The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-29 00:00:00

Min
NAVY CIVIL DEPARTMENTS.
A Bill to amend the Laws relating to the Business of the
Civil Departments of the Navy, and to make other
Regulations for the more effectually carrying on the
Duties of the said Departments.
Whereas by an Act made In the second year of the reign
of his late Majesty King William the Fourth, entitled, "An
Act to amend the Laws relating to the Business of the Civil
Departments of the Navy, and to make other Regulations for
the more effectually carrying on the Duties of the said De-
partments," all the duties thereof then vested in the prin-
cipal officers and commissioners of his Majesty's navy, and
the commissioners for victualling his Majesty's navy, and for
the care of sick and wounded seamen, were transferred to
the commissioners for executing the office of Lord High
Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
And whereas her Majesty, by her royal letters patent, un-
der the great seal, bearing date the was pleased
to constitute and appoint certain persons therein named to be
such commissioners as last aforesaid.
And whereas it is deemed expedient, and for the better re-
gulation of her Majesty's naval service, that the said com-
missioners for executing the said office of Lord lligh Ad-
miral should be reduced to three, and that other regulations
should be established for conducting the civil services of her
Majesty's navy.
Be it therefore enacted, by the Queen's most excellent
Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords
spiritual and temporal, and Commons. in this present Par-
liament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that in
case her Majesty should be pleased to cancel and revoke the
said letters patent, by which the said several persons were
respectively constituted and appointed commissioners for
executing the said office of Lord High Admiral as afore-
said, the number of such commissioners shall be reduced to
three.
And be it enacted, that the said three commissioners for
executing the office of Lord High Admiral as aforesaid, shall
be and they are hereby authorised and empowered to appoint
a naval officer, during good behaviour, to be styled " Comp-
troller of the Dockyard Establishment's," under whose three-
tien and controul shall be placed the surveyor of the navy,
the storekeeper-general, and all the officers attached to the
dockyard establishments, and to whom the said commis-
sioners shall be and they are hereby authorised and em-
powered to depute all or any of the powers transferred to the
said commissioners from the principal officers and commis-
sioners of his Majesty's navy by the said Act of the second
year of the reign of his late Alajesty William IV. Provided
always, that the said Comptroller of the dockyard establish.. merits shall correspond with the secretary for the time being
of the Board of Admiralty, and shall obey all orders and in-
structions which shall be from time to time transmitted to
him by such secretary.
And be it enacted, that the said commissioners shall be
and they are hereby authorised and empowered to appoint a
naval officer, during good behaviour, to be styled " Comp-
troller of the Medical and Victualling Department," under
whose direction and controul shall be placed the Physician
of the Fleet and Comptroller of the Victualling, to be here-
after styled " Purser and Paymaster of the Fleet," and all
the officers and servants attached to the medical and vic
tualling department of the said establishment, to whom the
said commissioners shall be and they are hereby authorised
and empowered to depute all or any of the powers transferred
to the said commissioners from the principal officers and com-
missioners for victualling his Majesty's navy, and for the
care of sick and wounded seamen, by the said Act of the
second year of the reign of William IV. Provided always,
that the said Comptroller of the Medical and. Victualling De-
partment shall correspond with the secretary for the time
being of the Board of Admiralty, and shall obey all orders
and instructions which shall be from time to time transmitted
to him by such secretary.
And be it enacted, that the said three Commissioners shall
be authorised and empowered to appoint a person to be
styled the " Comptroller of Accounts," whose duty shall be
to comptrol the accounts and bring forward the estimates
and perform any other duties deputed to him by the said
Commissioners for the time being, under whose direction and
control shall be placed the Accountant-General, and all clerks
and other officers attached to his department for executing
the office of Lord High Admiral, to whom the said Commis-
sioners shall be and they are hereby authorised and em-
poWered to depute all or any of the powers transferred to the
said Commissioners by the said Act of the second year of the
reign of William IV.: provided always, that the said Comp-
troller of Accounts shall correspond with the Secretary for
the time being of the Board of Admiralty, and shall obey all
orders and instructions which shall be from time to time
transmitted to him by such Secretary.
And whereas by the third section of the said Act passed in
the second year of the reign of his late Majesty King Wil-
liam IV., it is enacted, that from and after the revocation of
the said letters patent, all contracts, covenants, and agree-
ments made between the said Commissioners of the Navy
and Victualling respectively, or any person on their behalf,
and any other person or persons whomsoever, for the supply
of any stores, goods or other things for his Majesty's ser-
vice, or for the performance of any work, or on any account
in anywise relating to the naval and victualling departments
respectively, or in which the said Commissioners are in any
manner interested or concerned, shall in like manner be trans-
ferred to and vested in the Commissioners for executing the
office of Lord High Admiral aforesaid for the time being, and
shall be executed and enforced by them in the same manner
as if they had been named therein : and whereas it is deemed
expedient that such section should be repealed and re-en-
acted as hereinafter mentioned ; be it therefore enacted, that
from and after the passing of this Act, the said section be
and the same is hereby repealed.
And be it further enacted, that from and after the revoca-
tion of the said letters patent, all contracts, covenants, and
agreements made between the said Commissioners for ex-
ecuting the office of Lord High Admiral, or any person on
their behalf, and any other person or persons whomsoever,
for the supply of any stores, goods, or other things for her
Majesty's service, or for the performance of any work, or on
any other account in anywise relating to the naval and vic-
tualling departments respectively, or in which the said Com-
missioners are in any manner interested or concerned, shall
be transferred to and vested in the said Comptrollers of the
Dockyards, the Comptroller of the Medical and Victualling
Department, the Comptroller of Accounts, and one of the
Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Ad•
miral as aforesaid, for the time being, and shall be executed
and enforced by them in the same manner as if they
-had been
named therein.
And whereas it is expedient for the government of her
Majesty's naval service, that the officer to be appointed to
fill the office of Comptroller of the DOckyards and Comp.
troller of the Victualling and Medical Department, should be
experienced men, and weal versed in the duties they have to
perform ; be it enacted, that no officer shall be appointed to
fill either of these departments who has not served five years
as superintendent of a dockyard or superintendent of an hos-
pital and victualling-yard respectively.
And be it enacted, that on the demise of the present Vice
and Rear Admiral of Great Britain, the two Naval Lords of
the Admiralty for the time being do hold the appointments
of Vice and Rear Admiral, and in the event of the appoint-
ment of a Lord High Admiral, they hold their appointment
and act as his counsel.

