The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-18 00:00:00

to your bands, with every hope and faith in your gene-
rosity. Think of the geed tinan ceining---every prospect
of peace.--La return of wealth to the country—increased
ceminerCe, mid a possible reduction in taxation. Every-
thing at this iaomeut promises well. Even the hopSt of
the Freech Emperor have not been disappointed ; he has
received an addition tp his family, and )teas a bay ; and
to-night we hope to receive a great addition to our
finances, in-the shape of a thumping boy,. whose name
will be " Liberal Donation"—a hope that v.e all feel
convinced will not. this • evening be blighted by you.
Mr. Bucketone, in the delivery of his address, was fre-
quently inteirupted' by laughter and cheers.
The ClielliMair next .proposed " The health of the
Trustees," coupling with it the name of Mr., C.,,Dicluans.
Mr. C.-DICKENS, :en rising; Was received with loud
cheers. He said :—I well remember that when the
opera of 'Gustaf-el was first produted at Coventlarden.
Theatre; a most ludicreuelyeen4 effect was produced
by+ the hero referring the most incimentotie questior,
+whether be should •or not go to the ball where be
received
.his death-wound, to a walkieg gentleman)
:Mr'.. Baker, who had never before opened .his lips
tor given any sign of hiii existence. When Mr.
aker, who was dressed in a court physician's suit
epliei to his master, the audience were certainly not so
serious as under
,any ether, circumstances ',they might'
gave been. Now the trustee's are the court physicians
rand walking ;gentlemen in this piece, having nothing •
Whatever to do, save to return thanks once every year
for the honour;-you confer upon them -Of . drinking their
bealth:. But inasmuch as you have coupled my nettle
With 'the toast; I Must- say that. my interest in this
Society dates' rom the establishment of the. fund itself:
' Hear; hear.) I found in the beginning a plain, unpree
ending reality,,designed for the benefit of, actors of all
legrees, adininiAered gratuitously by actors for actors,
and supported•from month to ineuith, and from year to
year, out of the small earhiugsof actors. _. (Hear, hear.)
From that time to the present the society has main-
tained its character, being ersctly•what it; claims and
professes to be. There is no kind of false pretencej about
ft, and I 'do'thorougbly believe that it is One of the most
deserving institutions in this country. (Cheers.) 'Smile
days ago I had a commtieicatem from my friend and
fellow trustee, Mr. Macready,+ on the subject of this
und, and it arose out of that great change which has
hnade Covent-garden Theatre a heap of ruins: That cir-
einstance made us reflect that the English drama has
no home, cr hope of a home, in that waste spot, and also
to take into consideration the present state of the.
Covent-garden Theatrical Fund. ' (Hear, hear.) Con-
sidering that it will be" impossible that any new claim
upon that Wad can be created, I must say teat I do
indulge a hope, amounting almost to conviction, that
the+ accumulated wealth of that institution will ulti7
luately flow into the coffers of this society ; for if it is
found that the object sought by that fund cannot be
realised, I cannot imagine what can become of that
great capital, unless it goes to augment an institution
accessible to all persons connected with the drama
throughout the kingdom. (Hear, hear.)' Mr. Dickens
concluded by wishing that prosperity might ever attend
this truly valuable society. . --: •
About, this period of the. evening the secretary, Mr.
Cullenford,,read the li.t of donations, at the head of
which Appeared her Majesty's annual subscription of
1001. The Chairman had presented 101. 30++..; the puke
of De%•tshire, 10/. 10s. annually ; Earl Fitzbardinge,
Si. annually; Mr. C. Manby, 51.; Mr. 8.. Webster, 51.;
Mr. C. Kean, 51. 54.; Mr. W. C Joke, of Astley's, 51.
annu-elly ; Mr. W. G. Robson, 101. 10s., and 51. ss.
annually ; Mr. E. ,T. Smith, 151. 155.; Me.' A. Wigan,
,51.; Mr. Albert Smith, 51 55., 55.1.

. .
Viscount RAYNHAII :i►en proposed "'The Health of
the Chair►aan," who, in au able speech, expressed his
ardent wish for the welfare of the institution.

Mr. It TAYLOR gave ":The Dramatic Author.,"
coupling with the toast the health of Mr. Oxenford, who
returned thanks, and proposed " The Health of the
Theatrical Managers of the-Metropolis."
Mr. WEBSTER responded, and' several other toasts
having been drank,
The SECRETARY announced that the sub:wriptioni of
the evening amounted to 5761., shortly after which the
Chairman left the chair, and the proceedings terminated.
The musical arrangenients of the evening were under
the management of Mr. Love' Phillip, and appeared to
give the u.reatut satisfaction. •

PRO POSED 1111 PR OVEMENTS IN PALL-
111ALL AND DUlfr IN-6
-STREET.

