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

. _
ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PRO-

TECTION OF LIFE FROM FIRE.
On Tuesday a general meeting of the subscribers and
friends of this institution was held at the Hanover-square
Rooms, to witness the presentation of the rewards and
medals awarded by the committee, and to receive the
annual report. 11. Pownall, Esq., presided.
The SECRETARY proceeded to read the report, which
stated that the society was estahlished in 1836, and that
in 1843 it was adoptad, and remedell(d by the present
society, for the purpose of maintaining an organized
body of men provided with, and instructed in the use
of public fire escapes, which are kept in readiness
st various convenient stations throughout the metro-
polis ; and for the purpose of rewarding all persons
instrumental in saving life from fire. During the
past year 11 lives had been saved, and the society's
silver medal would be awarded to those only who had
saved life at the hazard of their own. The number of
tire-escape, stations now amounted to 22, being three
times the number of those existing in 1843, the expense
of fitting up each station was 651., and the annual ex-
penditure for each 751. A large body of men was em-
ployed in working them, and to ensure their doing so
faithfully, two inspectors were employed, who in the
course of the year visited the stations 2,357 times, a,
uncertain intervals. 139 fires had been attended b)
the tire-escapes, being within four of the total numb( r
of fires occurring throughout the year, during the hours
of duty of the corps, i. e. between 8 P.M. and 7 A.M.
The report further stated, that besides the number
actuaily saved, in many cases persons had been extricated
from most dangerous positions. The receipts for the
past year were 1,7191., the expenditure being 1,705/.;
balance in hand 141.
The CHAIRMAN awarded the prizes with appropriate
individuals:—
To eloquent addresses to the tAlowing
To John Fisher, 48 C, the first silver medal, for
rescu ng Mrs. D-vonshire at Raggett's Hotel ;
silver medal to W. Casey, No. 10, for rescu-
ing two persons from the fire in Newgate-street, July,
1846; silver medal to Slaelferd, City police 58, for most
courageously,rescuing six persons from the flames at a
fare in Smithfield-bars; a silver medal and one pound
were also awarded to a young man named Best, who
m Est heroically rescued a whole family named
Grover, at Brentford, rushing three consecutive times
into the house, and every time bearing members of the
family in his arms, and finally falling exhausted and
bleeding at the threshhold. Best after receiving the
medal was loudly cheered. John Daly received the
society's silver in, dal for the presence of mind, courage,
end strength that h so nobly displayed in rescuing a
Teniale under simi ar circumstances at a fire in Drury-
lane; and, after ether testimonials had been bestowed
on persons for their praiseworthy exertions for the pre-
servation of life and property from fire, several gentle•
men address' d the m. eting, and thanks having been
voted to the chairman, the meeting eparated.

