The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-18 00:00:00

ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL.

The nineteenth arniversary festival of this excellent
society was held on Wednesday at the London Tavern,
Eishopsgate-street.
B. B. Cabbell, Esq., M.P., F.R.S., occupied the chair
on the occasion, and was supported by T. Wakley, Esq.,
M.P., J. Masterman,lEsq., M.P., Mr. Pendarves, M.P., H.
Humfrey, Esq., Q.C.,.tdr. Bain, M.P., Edward Wigram,
Esq., Dr. Rice, Rev. D. Major, Rev. J. Briscoe, Rev.
Sidney Turner, Charles Pearson, Esq., J. Braithwaite,
C.E., &c., &c.
On the removal of the cloth, the Benedictus having
been sung, and the usual loyal and national toasts dis-
posed of,
The CHAIRMAN proposed " Prosperity to the ?tee,
Hospital, and associated with it the name of Dr. Rice,'
and, in doing so, alluded to the benefits which this
society had conferred upon the public; it had released
more cases than the three other kindred institutions in
the metropolis, viz., King's College, Charing-cross, and
University Hospitals; and he was sorry that Sir Robert
Peel, in presiding at the festival of the King's College
Hospital, had omitted to make any allusion to the bene-
fits conferred upon the poor by it. The present society
was essentially one for the poor; its doors were open
for their admission without any letter or recommenda-
tion whatever. Poverty and sickness were the only
requisites for admission into the asylum. Since the
foundation of ;this charity, in the month of February,
1828, he was happy to say that 231,725 persons had
participated in its benefits, and he found that during
the past year, according to the medical report, the
number of patients relieved by means of the charity had
been—

Persons afflicted with malignant and con-

tagious diseases _
19,432
Ditto, suffering under various diseases
Accidents relieved and sent home BO4
Patients under the dentist 462

Total s 34,221
In addition to the above, there have been 1,286
totally destitute persons admitted into the
wards, of whom 68 have died, and 1,189 have
been discharged cured..

Total relieved
It was needless for him to dwell upon this amount of
good in order to enforce the claims of the charity on the
liberal support of the public.—(Hear, hear.) He was
happy to learn that the amount of debt was diminished,
but the total amount still remaining was 5,2461. The
receipts during the year had amounted to 4,6321. Bs. 6d.,
while its expenses amounted to 5,0171. 2s. If ever there
was a case made out for the liberal support of the
public, it was that of the Royal Free Hospital; and he
hoped that its friends and supporters would rally round
and support it with a spirit of increased liberality.
Dr. RICE returned thanks, and, in alluding to the
benefits conferred by the charity, stated that, in all his
experience in the medical department of the hospital, he
had never witnessed any deviation from the strictest
rules of propriety on the part of those who were the re-
cipients of its benefits.
Mr. HUMFREY, Q,.C., proposed the next toast, which
was, " The Duke of Buccleuch, the President, and the
Vice-Presidents of the Society." With respect to his
Grace the Duke of Baccleuch, it was a well-known fact
that a large portion of his princely fortune was ex-
pended in charities, and he felt convinced that there
was no charity more worthy of his honoured patronage
and support than that of the Royal Free Hospital.—
(Cheers.) It had been well said that, in order to depict
to the mind in its full extent the horrors of war, they
must not speak of the extended battle-field, where the
mind was drawn from the contemplation of individual
suffering by the splendour and glories of the scene
before it, but that they must look at some desolate indi-
vidual—some weeping family robbed of its parent
and protector, and then, and then alone, would the mind
feel in all its intensity the full horrors of the dreadful
carnage; so in the case of the Royal Free Hospital, the
mind was drawn from the contemplation of general and
wide-spread distress and misery to a recollection of the
circumstance that more than 20 years since one single
desolate, distressed, and friendless female was found
dying upon the door-steps of a house in this metropolis,
with no one to aid her, and no one to succour her. It
was to the contemplation of that picture of dis
tress that this institution owed its rise, and it
would in the end prove a subject of rejoicing
to every humane heart to feel that the contemplation of
that bitter moment had been the cause of doing so much
good, and that the sacrifice then accomplished had been
the means of saving thousands and tens of thousands
from a similar fate.—(Cheers.) Had the friends of this
society wished to inscribe a sentence in which all good
men might unite in its praises, they could not have de-
sired it to be couched in terms more eloquent, or which
would strike more closely to the heart, than that heart-
felt sentence upon the title-page of the report of this

