The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-12 00:00:00

BRITISH AND FOREIGN SCHOOL

SOCIETY.

Yesterday the annual meeting of the members and
friends of this society was held at Exeter HalL Samuel
Gurney, Esq., presided, and was supported by the Earl
of Chichester, Lord Ebrington, Sir Walter Stir-
, ling, Bart., R. Vernon Smith, Esq., M.P. IL Powne,
Eiq., John Wilkes, Esq., William Tooke, Esq., Rev.
Mr. Burnett, Rev. Mr. Binney, Rev. G. Clayton, and
other ministers and gentlemen.

The CHAIRMAN. iii his opening address, regretted the
absence of their president (Lord John Russell), a cir-
cumstance which he believed was not attributable to any
declension of interest on his part in the great cause of
unsectarian education. He (the Chairman) gave the
Noble Lord credit for being as friendly as ever to their
society, and presumed that his absence was entirely
owing to his pressing political engagements.
From the report, which was read by the secretary, it
appeared that the number of studeats in the society's
training schools was 233, of whom 44 were in training
at the date of the last report; 18S had been received
since that time; 23, from various causes, had withdrawn
from:the institution. In the female school there had been
350 s iolars during the year, making a total since its
foundation of 17,425. 146 new schools had been esta-
blished in different localities—namely, 32 in the manu-
facturing districts, 49 in towns and villages, 11 in Lon-
don, 6 in places not coming within these denominations,
and 48 in North and South Wales. The receipts of the
year had been 14,7421. 11s. 2d. The report con-
cluded with an urgent appeal on behalf of the society.
The Rev. GEORGE CLAYTON moved the adoption of
the report.
The Right Hon. VERNON SMITH, in seconding the
resolution, regretted the absence of the Noble President
Lord John Russell, of Lord Grey, and those other gen-
tlemen who had so ably addressed them on many past
anniversat ics.—(Signs of disapprobation.) He was glad
to say that it was not the intention on the present occa-
sion to make that platform the arena of gladiatorial dis-
cussion, however desirous they might be on such an oc-
casion to protest against that invasion of privileges which
certain parties in the country had lately been called upon
to submit to.—(Hear.)
The resolution was adopted.
The Earl of CEIICHESTER moved the second resolution
to the following effect:—" That this meeting respect-
fuliy and gratefully acknowldiges the continued favour
and munificent support of her Majesty the Queen
and his Royal Highness Prince Albert." In sup-
porting this resolution, the Noble Earl congratu
d the meeting that the same motive which in •
citic,:d the Queen's grandfather to take the British ar.d
Foreign Sceeol-society under his especial patronage,
anima.ed her Majesty to give it her illustrious support.
—(Hear, hear.) Ile admired the society, because it
was a constant and standing witness of the great truth
taa often ;oriuttcn in the strife and contests of
the world, that whatever might be the difference of
opinions existing among them, whatever the shades of
belief that separated and divided them, yet if they were
Christians at all, their religion was one.—(Cheers.) He
was not permitted to express his opinion upon the sub-
ject of the recent minutes of council, but he might de-
clare his conviction that, whatever might be its merit or
&merit in other respects, the Government plan would
tend to gave fresh impetus to the existing means of in-
struction, and it would be a matter of rejoicing to all if
it should be found to have that eff,ct.
Mr. Sergeant THOMPSON seconded the resolution, and
it was carried nem dis.

The Rev. S. R. HALL moved a resolution expressive
of thanks to the Duke of BNlford for his continued sup-
port to the society, ani to Mr. Gurney for presiding.
Lord EBRINGTON seconded the resolution, and
Mr. GURNEY acknowledged the ccmplimeut contained
in it.

The Rev. Mr. BURNETT having been loudly called for,
addressed the meeting.

After some routine-business the meeting separated.

ALARMING FLOOD AT MAN-
CHESTER.

