The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-07 00:00:00

THE ROYAL ACADEMY.

The Graphic gives a further glimpse at the prospects of
the Royal Academy this year. Mr. Frederick Goodall
has completed-his picture of "Moses in the Ark of Bull-
rushes." It is described as a "noble work," and the
fi res are spoken of as "grand in expression "—"majestic"
--" full of sub tAlity of treatment." Mr. Millais will have
seven paintings—besides thane already mentioned he will
exhibit a portrait ; the picture of a young dressma.Ler
dropping her mite into the box, and a two-figure picture
Of a knight releasing a lady from a tree to which she 1,3
bound.

MR. CARDWELL AT THE ROYAL UNITED
SERVICE INSTITUTION.
The thirty-ninth annual meeting of the members of this
institution was held on Saturday at Whitehall. Thera
were present the Eight Hon. E. Cardwell, Secretary for
War, in the chair ; Sir Harry Verney, Admiral Sir E.
Beresford, Admiral Englefield, Admiral Gossett (RE.),
General Boileau, Sir Frederick Nicholson, General
Lindsay, General Stanhope, Admiral Lord Mark Ker,
General Sir Edward C us t,Sir John Hay, Admiral Ommaney,
Admiral Collinson, Captain Tyler (R.E.), General Fox,
Colonel Alccck, Colonel Hume, Colonel Fletcher, &c., &c.
Captain R BURGESS, Secretary to the institution, read
the annual report which shewcd that during the
year 1869 165 members had joined the institution there
being a loss by death of 98, and by withdrawal of 59. The
accounts shewed a balance in bankers hands of L'245,100.
The .funded property of the institution on the Ist January,
1870, was £6,653175. H., as compared with £6,396 Bs. Bd.
on the Ist January, 1869.
Sir HARRY VERNErproposed the first resolution, that the
report be printed and adopted. In moving the report,
the speaker alluded to the presence of Mr. Cardwell, and
expressed his opinion that a wise Minister listened to the
opinions discussed at the lectures of the Institution, inas-
much as they could be only offered for the benefit of the
two services.
Admiral Sir EDWARD BERESFORD seconded the resolu-
tion, which was carried.
The usual formal resolutions having been passed,
Mr. CARDWELL, in responding to the vote of thanks to
the chair, said it had given him great pleasure to accept
their invitation, and to have the honour of presiding- over
them on the present occasion. He felt extremely the
importance of that institution, and he was very much
impressed with the feeling expressed in some of the
speeches, viz., that Government derived great
advantages from the opinions of those who con-
tributed towards the literature of that institu-
tion. We lived in an age when both pure and
implied science contributed more to the progress of the
military profession than in any other period, and to this the
honourable and intellectual rivalries of members of that
institution must greatly contribute. Many of the most
Interesting subjects formed the first germs of their
existence in the lectures of that institution, and
according to what they read in the works of modern
philosophy, those germs, if unhealthy, perished, and were
no more heard of, while the more hard and robust ones
flourished into life, and became the origin and the
future of the practical measures to be adopted by Govern-
ment and the State. Then he felt the advantages of that
institution. (Hear, hear.) It was their practice not to
have lengthened speeches, and he should be the
last of all not to observe the rule. But he would
just make one or two remarks. When they read
of all that science and the study of history was doing,
the first thing they rejoiced in was to see that on the whole,
great as were the improvements in the art of
attack, still greater were those in the art of defence. He
trusted that that honourable rivalry would be maintained
but he should always be pleased when he found the science
of defence gaining on that of attack. The philosopher
said that all things went round in circles • and he had
been struck with the fact that oftentimes the
most advanced, science brought us back into
the footprints of history. Julius Cmsar included
in the art of war earthworks and trenches, and they
now found military science leading them back
~to
the same curious parallelisms. When he first went to Pim-
lico he found the shako manufactured from cork, and he
was reminded of that part of Virgil which described
men as coming amongst the people with head-
gear made of cork. He could assure them
that he felt great pleasure in presiding over them
on that occasion. He did not know whether anything
in the way of modern improvements would compel them
to quit their present residence to find one more com-
modious ; but if so, he trusted they would find one in which
their increasing treasures would find the required con-
venience.