ART-UNION OF LONDON.
Goawin, the hunorary secretary, then read the
following

REPORT.
When the council met the subscribers last year, the
existence of the Art Union of London was seriously
the
threatened. Strong, however, in their opinion o
great value of the association, and determined
to use
every
legitimate
means in 'heir power to ensure its con-
tinuance, they ventured, at the close of the report then
read to augur for it ineny years of increasing usefulness.
This augury it may now be confidently believed, wili
not prove false.
Tiome.,diately after the general meeting, a deputation
from the council, headed by our illustrious president,
:attended Sir Robert P el, then prime minister, with the
view of removing the objections to Art-Unions enter-
tained by some part of her Majesty's Government. Net
succeeding in this, ev' ry effort was male to enable mem-
bers of the legislature to arrive at a just conclusion on
Mr. Wyse's Bill for legalizing Art-Unions, which was
then before the House of Commons, and, without enter
ing further into detail, suffice it to say, that the Bill
ultimately passed both houses, and received the Royal
Assent on the 13th of August, 1446
This Act first setting forth that associations for the pur-
chase of works of art to he distributed by chance to the
subscribers, or for raising sums of money by sulsscrip-
tiou to be afterwards allotted by chance amongst the
cereributors solely for the purchase of works of art may
be &ewe 1 to come within the provision of the Acts of
Parliament for the prevention of lotteries —declares the
emu,- legal, so long as they are carried on in good faith
for the encouragement of the fine arts, provided that a
Royal charter of incorporation sisall have been obtained,
or that the instrument constituting such association, and
the rules governing, it, shall have been approved of by a
eemmittee of her Majesty's Privy Council and deposited
with them.
Your council therefore immediately took the neces-
sary steps to comply with this provision of the Act, and
on the Ist of December last, " The Art Union of Lon-
doe" was incorporated by Royal charter,—long it is
hoped, to exercise a beneficial educational influence,
to open the enjoyments of art to thousands to whom they
have been hitherto denied, to spread abroad a knowledge
and love sr. art, to offer enc,,uratsernent to artists, beyond
that afforded los private purchases, as well by forming a
more appreciating public as by the provision of funds,
and so to assist materially the progress and elevation of
the tiue arts in the United Keogdom. The charter will
be found to state the broad and disinterested principles
which . would guide the proceedings of all such soci, ties.
To our illustrious President the warm thanks of every
member of the society and of every friend to the diffusion
of art are eminently due, for his Royal Highness's most
important assistance in obtaining this successful i.:sue. Io
the Most Neb'e the Marpis of Northampton, V.l'., the
the Iti,dit Hon. Lord Montesgle, V.P., and Thomas
Wyse, Esq., M P., now a member of the council, simil, r
than!is are also due ; and having thus discharged the
agr seable duty of acknowledging these important
serv'ees, the C,aincil proceed to report to the subscribers,
according to custom, the financial condition of the
assseiseion, and the general proceedings during the past
3 e tr.
This is the eleventh annual general meeting. At every
preceding me. tint the Council hare had to report a
con-tant increase in the amount of the subscriptions,
ranting from the sum collected in the first year, to
16,979!. On the present occasion, notwithstanding a i
season of unexampled and I safentable scarcity in parts of
the kingdom, and much financial embarrassment, the
subscriptions amount to the sum of 17,8711.
The greatness of the amount may be attributed partly
to the increased interest in the fine arts induced by the
operations of the society, and partly to the increased
exsrtiena of the provincial and colonial secretaries, from
whom a larger sum has been received than on any former
occasion. The number of provincial secretaries is now
398. St. Lucia. Q Lebec, Australia, Sidney, and Jamaica,
have been added to the list of places where the society
has an honorary agent active in its behalf. The list
before included parts of Germany, New York, Mexico,
Montreal, New Brunswick, Ceylon, Singapore, Bombay,
Dominica, Monte Video, ar.d China.
258 works of art were selected by the prizeholders of
last year, and were exhibited, as usual, for four weeks,
including a certain number of evenings. This exhibi-
tion was visited by upwards of 200,000 persons.
The council at 'educed again to remark that the
annual exhibition of works of fine art, thus opened
ratuitously to the public, may be reg irded as one of
the most important results of the association. They
would gladly see greater facilities for the enjoyment of
works of art elsewhere, afforded to the people generally
than now exist.
For the premium of 5001. offered by the council last
year for a group or single figure in marble, twenty
models, sent in on the Ist of July last, were exhibited
to the subscribers and their friends in the Princess's
Concert-room.
After due considerati.m, the premium was awarded f
the statue, The Dancing Girl Reposing," which, Or
opening the letter accompanying ir, was found to be the
work of Mr. Calder Marshall, A.R.A. Mr. Marshall is
now executing the model in marble, and it will form one
of the prizes for an ensuing year,—to which year's suit
scription of course, the amount of the premium will be
charged.
In order to express their high opinion of a second
statue, " Innocence," the council awarded to the author
of it, afterwards found to be Mr. J. H. Foley, the sum
of 100/, on condition of receiving from him a reduced
copy of the figure, and the right of re-producing it in
statuary porcelain. The reduced motel is now on the
table, and fifty copies of it, in the beautiful material
mentioned, will be allotted to-day.
A third statute, submitted in competition," Iris As-
cending," found to be by Mr. Kirk, was considered by
the council well adapted for working in bronze, and they
accordingly at ranged with the sculptor to furnish a mo-
del of the required size. A copy in bronze has been
produced by Mr. Hatfield, and the right to twenty such
will form part of the present distribution. Mr. H. C.
Selous prize painting from the selected cartoon, " Queen
Philippa interceding for the lives of the Burgesses of
Calais," is finished, and will be exhibited with the prizes
of the year. The mode of appropriating it is not yet
determined on.
The Chantrey medals have been distributed to those
subscribers who were entitled to them. The Wren me-
dal, allotted last year, has been delayed by the indispo-
sition of the engraver, 3,1 r. Wilson, but may now be
expected in a short time. The council are taking steps
to obtain other medals,—commemorative .
Inige Jones, and
Banks, the sculptor.
The council nave no, t
Jeptha's Daughtcsr;;' andoth'eC e illustrationsa k
o f
t he
enogf r a"v
ings.
trade of Wyoraina" ue to the subscribers of last year,
Ger-
ave been distributed.
The plate of " The
eCaorn:ao. an
ue for the preceding yledscent from Waterloo,"
stances beyond control,
is mow kept back by circum-
I repressions from it will be disttrlibute
the d
printer's hands
required number can be obtained. as soon as the
The prints for the current year. " The Ls t v.
and the " Neapelitan Wedding," engraved by Clarat2e"
Rolls, and Mr. F. A. Heath, after M.
1:2, Mr. I.
and the outlines from seven of the cartoons submitted
in competition for the premium of 5001., are in the samet
stage of forwardness.
The council, taking in'o consideration the importance
of er.couragii.g every branch of art, and of varying their
plans, with a view to the pleasure of the members. pro-
pose to issue for the ensuing year a series of thirty il-
lus:rations of Milton's L'Allegro and II Penseroso, en-
gray( don wood in the best manner. The following
artists have already undertaken to supply designs :
J. Absoloa, E. H. Cornould, M. Claxton, W. Dyce,
E. Duncan, A. Etonore, J. Franklin, F. Goodall, J. Gil-
bert, J. P. Kniitht, R A., W. L. Leitch, Kenny Mea-
dows, H. O'Neil, F. Pickersgill, J. N. Paton, P. F. Poole,
H. C. Selous. F W. Topham, W. C. Thomas, J. Ten-
niel, E. 11. Wollner, 11. Warren, E. M. Ward. Every
subscriber twillFrieeive a copy of this work for each
For a futtri.i.sxesr,. Mr. Frost's " Sabrina," engraved
I/ by Mr. Lightfoot; progress ; arid the council have
Pt; arranged with Mr. Vrillturn Finden to produce for the
lk,z- association an engraving of large size, and in his best

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