The heavy fall of rain which took place here ou Saturday
has been the cause of very serious alarm, and the destruction
of a considerable amount of property, by the river Medlock,
which passes through the town, having overflowed its banks
in the neighbourhood of " Little Ireland." This "river,"
which in the dry season is an insignificant and dirty brook,
supplies a large number of factories, and other workshops on
its banks, with water, by which to work their steam-engines.
In consequence of the insufficient supply of water at certain
seasons. sluices have been erected at a point between the fac
tories of Messrs. Birley and Fairweather, to dam up the water
to the required height. These sluices are situated near Cam-
bridge-street, and just below "Little Ireland," and it seems
should have been opened on Saturday night, but this was neg-
lected, and hence the mischief. i From inquiries made on
the spot, it appears that about three o'clock on Sunday
morning the water rose above its banks, inundated a large
factory, part of which is occupied by Messrs. Whitworth,
boiler maker, carried away about thirty yards of stout brick
wall, and then forced its way into the whole of the houses in
Wakefield-street, Smith-street, Anvil-street, Frank-street,
William-street, and the courts and alleys adjoining; and
some of the inhabitants were awoke by the rushing in of
the water through win(' ows, doors, &c. Those who were
asleep in the upper apartnia as were awoke by the screams
and cries of those below. About four o'clock on Sunday
morning the scene is said to have been most distressing,
women and children screaming for help, and men escaping
through windows and doors, and wadin.; up to the middle in
water which covered the streets and grounds about for many
yards round. At this time the police had to use boats to
get the inmates released from their wretched habitations,
and tablet, chairs, beds, and bedding were, during nearly the
whole of Sunday, 11 atin about in indiscriminate ma tie;.
The, water, in all the houses, was from four to six or
seven feet deep. There could not be much less than 200
of these wretched abodes, in some of which there were
three or four families which have been thus wished by
this ealamity. About six o'clock on Sunday morning
some one succeeded in opening one of the sluices already
referred to, when the water rushed with such force against
a n.'wly-erected sane wall, belonging to the new gas-
-works row in the course of erection there, as to force
it completely over, and instantly inundated a large pit
which had just been excavated, of 100 feet in diameter, for
a new gasometer, which should have been commenced this
morning. Serious injury has also been done to another,
which had just been completed. The damage done here
cannot be less than from VOL to 300/. But perhaps the
largest amount of damage done to any single establishment
is that sustained by the extensive one of Messrs. Birley, the
ground floor of their largest mill being, during the whole of
Sunday, many feet de-p in water, and the bobbins, cotton,
&c., fl 'kiting about on the water. A large weaving-shed, in
which are a great number of power-looms, is also flooded
several feet deep. During the whole of yesterday many
hundreds crowded the neighbourhood to view the havoc
made by the flood, so that the police had some difficulty
in keeping back the crowd. It is not a little singular
that while one mill of Messrs. Birley was flooded and sus-
taining great injury from water, another on the opposite
side of the street bad a narrow escape from fire, as about
the same time that the water broke into the one (three
o'clock) a fire was discovered in the lower floor of the other.
Fortunately, however, it was early discovered, and a large
cistern being placed on the roof, it was got under by the time
the fire-engines arrived, without any very serious damage
being done.

LLOYD'S SHIPPING.
LONDON, MAY 11. Wind N.W., fresh breeze, and dull
hazy weather.
DEAL, MAT 10.—Wind S.W. to S.S.W., moderate.—Arrd.
Orator, Homan, Calcutta; Cicerea, Rio Grande; Heta, Ha:
vannah. Sid. Sappho, China; Jamaica, Antigua; Anna
Eliza, St. Domingo; Creole and Patriot, Dominica; Ada,
Fantome, and New Phoenix, Jamaica. Arrd. from the River,
Hashemy, Port Philip; Eclipse, Mauritius.
0/F WEYMOUTH, MAY 10. Halifax packet, Laun-
ceston.

