The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-14 00:00:00

BILLINGSGATE FISH MARKET.

The new front building on Billingsgate-quay is now
freurly finished, and When the scaffolding is taken away,
will present a noble appearance from the river. The
structure is not unlike the letter T turned upside down,,
resting upon twenty arches supported by iron pillars,
there being three towers, a short one at each end, and a
tall tower where a clock is to be placed in the middle.
The building seems substantial and fire-proof, there
being little other material observable than bricks, free-
stone, and iron. The subterranean shell-fish market is
also in a forward &rive, and may very readily be finished
when it suits controlling powers. One object, which
very forcibly strikes every visitor to Billingsgate, is the
row of houses that stands betwixt Darkhouse-lane and
the market where business is carried on. In consequence
of the great increase of fish to this market since it was
first built, the confusion and uproar that go on in the
morning between the hours of five and nine, is inde-
scribable. The question suggesting itself is:—" Are
those houses to come down for the purpose of making
more room for transacting business?' And then, again,
when you look at the new front building, and see that it
is carried from one end of the quay to the other, darken-
ing the window lights of some of the houses in this row of
building, and. otherwise putting them completely in the
shade, as regards beauty of structure, it immediately
occurs to you, " Oh! yes, they must come down."
This question, however, although several times mooted,
is not yet finally settled. Besides the improvements
going on at Billiugsgate•market, in the shape of beauti-
fying it, &c., it is also cheering to observe that there is
now a spirit of enterprise afloat fur the purpose of pro-
ducing a first-rate quality of fish for the market by
resuscitating the decaying system of deep sea fishing.
Latterly two-decked welled vessels of large tonnage have
been built, and are now engaged in their respective
trades. One is named the Pearl of Harwich, dandy
cutter rigged, 80 tons burthen; the other is named the
Spirit of Greenwich, schooner rigged, burthen 114 tons.
Both are beautiful models of vessels, possess excellent
sailing and weatherly qualities, and looking tnore like
yachts, when under canvas, than vessels built for fishing
purposes. There is always a feeling of pleasure when a
person has to record advanced improvements in any
department whatever; that feeling, however, is different
when obliged to notice any retrograde movement Bits
lingsgate-market is not now what it used to be with
respect to proper regulations as regards cleanliness. The
order at one time was, " The market should be opened
at four A.M., sales to commence at five, and the market
must be scrubbed and clean washed out by one P.M."
This order, good whilst in operation, has sadly relaxed.
You may now go sometimes at three and four o'clock in
the afternoon, and see the place not much unlike a horse
stable, covered over with straw and filth; and there is
oftentimes a smell about the market, particularly when
the weather is warm, that is quite unpardonable, when
such an abundance of water is always at hand.