THE LIVERPOOL - GRAND NATIONAL
STEEPLECHASE.
The Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase, which is
run on Wednesday, is the next turf event which engages
the attention of the prophets. The race excites much in-
terest, and the speculation upon this contest, which can-
not be•called one of the great racing events of the year,
shews that the spirit of betting is still as brisk
as ever. The Field selects Gardener as the one
best representative, with Primrose and the Doctor as the
next Lest. It says :—" Mr. Brayley's lot, which consists
orl'earl Diver, Moose, Casse Tete, and Silvermere, has
been backed to win several thousand pounds, and all four
may be sent to the post. Neither Casse Tete nor Silver-
mere, however, have the remotest winning chances, as
the first is a very moderate animal, and the last is a light,
narrow horse, and will never get the course. Pearl Diver
is overweighted, and Moose, the best of Mr. Brayley's
team an uncertain horse. though, if in an amiable
mood, the son of Mountain Deer may run
forward. The Colonel, we believe, runs untried;
he is a good, honest horse, but rather orerweighted,
and we doubt his ability to repeat the Abd-el-Kader
feat under the steadying impost of list. 121 b. The
Doctor, if he can stay the course, of which we have
grave doubts, must be dangerous, as he is a quick horse and
an accomplished fencer. This horse has been a steady
favourite for several weeks past, and, as he belongs to a
genuine sportsman, the victory of The Doctor would be a
popular one. In our opinion, however, The Doctor will
not quite stay the course, which is heavier than usual,
sufficiently well to win."
The following remarks are made upon two horses whose
chances are favoured in some quarters :—" Surney has
been supported to win a goodly stake by parties who do
not usually throw their money away, If our information,
however, respecting this horse is correct, he is more likel
to break down than .win, as he has been fired all round.
Fan is quite capable of winning, if the jade would only
take heart and try ; one thing in her favour is
the removal of the fence, at which she refused in 1868-69."
Land and Water places the Doctor first. Fan second, and
Surney third, with the Colonel close up. The writer
says :—" Mr. Swindells, the owner of Surney, who knows
the way to the winning-post as well as any man in the
country, informs me that his horse is very fit and well, and
will about win if he meets with no mishaps. I cannot help
thinking, however, that as Fan has been running more kindly
than she did last year, she will run a good mare ; indeed,
if she does not refuse, I look upon her as the best outsider
in the race, and I think she is well worth backing to get a
place. She is a well-bred, good-looking mare, with plenty
of strength, and well able to carry 10st. If lucky during
the journey she will make the Doctor gallop before
he reaches the winning post." The qporting
Life goes in favour of the Doctor and Cristal, with
Primrose for a place. It says :—" The Doctor has risen
step by step until he is one of the firmest favourites there
has been for a number of years, the advance of none of
the recent " pots" tending to weaken his position, or to
decrease the confidence of his supporters. He is
the representative of one of the most powerful
steeplechase stables in the kingdom, where the
sole and exclusive occupation of Holman is the train-
ing, trying, and preparation of such animals. When the
Doctor was running on the flat as a two-year-old he was
considered worth backing for the Derby, and when he took
to jumping, and that extraording horse L'Africain was his
contemporary stable-companion, I have heard it stated on
good authority that there was little if anything between.
them. He is already known as a very excellent steeple-
chase; highly finished in his jumping, like Globule,Jealousy,
and other celebrated sons and daughters of The Cure."
The impression of Q.C., says this writer, is that he cannot
stay ; Gardener will do well, though ho cannot be de-
pended on as the absolute winner; and Colonel was run a
great horse. The Sportsman pronounces for the Doctor or
Surney, with Cristal and Primrose as the next likely can-
didates. This journal devotes live columns to prophecy
4 -
on the forthcoming event !

THE EDUCATION BILL AND THE PARMA.
MENTARY MEMBERS OF THE LEAGUE.

At a conference of thirty members of Parliament on Friday,
under the presidency of Mr. George Dixon, it was determined
(says the Pall Mall Gazette) on behalf of the members of
the Education League that when the Education Bill comes
on, at later stages, the question of free schools shall not be
pressed, but the following points shall be persisted in :
The universality of school boards, absolute compulsion of
attendance, separation of hours for religious teaching from
hours for secular teaching, and the unsectarian character
of new schools founded and supported by rates.