PLYMOUTH, MAY 10. —Wind S. W.—Sld. Elizabeth and
Mary, Quebec.
Bilis-rot., MAY 10.—Wind S.S.W.—SId. Clara, Jamaica;
Maria, Barbadoes ; Miranda, Cape de Verds.
BunT RP°C.L9 MAY 10.—Wind S. %V., moderate.—Arrd.
Fulford, Malaga, with loss of bowsprit, deck stove,
and one mansiti killed,B from' contact with a ship 6th instant, off Lord John. Russell has. issued cards foonr
Saturday
aagturrannady Scilly.
Castle, Montreal Nuevo, Angel, Havannah; Cockermouth
10,
)vial zink, Reece, and George Sutton, New- banquet, at his residence in Chesham-place,
foundland.next.
Bahia; Elizabeth, Nd Africa • Belinda, Callao; Jamaica, WOOLWICH, MAY 10.— Field-Marshal the Marquis
Jesnsa, Havannah ; Bavirtuiid°64; ew York ; Rover, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Off port, Faa'vourite, Barbadoes ; Flint,
Scaper. and Luisa and of Anglesey, Master-General of the Ordnance, accompanied
New t h,
RbysL. o, rdarrived Clarence
at
t hPaget y
Royal
Ad
rsCaptainen a l Sir
Woolwich, Thomasa at 11
()Hastings,,eloek
Orleans; Firefly, Irt, Zion, Th
Eagle,.W. Btoosrvon.
Scotia, and Devon, --- eulis, G. Dean, Mary Hartley, A.m. to-day, and was received by Lieutenant-General Sir
WATERFORD, MAY 9.—Wind S.S
Thins Tomas Downman, C.B. and K.C.H., Commandant of the
Mynah, Thornton, New York;Boston, Defender,
on ; Major-General Sir Hew D. Ross, K.C.8., Deputy-
Quebec.
OFF DUNGENESS, MAY 7.—Victor, Steffens Rider, Aoljutant-General to the Royal Artillery ; Major-General J.
Webber Smith, Director-General of Royal Artillery • Colonel
o Janeiro J. E. Jor.es, Assistant-Adjutant-General; Lieutenant-Colonel
for Hamburgh ; Oud Nederland, De Boer, Ba,',
"vie, for Het: , Chalmer, ssistant-Director-General of Artillery; Lieute-
terdam.
3., Shaw I Colone Gordon and Lieutenant-Colonel Colquhoun, of
CORK, MAY B.—Wind westerly.—Acrd. Hindle
,the Carriage Department ; Lieutenant-Colonel Dunda Cl 3
Mauritius. Sld. Free Trader, .Nevr York; Lord Sandon,
Hardin 'e K u
Director of the Foundry Department; Lieutenant-Colonel
Major Pester, Fire
Quebec.
MA Y B.—Wind E.S.E.—Arrd. Caroliee, Stewart, I
-Master in the Laboratory; and Major
KeN,;AL F.,
Leesel, , seeded to the But i f Department. The Field-Marshal pro-
New I earai se. 1 Palliser, of the P
Royal Arsenal, where his Lordship
LIMER:cii, MAY 9.—Wind S.E.-8. Arrd. Clarissa,
yasel Artillery composing the select
, anavfoeral rounds being tired from a
New York. n Id. Martha, St. Thomas; Ross-shire, Quebec. ' met the officers of thethecet
the
32-pounder guns mounted
SLIGO, MAY L—Arrd. Marseilles, Sleeper, New York. ' committee, and witness
a b6-pounder and three of
:3. treed, Ktlmour B t:timore. Sld. I. Jane. Havannah; 56-pounder 8-inch gun
round wascarriage. alpe quaPa
nforme, and one of the
Employ, New York; Spring, Hill, Transit, and Columbia, in the approved mannernTin
ne service
proposal of
Quebec. 3. Wanderer. American Belle, and Cobal, New the 32-pounders on traversing
York. 5. Maz..ppa and Adna, New York; Thompson and 32-pounders on the common g
Tai., Quebec. 6. R. H. Hyler, New York. 7. Sarah Maria, tity of powder used at each
/Quebec. 8. Isabella St. Thomas ; Hualco, New Orleans. charge. The Field-Marshal then examintlelig a
WARREN POINT, 'MAY 9 —Wind W.—Arrd. Elizabeth, Lieutenant-Colonel Hardinge for brass tangent seeks to all
Moses. Philadelphia. Sld. Leopard and Walter R. Jones, long iron guns in coast batteries, and a wooden one fo
New York. al Arsernlar-
' gar-
rison guns. The Master-General left the Roy
PWLLMELI, MAY 9.—The Agnes, sailed hence leth ult., . half past one o'clock P. m., . and proceeded to the garrison,
.has put back from 500 miles west of Cape Clear, pith loss where he partook of an elegant dejetiner in the mess-room of
of rudder true, stress cf wea: her. , the Royal Artillery, and immediately atter left for town.
LONDONDERRY, MAY 9.—The Asia, of and from Liver- The troops of the Royal Horse Artillery were ordered out fur
pool, put in here sth inst., with 104.1 of bowsprit, yards, rails, exercise on the common at three o'clock r.at., but the order
lac., leaky; is discharging to repair. was countermanded.