society :
" Foreigners, strangers, and others, in sickness or
disease, having neither friends nor homes, are admitted
into the wards of this hospital on their own application,
so far as the means of the charity will permit. All sick
and diseased persons, having no other means of obtaining
relief, may attend at this hospital every day at one
o'clock, when they will receive medical and surgical ad-
vice and medicine free."
Could any words state more forcibly the claims and
objects of the society than that simple sentence ?
(Hear, hear.) An appeal was made to the liberality of
those present, which he was sure would meet with a
hearty response, on behalf of those whose life was one
continued scene of misery and wretchedness, whose
whole life was like the roll of the prophet, written
within and without, and what was written thereon was
" lamentation, mourning, and woe."—(Cheers.)
Mr. WAILLET, M.P., proposed the health of the
Chairman. At one period of his life he (Mr. Wakley)
had been opposed to this institution, but he frankly
avowed his change of opinion on that subject. He was
now one of its most ardent admirers.—(Hear, hear.)
Other institutions of a similar kind, literally gorged
with wealth, and absolutely sleepy with satiety, possess-
ing incomes of from 40,0001. to 60,0001. annually, did
not effect such an amount of good to the distressed poor
as the Royal Free Hospital.—(Cheers.) The main
principle upon which this hospital was founded, and
which he most admired, was that disease and distress
were the only passports required for admission within
its portals.—(Cheers.) He had no doubt that this in-
stitution would soon become the model upon which all
other hospitals would be conducted.
The CHAIRMAN, in a brief and appropriate speech,
returned thanks.
Various other toasts were disposed of, and the com-
pany broke up at a late hour.
In the course of the evening subscriptions were an-
nounced to the amount of 1,0951. Among the list of
donors and subscribers, we noticed the names of Mr.
Peadarves, M.P., 10/. 10s. ; Mr. Shepherd, M.P., 211. ;
Mr. Masterman, M.P., 51. ss. ; T. Wakley, Esq., M.P.,
101. 10s. ; Lord Southampton, 251. ; Earl Listowel,
51. ss. ; Messrs. Reid and Co., 50/. ; H. Allen, Esq.,
51 ss. ; Rev. Sidney Turner, 5/. ss. ; J. Braithwaite,
C.E., 104 10s. ; Jos. Tucker, Esq., 211. ; Thos. Fowler,
Esq., 101. 10s. ; J. D. Masterman,jun., Esq., 5/. ss. ;
Mr. Cochrane, 51. ss. ; Dr. Marsden, lot. 10s. ; W.
Baxendale, Esq., 10/. 10s. ; Dr. Rice, (eighth donation),
5/.55. ; Miss Fowler, 5/. ss. ; Miss Smith, 21. 25., &c.
The gallery at the end of the room was occupied by
ladies, who not only graced the festival with their pre-
sence, but in addition swelled the catalogue of bene-
factors to the charity by their very substantial donations
to its funds.
The musical arrangements were under the direction of
Mr. Jolley, assisted by Mt. Hobbs, Mr. Genge, Mr. J.
L. Hatton, and Masters Pope and Baines.
Mr. Higgs officiated as toast-master.
The dinner and the whole of the arrangements were
such as to add to the already well-deserved credit of the
proprietors of the establishment, and to afford satisfac-
tion to the numerous guests.

