard, and eight brigades of the line,
15,651 men: engineers, 2,544 men, Total army of the
line, 115,905 men. To these must bo added the Land-
wehr of the first class, 70,648 infantry, and 10,400 cavalry;
and the Landwehr of the second class, 259,561 men. Tho
war establishment consists of 205,000 troops of the line,
130,000 of the first class of the Landwehr, and every
man between the ages of 32 and 39 of the second class of
the Landwehr, and, in line, the Landsturm, which com-
prises every man from 17 to 50 years of age capable of
bearing arms."