COURT CIRCULAR.
Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, attended by the Hon.
Miss Mitchell, visited the Queen yesterday at Buckingham
Palace, and remained to luncheon with her Majesty.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert, attended by Lieut.-
Colonel Seymour, left town at six o'clock yesterday morning,
travelled by a special train on the South Western Railway to
Gosport, crossed in the Lightning steam•packet to Mead
Hole, Isle of Wight, and proceeded to Osborne House. The
Prince left Osborne House at ten minutes before three o'clock
in the afternoon, recrossed in the Lightning, and returned to
town by a special train, arriving at Buckingham Palace at
seven o'clock in the evening.
The Queen, attended by Lady Portman, took an airing
yesterday, in an open carriage and four. The Equerry in
Waiting, the HonourableColonel Grey, was in attendance on
horseback.

Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, Prince Al-
fred, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice, took their
accustomed walks and rides yesterday, in the gardens of the
Palace.

Her Majesty and Prince Albert, attendd by the Hon,
Miss Murray, Hon. Miss Napier, Lord By on, Hon. Colonel
Grey, and Lieut.-Colonel Seymour, honoured the Italian
Opera with their presence yesterday evening. Her Royal
Highness the Duchess of Kent, attended by her Lady in
Waiting, also honoured the performance of the Opera with
her presence.
Her Majesty the Queen Dowager visited her Royal High-
ness the Duchess of Cambridge yesterday, at Cambridge
House.
His Serene Highness the Hereditary Prince of Saxe-
Meiningen returned to Marlborough House at six o'clock
yesterday afternoon from Portambuth. His Serene Highness
was attended by Captain Taylor, Mr. Bedford, and the Baron
de Reitzenotein.