CANBRLDGE MILITARY ASYLUM.
A public dinner for the support of a now foundation to
commemorate the charitable career of his late Royal
Highness the Duke of Cambridge was held on Friday
night at the London Tavern, with General the Marquis
of Londonderry in the chair, supported by the Marquis
of Granby, M P., the Earl of Enniskillen and Viscount
Coin bermere, General Viscount Lorten, and the Viscounts
Seaham and Chelsea, and Lord Rokeby, of the Scots
Fusilier Guards. Of the dinner we need only say that
.
was numerously attended, that it comprised all the
delicacies of the season, and that it was served with great
taste and judgment. Mr. Toole discharged the duties of
a toastmaster with his usual energy, and the band of the
2d Regiment of Life Guards, under the direction of
Mr. Grattan Cooke, the master of the band, and a com-
pany of vocalists, under the guidance of Mr. Farquhar-
son Smith, served to enliven the proceedings of the even-
ing. The usual loyal toasts were successively proposed
by the chairman, and heartily responded to by the as-
sembled guests. The memory of his late Royal High-
ness the Duke of Cambridge was then toasted in solemn
silence, but hearty eheers were elicited by the chairman
proposing the healths of the present Duke, of the King
of Hanover, and the Duchess of Gloucester. The next
toasts were " the Church and State," and " the Army
and Navy," to which latter toast a suitable reply was
made by Viscount Combermero, who, in his
turn, proposed the health of the chairman, the Mar-
quis of Londonderry. The Noble Marquis, in
returning thanks, led the company to the business
of the evening. He expressed his entire concurrence
with those who sought to establish a lasting memento of
the signal services which his lamented friend the late
Duke of Cambridge had done to the charities of the
country; but he also rejoiced that the promoters of the
scheme had fixed upon a plan which had not only prac-
tical utility to commend it, but which was also strictly in
the spirit of the late Duke's beneficent career. Instead
of a dead monument, it had been resolved to erect a
living memorial. Instead of a stone column, the Cam-
bridge committee were agreed to lay the foundation of
a refuge, and to make a provision for the widows of
non-commissioned officers and privates of her Majesty's
land forces. This was a great and noble object. If,
indeed, he (the Noble Marquis) were allowed to ex-
press the most secret wish of his heart, he, as a
soldier, would say, that he was sorry the provision had
not been made for the sons of soldiers rather than for
their widows. The discipline of the army was against
soldiers' marriages, fled as for the soldiers' boys, they
had lately been deprived of many of the asylums which
formerly had provided for their sustenance end educa-
tion. This, however, was a point on which he would
not insist. The plan, as it was, was humane, noble, and
Generous, and one which, had his lamented friend the
would no doubt have obtained
His Lordship concluded with
his Dukeap
porfoCv
aalmabnrdi Cambridge
pl iovretd. ,
an earnest appeAl in support of the nascent charity, for
which he said the sum of 2,000/. had already been col-
lected, and towards the funds of whi.,th his Majesty the
King of Hanover bad givan the generous donation of
3001. Donations and subscriptions to the amount of 500/.
were snowed in the mire 91 the °vain.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
On Saturday last the members of the Navy Club gave
a splendid banquet to the Right Hon. Sir F. T. Baring,
BT., M.P., at the Thatched House Tavern, St. James's.
Vice-Admiral Sir Samuel Pym, K,C.8., was in the chair,
and Captain S. Ferbes was the vice-president. The
Hun. W. Cowper. M.P., and Mr. Secretary Parker, M.P.,
of the Board of Admiralty (the colleazues of the First
Lord), were the civil guests on the occasion, and the
officers present were the following:—
Admirals—Sir C. Ogle, Bart., the Marquis of Tho-
, mond, G.C.H., Sir Charles Adam, K.C.B , Sir E. D.
Kieg, K.C.H., Hon. G. Elliot, 0.13., Thomas, Sykes, Sir
Teotnaa Cochran?, K lion. J. Percy, C. 8., W.
Bowles, C. 13., Deans Dundas, C. 8., m.„r..
Sir W. Dillon,
K.C.H., Hon. \V. Gordon, M.P., Sir A. W. Clifford,
Bart., C. 8., A. R. Sharpe, C. 13, , • .F. Beaufort C B L , y-
sight, P.ice, and Cator.
Captains—Sir Baldwin Walker, K.C.8., Sir Thomas
Hastings, Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, G.c.R., R. S.
Dundas, 0.13., A. Graham, 0.13., Charles Eden (private
secretary), D. Bethune, C. 8., Hon. S. T. Carnegie,
Chads, C. 8., Plunaridge, Alexander, G. R. Mundy,
Thorn borough, Trotter, Powell, Young, G. Mansell, Hon.
C. J. B. Elliot, Saumarez, Nias (Devonport ordinary).
Commanders—Lord A. Beauclerk, Hon. P. P. Corry,
M'lwaine, Horton.
The Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth, Admiral the
Hon. Sir T. Bladen Capel, K.C.8., having been (by the
death of Admiral Sir John Talbot) promoted to be Ad-
miral of the Red, shifted his flag on board the Victory
at ten o'clock A M. on Saturday, from white to red at the
main. The ships under his orders, the Dauntless, 24,
screw-frigate, Captain Haisted, the Blenheim, the Ven-
geance, Rolla, &c., shifting their white ensigns and pen-
-1 dente to red. The Victory and thep Britannia fired the usual
complimentary salutes on the occasion. The previous
evening (Friday) the Gallant and much-esteemed Admi-
ral gave a grand dinner party at his residence in the
dockyard to a large party of official and other persons.
The Sailors' Home at Portsmouth is progressing most
satisfactorily. The seamen have found out the
many advantages the home which Captain W. H. Hall
originated possesses over the common lodging-houses,
and the home is now the peaceful resort not only of the
seamen out of employ, but of others where on shore on
leave from the ships in commission.
It is reported that Mr. Baldock, storekeeper of Sheer-
ness Dockyard, will succeed to the vacant office of store-
keeper at Devonport; and that Mr. Dent will be ap-
pointed to active service again as storekeeper of Sheer-
ness Dockyard.
Mr. Grant's cooking and distilling gallery having been
now sufficiently tested, and the satisfactory results and
its great usefulness reported on by the captains of all
vessels where it has been placed on board, will now be
regularly adopted in the British navy. The m anu fa c -
tu re of these galleys—which has been hitherto carried
on at the Clarence Victualling-yard under the inven-
tor's personal inspection, and, since his promotion, under
the superintendence of Mr. Davis, the master attendant
of that yard—will now forthwith be removed to Ports-
mouth Dockyard, to Mr. Murray's department. Another
manufactory will also be carried on at Woolwich. A
large-class galley is now nearly ready for the great iron
screw steam-trooper Simoon, which will be ready by the
time that ship is completed, and will then be placed on
board.

Master's-Assistant William Steven has been appointed
to the Cumberland, 70, flag ship, West Indies.
Bonetta, 3, brigantine, Lieutenant-Commander Wake,
arrived at Rio from Chatham, May 27.
Heroine, 6, Commander J. B. Marsh, is fast being
dismantled, and will be paid off at Devonport on Tuesday.
Locust, steam-vessel, Lieut.-Commander Curtis, ar-
rived at Rio, June 3, from a cruise.
Seaflower, cutter, Lieutenant Fletcher, tender to the
Cuckoo, sailed from Portsmouth, for the Channel Islands
on Friday evening.
Sprightly, steam-tender, Master-Commander Allen,
sailed from Portsmouth on Saturday, with Mr. Bean
and seamen of the Fisgard that navigated the Furious,
steam-frigate, from Woolwich to Portsmouth.
PORTSMOUTH, SUNDAY.—The Rev. Edward S.
Phelps, 8.A., chaplain of her Majesty's ship Britannia,
120, at this port, has been appointed to the chaplaincy of
this dockyard„ vice Morgan, retired after 49 years'
service.

