The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-23 00:00:00

The grand jury then retired, and the petit jury was swum in.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.--The exertions of the ma-
nagement here are beyond all precedent, for notwithstanding
the nightly increasing attraction of Don Quixote and The
Island Nymph, we perceive the crack work of the whole sea -
son announced for representation on Thursday next. We
allude to Mr. Benedict's opera, in the preparation of which a
vast sum of money has been expended ; and in one scene of
which we hear that more than five hundred persons are in
possession of the stage: The: public anxiety to see it
something quite unusual.
HER MAJESTY'S SHIP QUEEN.—We find in the Naval
Intelligence, appearing in the Times of Thursday, from its Ports-
mouth Correspondent, an article in reference to the desertion of
seamen from 11. M. S. Rodney, which is imputed to the tyran-
nical conduct of the oftleers on board. We know nothing of
the correctness or incorrectness of this statement, but
we do know ftom inquiries we have instituted, that ano-
ther statement which has been linked to it is monstrously
false. It is this, " The Rodney is not the only ship which has suf-
fered seriously by desertion. We are informed, the flag-ship at
Devonport has lost upwards of 100 men lately." This, we have
been assured, is quite untrue. The Queen has not lost men by de-
sertion ; and to make the assertion just after the hint about
tyrannical conduct of officers, is grossly unjust to the highly
humane and universally- esteemed captain, Sir Henry Leeks,
and the officers who co-operate with him in the efficient and
seamanlike management -of the ship. No man can possibly be
more indulgent than Sir Henry, no man can possibly merit the
strongest gratitude of his -crew more than he, and Jack is sot the
sort of being to forsake the ship in which he is well treated, for
a mere crotchet. Seamen who have had the opportunity of bet-
tering themselves have certainly obtained the kind consent of the
captain to do so, but we repeat, there has been no desertion. Here,
the state of the Queen, and the amiable disposition of the captain and
officers are so well known, that the absurdity of the paragraph con-
veys its own contradiction. But in justice to them, and as regards
the wrong impressions which might be. induced elsewhere, it is,
that we offer these observations.—,Devonport Independent.
FROM A CORRESPONDENT.—We begin to hear ac-
counts of-the loss of potatoes in and I fear that —is
not quite free from the disease. Our foreign cook here has
taught us a method of dressing common horse (or Heligo-
gand) beans, which make diem an excellent substitutefor
potatoes ; and, as they are a most nourishing food, and carry
and keep well in a dried state, if they can be procured in
sufficient quantities, they would be very useful in a time of
scarcity. They are dressed hi the same way in which the
French and Italians diess the small white bean so com-
monly used in the south of Europe, We have used them
often at our table as a vegetable. Perhaps this should be
made known.

THE • ROYAL ORTHOPEDIC
HOSPITAL.
The annual genoral meeting of the friends and .np-
pOrters ~f the Oi rhopuAlic read held
on Saturday, in the Board-room of the Institution,
Bloomsbury-square ; the Right Hon. Lord Abinger in
the chair.

From the annual report, it appeared that the charity
was established for the cure of club-foot and ether con-
tractions, by a new and very successful mode of treat-
ment, based upon surgical and scientific principles. The
discovery of dividing the tendons, by which extreme
adult cases of contraction and deformity can be cured in
a few weeks or months, and those of children in a much
shorter time, obviating the slow and uncertain progress
of cure under the mechanical plan of treatment, has
elicited the approbation of many distinguished members
of the medical profession, and has been hailed by the
public with feelings of no ordinary satisfaction. The
receipts for the past twelve months for dona-
tions and subscriptions made a total fund of
1,9071. 103. 1 id. The expenditure amounted to
1,5411. 65., leaving in the hands of the treasurer a
balance of 3661. 10s. ld. The number of patients during
the last year discharged cured, had been forty-eight,;
relieved, eighteen; remaining in the hospital at the pre-
sent time, thirty. The number placed on in-patients'
rotation list during the year had been 85 ; on the
rotation list for admission, 67. The number of out-
patients treated during the year had been 884, making a
grand total of patients of 969. Since the opening of
the charity, the total number of patients admitted had
been not fewer than 4,000. The report having been
adopted, the noble chairman made a very powerful ap-
peal in behalf of the charity. His Lordship said, had it
not been for the present institution, a vast number of
persons, who are now perfectly cared, would have had
to work their way through the world, a burden to them-
selves and families. He hoped to see the charity placed
on such a footing as not to be obliged to turn patients
away for the want of funds. The committee and other
officers for the ensuing year having been chosen, a vote
of thanks was passed to his Lordship for presiding, and
the meeting separated.