The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-23 00:00:00

•
t 17 t !Cr. E eirmilat
•

HER MAJESTY.

WINDSOR CASTLE, June 22.

The Queen drove out yesterday afternoon, and her
Majesty went out this morning, accompanied by Princess
Beatrice.
Princess Louise, attended by Lady Ca :•oline Barrington,
the Hon. Emily Cathcart, and Colonel Du Plat, arrived
at the Castle from London.

The Prince of Wales presided yesterday at a meeting
of the Council of his Royal Highness, held at the office of
the Duchy of Cornwall, Buckingham-gate, St. James's
Park. There were present Lord Portman, Lord Warden
of the Stannaries ; Sir William John Alexander, Attor
ney-General ; Major-General Sir Thomas Myddelton Bid-
dulph, Receiver-General; General Sir William Thomas
Knollys, Comptroller of the Household of his Royal High-
ness ; and Herbert William Fisher, Esq., Keeper of the
Privy Seal. Mr. Bateman, the secretary, attended as
Clerk of the Council.
Their Royal Highnesses the Grand Duke and Grand
Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz visited the Prince and
Princess of Wales at Marlborough House, and remained
to luncheon.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, attended by the
Hon. Mrs. Coke and Lieutenant-Colonel Keppel, dined
with Frances, Countess of Waldegrave, and the Right
Hon. Chichester Fortescue, at Strawberry-hill.

FASHIONABLE ARRANGEMENTS TO-DAY.
The Earl Fortescue's ball, instead of the 10th inst., at 40,
Upper Brook-street, Mayfair.
The Countess of Radnor's second ball, at 52, Grosvenor-

street, Grosvenor-square.
Viscountess Combermere's evening party, 4 48, Belgrave

square. •
Lady Carew's evening party, at 28, Belgrave-square.
Lady Dinorben's morning party, at Bute House.
Lady Henrietta Allen's ball, at Hanover-square Rooms.
Sir Matthew White Ridley's evening party, at 10, Carl

ton-house-terrace.
Mrs. White's matinee, at 48, Portland-place.
Earlswood Asylum fete. Extra trains from London-
bridge and Victoria will stop at the Earlswood Station.
At Lord's Ground (grand cricket match).—M.C.C. and

Ground v. University of Oxford.
The Hurlingham Club—First International Cup to be
shot for in Hurlingham-park, at 30 yards rise.

SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS-TO-DAY.

The Statistical Society, at 4.30 p.m.—The anniversary

meeting.
The Zoological Society, at 8.30 p.m.—" Walrus," Dr.
Murie ; " Catalogue of the Mammals of South China
and Formosa," Mr. R. Swinhoe ; " Birds from Trini
dad," Dr. 0. Finsch.

ST. JAMES'S HALL-MR. BENEDICT'S
CONCERT.

The principal event of the musical season, Mr. Bene-
dict's annual concert, took place yesterday afternoon,
and on no former occasion has a more brilliant assemblage
ever taken place in St. James's Hall. Every seat in the
vast area was occupied, and as the great majority of the
Audience were ladies the thousands of elegant toilettes co

mingled presented a scene of the most remarkable beauty.
The programme contained no less than 57 pieces, and the
artistes consisted of nearly all the bright particular stars
of the musical profession. The concert commenced at
half-past one, and as it did not terminate until seven it
may truly be set down as the longest as well as
the greatest musical entertainment of the year.
Under such circumstances it would be impossible
to note down and comment separately upon each
of the vocal and instrumental beauties presented to
the brilliant audience, but complimenting Mdlle. Drasdil,
Madame Sinico, and Madame Volpini for their contribu-
tions to the great musical banquet, we commence with
Madame Monbelli's rendering of " Bel raggio," which
was sung with the utmost taste and finish. Mr. Santley
sang a new song, by Piatti, entitled " 0
swallow, swallow," which he gave in his own
incomparable style, but his great effort was "Oh
ruddier than the cherry." and never has he
sang this celebrated composition with greater effect. It
was applauded to the very echo, and well it deserved the
compliment. Mdlle. Christine Nilsson sang a new can-
tique, " Santa Maria," by M. Faure ; it was accompanied
by the composer on the harmonium, the violoncello
obligato being played by M. Paquier, and it is almost
needless to say produced the most rapturous applause.
Madame Trebelli sang a new song by Mr. A.
Sullivan, entitled " Looking back," with great skill and
taste, and Mdlle. Ilma de Murska gave some Hungarian
national airs, which created quite a furore. The brilliancy
of her execution and the faultless manner with which she
executed the various chromatic runs created the greatest en-
thusiasm and astonishment ; they were all as true in tone
as the pianoforte, and, taken altogether, this performance
was one of the greatest triumphs of the concert. A new
duet by Mdme. Trebelli and Signor Bettini " Mille volte,"
was very finely sung, and Signor Mongini and Faure's
singing of the duet from Mos 4 " Parlar, spiegar" was
everything that could be desired. Mdme. Goddard
performed Benedict's composition for the pianoforte from
" Der Freischutz" in her own splendid manner, and Herr
Auer gave one of Vieuxtemp's solos for the violin with great
taste. A new quartette for two piariafortes and four
performers, was executed to perfection by Messrs. Bene-
dict, Lindsay Sloper, Mr. G. Osborne, and the composer,
Mr. Cowan. We must conclude our notice of the extra-
ordinary concert with a general compliment to the rest of
the artists, and also to Mr. Nimmo, upon whom as usual
devolved the arduous arrangements for the comfort of the
audience. With the assistance of Mr. Hurst everything
was done in the most perfect manner ; not the slightest
difficulty was experienced throughout the whole of the
afternoon, and although fresh visitors were continually
arriving, not the least interruption took place during the
long entertainment. The concert was as great a success
as any of its three-and-thirty predecessors.