The brigantine Prince Patrick, from London for
Swan River, put in hero yesterday, having been in con-
tact with the Bucephalus, Indiaman, Captain Bell, from
London for Calcutta, on the previous clay. The former
has received considerable damage in her starboard
quarter; the latter carried away her flying jibboom, but
proceeded for her destina:ion.
Commander Hail, of the Coast Guard Service, has
just received from the underwriters of the Seringapatam,
which grounded near Portland a few weeks since. an
elrgant silver tea-service as an ackndwleognient cf the
valuable services rendered by him on the occasion.

SCOTTISH FETE, HOLLAND-
PARK.
The grand extra day, and third of the fife took places
on Saturday, and w‘ia -numerously and fashionably at-
tended. If the heavy rain and Scotch mist of Thursday
damped the ardour of the Highlanders, and it Friday,
with its cloudy shy and threatening aspect, was not
exactly the weather to be desired for a fete champetre,
the glorious sunshine of Saturday amply compensated
the lovers of out-of-door sports tor the sad discomfort of
the two preceding days. The games were nearly the
same, but, owing to the fineness of the weather, they;
passed off with much greater eclat. The foot-races were
capital, and the dancing to the inspiriting strains of
Mackay's pipes was of the genuine Highland sort, ':he
hearty, exciting shout of the kilted Gauls, as with life and
metal in tneir heels they danced the reel of Tulloch, being
re-echoed by the assembled company,. who seemed quite
as delighted as the principal actors in the scene. One
young man especially distinguished himself for the ad-
mirable manner in which he danced the Highland fling,
and the easy grace and unerring step he displayed
in the sword dance. The morris dancing, under the su-
perintendence of the incomparable Flexmore, assisted by
hie clever pupil, Mr. Richard Gardner, was excel-
lent, and gave general eatisfactien. The usual Highland
games, with fencing. single-stick, wrestling, sack and
wheelbarrow rae:nr, followed each other in rapid suc-
cession, and kept the audience continually on the alert.
The sack races were most laughable. To see the unfor-
tunate bagged racers, straining every nerve, endeavour-
ing, by tripping steps and eccentric jumps, to outstrip
each other; the heavy falls, and the futile efforts 'to
get up again, were quite sufficient to call a
smile upon the countenance of the greatest malcontent.
And what added to the mirth tendnd fun. very considerably
avas the unceremonious mariner le which Fiexcnore would
favour soma of the prosrrate heroes with a stroke or two
across their backs with his stick, and peremptorily order
them to get up. Of course getting up was easier said
than done, and it generally happened that after a few
excessively ridiculous efferts to obey the stern mandate,
they had no alternative than to lie quietly on their
backs, completely discomfited, till such time as some
considerate individual would be good enough to reinstate
theta on their legs. The wheelbarrow races and jingling
were equilyeketighablee-e Many other games, in which
,a,
Scotch, English, and French took part, passed the time
oft most agreeably.
If the weather on Thursday and Friday had been
more propitious, this! gathering would have far
eve. trust it will be so), it is to be
; and if the fete is to be
outshone that of former years
held annually (and
enjoyment to be de-
hoped that next year it will be under more favourable
auspices. Independently of the
engaged in
rived by the expatriated Highlander from witnessing
the sports ot his nativetcountry, country, such gatherings,
where
the representatives of many nations are
emulating each other in harmless and invigorating games
and pastimes, with pleasure to themselves and delighting
all around them, tend to knit them together in the bonds
of friendship, and to hasten the removal of prejudices
which time alone can effectually eradicate. If the Peace
Society, with Mr. Cobden at its head, could
only make arrangements for having a series of monster
files like that in Holland-park all over the world,such
means, in course of time, might have as great aninflu-
ence in bringing about that peaceful millennium so de-
voutly to be wished for as volumes of speeches on inter-
national arbitration, or an indefinite number of protests
against any appeal to arms in cases of national quarrels;
at least, if the notion cause a smile to our readers, they,
we imagine, can scarcely consider the idea of arriving at
universal peace in that manner more absurd than by any
other.

The Queen, who has hitherto honoured the Scot-
tish fetes with her presence, did not make her appear-
ance on either of the days, and some disappointment was
manifested by the audience at the circumstance. Lord
and Lady Holland and family were there, and as they
left in the evening were loudly cheered—as indeed they
ought to be, for the handsome manner in which his
Lordship places his beautiful park at the disposal of the
society is beyond all praise. As it was not generally
known that there was to be an extra day, the stands
were not quite so full as on Friday; but the fielders
mustered in immense force, and Saturday may be fairly
considered as the best day of thefae.

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