At present the house-rent alone paid for Government
offices amounts to somewhere' about 30,0001. a-year, ex-
clusive of the large cams paid annually for r 'pairs and
alitrations. It is proposed to alter this system, and for
the State to have offices built opon its own gr sand, and
to do away with renting premises which, at the fame
time, are both is commodious and costly. The first step
in the fg'it direction is to be taken in reference to the
War Department.. 'lt is proposed to pull down Bucks
ingbam-house and the houses that intervene between
that and the present Oninance-office, and to erect a
s; 'audit' set t f offices ucder the roof of which all the de-
partments connected with the Minister of War may be
ca•ried on. The frontage thus gained will be more than
150 feet, and will fill up the space between the Carlton
Club and the Ordnance-office. It is felt that, consider,'
ing the character of the property in Pall-mall, the new
office co the Minister of War should certainly be up ,te,
if not superior to, the splendid edifices which at present
grace this magnificent street. T this end the Caief Coin-
rnissi.iner of Works has determined to depart from the
usual r.ottlue,of his department, and instead of giving
the designing of the plans to the officials in his office
as a tbiag of course, has determinel to throw it open to
competition. With this view circulars have been sent
to 'Lime of our most distinguished architects, askirg
them to furnish deigns. This proceeding, as may easily
be imagined, has thrown the Institute of Architects let
a great and pleasing state of exciterneut,'and among those
who have already promised to send in plans may be named
Sir C. Berry, Mr. S. Smirke, Mr. J. Shaw, and Mr.
Penuefather. it is proposed by -the Government to give
to each of the susses ful candidates 1001. ; and their
designs, if thee accept this. sum, to become the pro-
perty of the-Government. • The Step thus taken will, wo
believe, meet with the entire- approbation even of the
most rabid reformers in existence. . Thus much with
reference to the propesed new War-office. But the Chief
Cotnmissioner of Works does' nut st,,P here. It will
be remembered that last year the late Sir William Moles-
worth brought before the House of Commons a plan for
taking down the offices in Downing-street and rebuild-
ing them, using, at the same time, the• vacant piece
of ground between the Board of Trade and Fludyer-,
street. The orist,, for which a vote was mike, was
90,0001. The House of Commons rejeetei the proposal,
on the ground that it was the duty of the Grovel nment
to propose a design of a more complete character, by
which the several Govenninnit offices might Le peraia-
nently brought together. They therefore Voted nearly
10,000/. for making the offices in Downing-street tem-
porarily secure, and 30,0001. for the purchase of land
contiguous to Dawning-street. In the House of Lords,
Lords Rsdesdale, Derby, Motateagle, Ellenbordugh,
Hardwick, the Marquis of Lansdowne, and Lord Stan-
ley of Alderley, all spoke in favour of a more extended
I and grander design, and obtained a promise from Govern-
ment that they would give the subject the fullest considera-
tion. This they have done, and the p!an of the Chief Com-
missioner of Works is, it is said, as follows :—He pro-
poses to purchase the entire block of buildings cowl:mile-
ing from Downing-street to Great George-street, includ-
ing the north side of Parliament-street. Supposing
this done, there would be an open space from Parlia-
ment-street to St. James's Park. It is then proposed to
erect a magnificent range of public offices, in a direct
line from the Treasury-cbautbers to George's-street,
Storey-gate ; so that cue pardon would look to the
west and the other into Parliament-street. -By these
means the road from the Horse Guards ito Great George.
street would 'be of the same width, and would form one
of the most magnificent thoroughfares in Europe., By it
the beauties of Westminster Abbey and the new Houses
ot•Parliament would be brought prominently forward.
Of course these alterations cannot be effected but by a
large outlay, and one, perhaps, that would startle the'
House of Commons out of its propriety ; but then to
meet this expenditure, so-that it should not fall too hea-
vily at oncei it is proposed to threw the' return of the
outlay over a period of years. ; Designs, such as the
above, have been floating before the itlinds of successive
Commissioners of Works, but they bad not the pluck to
bring them forward ; it is-now believed thit the present
commissioner, hatiked by the' G ivernrnent, will; ear y
atter Easter, bring the plan before the House of Com-
mons, and ask for their approval, which there is not
much doubt they will accord.— Observer.

DESTRUCTIVE AIRES NEAR FOLKESTONE.

- On 'ridgy last two very serious and destructive fires I
broke out near Folkestone. About noon a chimney
took fire in tbe farm-house of Mr. Filcher, when a flake
of burning soot fell upon a hay-rick and set it on fire. It
then spread so rapidly that the, house, outbuildings, and
stacks and rinks were very speedily burnt to the ground.
The fire having been seen by a sentinel at the camp of
the British German tegion at Sliorncliffe, it was imme-
diately reported, when a large body of cavalry and in-
fantry, with three.engines, proceeded with great haste to
the spot, and the place having been surrounded by the
infantry, the other troops wont to work in good style,
but from want of water they could not arrest the progress
of the flames. Their conduct, however, was so highly
appreciated,' that the owner presented the men with 30
pigs that were roasted by the fire.
The secona'fire wai at a windmill adjacent to the rail-
way, near the upper station at Folkestone, about two
miles froth the camp. It broke out accidentally at about
six o'clock ; the German troops. were soon present, and
rendered most valuable ,and effective service in saving
property, arthonglr 'the' mill was completely gutted.
Nearly all the flour was saved'- One of the German
cavalry. brought out on his back more than 20 sacks
from amidst the fire, and the greatest praise is doe to
the legion for their prompt assistance.

THE "ETNA FLOATING BATTERY.—The order for the
launching of this' battery on the 24th inst, has 4gin
countemancledi• •