TIIE SHAM INSURANCE AND BANK FRAUD
William Henry White, a common looking man, de.
scribed as an auctioneer, was on Wednesday brought
before the Lord Mayor for final examination upon the
charge of conspiracy, with other persons, to defraud the
public by means of a sham and fraudulent insurance com-
pany called the Manchester Insurance and Banking
Company (Limited).
Mr. G. Lewis appeared for the prosecution.
Green, the detective officer, stated that a warrant was
placed in his hands for the apprehension of the prisoner on
the 6th of the present month, and he met him accidentally
in Fleet-street. He took out the warrant and read it to
him, and the prisoner then said that the prosecutor
Oswell Currie was in custody at the Poplar police-station
on the charge of setting fire to his house. He asked
the prisoner if he had ever signed any policies
in the name of Albus, and he denied having
done so. He searched him and found a number of
prospectuses and other papers relating to the company,
and six bills of exchange, and an 1.0. U. for £22, signed
J. W. Gilbert. Since the prisoner had been in custody
witness had endeavoured to find the other parties whose
names appeared upon the prospectus as directors of the
company, but had been unable to do so with the excep-
tion of a person named Gilbert. All the property
at the " office " consisted of a table, some desks and some
chairs, and an empty cash bowl. He did not find any
securities in the office. There was a cheque book, but he
did not find any register of shareholders. He found one
book which he produced. Mr. G. Lewis said that this
book appeared to contain a host of entries of sums that
had been paid by different parties for premiums, the
Whole of which seemed to have been divided amongst the
directors directly after it was received. The officer said
that he had left a summons at the residence of Mr.
Gilbert requiring him.to appear and give evidence, but he
had not done so. Mr. Lewis said he considered the evidence
of Mr. Gilbert would be very important, and if he did
not appear to the summons some other means must be
taken to compel his attendance. At present he had no fur-
ther evidence to adduce on behalf of the prosecution.—Mr.
Currie, the nominal prosecutor, said that the statement
Of the prisoner, that he was in custody upon the charge
of feloniously setting fire to his house, was entirely false.
The prisoner, who reserved his defence, was then fully
committed to the Central Criminal Court upon both
charges of fraud and conspiracy.—Mr. Lewis said that a
cheque for five guineas had been sent to him by Mr. Mill-
burn Clark of Grenville-square, in aid of the costs of
the prosecution. He did not wish to retain it for
that purpose, but desired the Lord Mayor to divide it
among the poor persons who had been defrauded.—The
Lord Mayor consented to do so, though his officers and
he at the same time said that the pris'oner's trial would be
conducted from this point by the city solicitor.

ROYAL VISIT TO STRAWBERRY HILL.—The
Prince and Princess of Wales dined yesterday evening
at Strawberry Hill, with the Countess Frances Walde-
grave and the Right Hon. Chichester Fortescue, M.P.
Mr. Gladstone was among the guests. After dinner there
was an amateur performance on a stage erected in the
ball-room. A brilliant company assembled, and on the
conclusion of the piece the stage was removed
and dancing commenced at half-past eleven. At half-
past four the next morning the revellers might be seen
returnng homewards.