NEWSVENDERS' BENEVOLENT
AND PROVIDENT INSTITUTION.
The eighth anniversary general meeting of this
excellent society, the object of which is to grant pensions
and temporary relief to masters and servants engaged in
the sale of newspapers, who from age, infirmity,
or distress, may require assistance, was held
last evening at eight o'clock, at Anderton's hotel,
Fleet-street. Mr. L. Wild, of Catherine-street, was
unanimously called to the chair in the unavoidable
absence of the President, Mr. Harmer, from illness, who,
however, sent a donation of 101. 10s., and expressed
himself as keenly alive as ever to the great importance
of the institution.
The CHAIRMAN said he was sure they must all regret
the circumstance which had rendered the absence of
their worthy and benevolent President necessary ;
but, at the same time, they must also be glad
A LIMB OF THE LAW IN A Takr.—On Monday to find that he was recovering, and that he
last, at the Police-office, Blackburn, before Eccles Shor- was the same good friend they had heretofore
rock, Esq., Arthur Martin, railway guard, appeared found him. For himelf, he might say that he
against George Baron, small debt bailiff, and Henry should leave nothing undone to promote the
Johnston, whom he charged with extorting money prosperity of the institution in every way in his power.
from his wife on false pretences. Mrs. Martin The SECRETARY (Mr. Cole) then read the report,
stated in evidence that on Wednesday, the 9th which simply stated that, during the last three years
of June, her husband being from home for a the improvement of the funds had steadily progressed,
and that during the past year they had added 50/. to the
few days, the defendants came to her house,
permanent Stock. A candidate had offered himself
and demanded 6s. -on account of Mr. Ingram,
for one of the pensions but he had been removed by
cabinet-maker, &c., due for repairing a chest of
death ; his widow applied for and received aid, but she
drawers. Mrs. Martin denied the debt, stating that
onllived a few weeks after. No other application for
she had bought the drawers on the condition that they
ape sion by a member of the institution had been made
should be repaired if necessary, from the wood shrink-
during the past year ; but the committee had felt
ing, within twelve months, at Mr. Ingram's expense. themselves bound to grant temporary aid to
The wood had shrunk very much, and she had sent an extent considerably beyond what they considered
back the drawers to be repaired, for which the alleged
the society should be called upon to make to parties
debt was incurred. She asked the defendants to defer
pressing their claim till her husband came home, who had never joined it as members or added
onefarthing to its funds,
but they remained in the house for a considerable time
declaring they had a "wapentake" for her, and would of commiseration and
yet as the applicants wore
known to be thoroughly deserving t ._ .
~relief, it was afforded to them—still was a gratifying
piloceed to the last extremity on the following morn-been necessitated
ing, at nine o'clock, if she did not immediately pay tact, that so few among themselves
the debt, Baron at the same time producing a piece to claim the advantage of the society's benefits,
but this enabled them to afford extraneous aid.
of paper, which he alleged to be the " wapentake."
' The funded stock is 8501. The committee
which, on being disclosed and handed to the witness,
trusted that their inconsiderate fellow- tradesmea would
on her paying the 6s. 6d. for Baron's trouble,
join them in the laudable work they had in view, by
was found to be the tradesman's account. Being donations or small annual subscriptions, and thus ensure
called on for his defence, the myrmidon of the law for themselves and those dependent upon them the aid
smiled most insinuatingly, and said the thing was all of the society in the hour of need.
a mistake, and that he had told Mrs. Martin that Mr. The accounts showed the disbursements to have
Ingram had been served with a " wapentake," and that been
an 1391. l6s. 3d., and the expenditure 821. 9i. 10d ,
he might have to do the same by her to morrow morn-
ing, at nine o'clock ; not that he then had a " wapen- of and that abalance of sil. 6s. 6.1. remained in the hands'
take" or " proper law" for her. That he had so threat- m treasurer.
ened, however, was clearly proved.—He was ordered to mr. ToaaNs presented a donation of 101. 10s. from
pay back the money and costs, 95. ; which he left the WeeklyDouglaspresenthis daughter Newspaper who had intended to have been
Guernsey, had called him suddenly from
or such other influences as he could put in operation.—
Manchester Guardian. rendered his absence unavoidable. He assured them that
ton,n,anidn
The Court of Assizes for Yonne, a few days ago,
condemned a young woman for the murder of her illegi- Mr. Jerrold felt the deepest interest in the institution,
timato twine, to twenty years of hard labour at the Fi,nd Rs he had received the utmost kindness from the
hulks. Her father, who was an accomplice in ber crime, tv'tdc-4, not only in London. but in ti‘e. praiee. ~ :=
and who earnestly pleaded that he did it only to save that he was doing
his donation. He also wished to be-
no more than his duty in prebeliiiiii;
the Society with t
the character of his daughter, was sentenced to death.—
come a contributor of 21. 2s. a year.
The announcement was received with the warmest de-