Prince Castelcicala, the Neapolitan Minister, had an inter-
view with the Earl of Aberdeen yesterday at the Foreign-
office.

Mr. Wickham, Chairman of the Stamps and Taxes, had
an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday
at his official residence in Downing-street.

VOCAL CONCERTS, HANOVER-
SQUARE; ROOMS.
The first of these delightful concerts took place here last
evening under the patronage of the Duchess of Kent, the
were
ia
supportedwit.
Duke of Cambridge, the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch,
and the Duchess of Sutherland.
Th e
who a
r vocalia
B . e performers,s
.issßioreeh,eyad H.
Missn Ley,and
Phillips,Mi
s m
bilwy: were,
r a ebb's lv,l Mr. Lk
very efficient chorus. Mr. Tarte, the organist of West-
minster Abbey, presided at the organ and piano-forte. The
only other instrumental performance was Mr. Blagrove on
the violin. The following was the programme
Madrigal.PA uT In a tlinovnea
wake," principal.
m singers and chorus—
NB.Vire.bbßecagrov Song, "Ah com ir," Miss Birch ;
"God Save the Queen."
Obligate,
andM rose,"
Miss e—Guglielini.P Glee, " With sighs, sweet
Miss Maria B. Hawes, Mr. Hobbs, 2r. Lockey Phillips—Callcott. Ballad, " When forced from dear Hebe,"
Mr. H. Phillips—Dr. Arne. Music in Macbeth, all the
plsriipanrAciainpTßal.suHa.—Gnawd
ecls,eheoLu:s.
oHhnlnbßsi,rmd
ro.fLnenvkee,'y' Mnisds
mßirrcHh,. MissPhil-
lips—Earl of Mornington. Song, "1 attempta from love's
sickness to fly," Mr. Hobbs—Purcell. Duet, "Fraught with
melodies," Miss Birch and Miss Maria B. Hawes, and chorus
—Weber. New Fantasia, violin, Mr. Blagrove—Kalliwoda.
Air, " See Nature doth her stores unfold." Miss Maria B.
Hawes—Weber. Glee, " The Midges," Miss Birch, Miss
Maria B. Hawes, Mr. Hobbs, and Mr. H. Phillips—W.
Knyvett. Chorus, " Then round the starry throne"—Han-
del. Glee, Thy voice, 0 Harmony," principal singers and
chorus—Webbe.
Miss Birch gave Gaglielmi's beautiful air with exquisite
taste, and Callcott's glee too, was very delightfully given. H.
Phillips, who was in excellent voice, sung " When forced
from dear Hebe," as he always does sing, admirably; and
then came the gem of the night, Matthew Lock's magnificent
Macbeth music, with H. Phillipps as first witch and Hecate,
and Miss Birch as second witch. The solo, " Let's have a
dance upon the heath," was beautifully given by Miss Ley,
who seemed thoroughly to enter into the spirit of this, the
finest of our old English composers. Too much praise
cannot be given to Mr. Turle for the manlier in which he
accompanied this music on the organ, it was very fine.
The Earl of Mornington's charming glee was beauti-
fully given, and was honoured with an encore ; as
was Weber's exquisite air, " See nature doth her stores un-
fold," in which the rich tones of Miss Maria Hawes's fine
contralto voice told admirably. The concert was well at-
tended; so well, that we think we may venture to prophecy
that this attempt at reviving our old classical chamber
music will be pre-eminently successful. We trust itl may,o
and we hope the directors of these vocal concerts
there
isg noon
sand prosper. Often have we heard it said,
English school of music,
founded in fact, There was an
English school of music. Never was any assei-tion les s
witness Wilbye and his contemporary madrigal writers,
and Matthew Locke and Purcell, long before the Ger •
man or the French were dreamed of : but we have
been careless of the fame transmitted to us by our
ancestors. We have been content to hide our light under a
bushel, and have suffered ourselves to be robbed of that
credit which is by right our own. The fact is, no nation is
so rich in chamber music as our own. The directors of these
Concerts are endeavouring to bring to light these hidden
us
they will obtain ical treasures. They deserve success, d
an We ardently
hope it,