The Sun.
London, England, 1851-02-10 00:00:00

Eke :1L11".

THE HANDSOME HUSBAND. Characters by Messrs. C. Ma•
thews, Vining, Miss M. Oliver, and Mrs. C. Horn.

After which an entirely new and original Fairy Extravaganza,
to be called ICING CHARMING ; or, the Blue Bird of Paradise.
Characters by Messrs. C. Mathews, F. Matthews, Horncastle, Suter,
Bellingham, and llonner ; Madame Vestria, Mrs. Frank Matthews,
Miss Ellis, Mrs. C. Horn, Miss St. George, and Miss Martindale.
To conclude with

THE RINGDOVES, In which Messrs. C. Mathews, F. Matthews,
Basil Baker. Mrs. F. Matthews, and Miss M. Oliver will appear.

ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE.
Lessee and Manager, Mr. NV. Farren.
Great hit of the Romance of the Nose.
THIS EVENING,

Will be performed ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD.
After which KING RENO'S DAUGHTER, in which Messrs.
Leigh Murray, Eiddear, G. Cooke, W. Farren, jun.; Mesdames Stir-
ling and U. Bartlett will appear.
To oonlude with ALLOW ME TO APOLOGISE.

kuY..-xL A3IYaITiiEATKE.
17ader the Patronage of her Majesty and his Royal Hlghtleal
Prince Albert.
Proprietor and Manager, Mr. W. Batty.
Extraordinary series of attractive novelties.
Last Week of the Pantomime.
THIS EVENING
The Grand new Spectacle of KENILVt ORTFi ; or the Goldea Days
of the Virgin Queen. with new and costly costumes.
After which Mons. Plasche in his wonderful Ascent on the Barrel.
Together with Batty's Splendid Scenes of the Circle.
To conclude with an entirely new and original grand historical
Equestrian Christmas Pantomime, written expressly for this Theatre
by the author of " Bluff King Hal," to be entitled

HARLEQUIN AND O'DONOGHIIE ;
or, The White Horse of Killarney
Box-office open from Eleven till Four.
Stlge Manager, Mr. T. Thompson.

LONDON, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 185

We were among the first to hail with satisfaction
;he introduction of the Scottish system of banking
nto England, by the establishment of the Royal Bri-
,ish Bank in the metropolis. By some the project
was regarded as a bold experiment, which might, in-
deed, succeed, but the results whereof were, to say
the least, very problematical. We, however, enter-
tained no such doubts. Convinced of the soundness
of the principles on which it was based, well aware
of the characters of the men who came forward as
directors and managers of the new undertaking, and
knowing that the important and onerous duties con-
fided to their charge would be performed with
ability, fidelity, and zeal, we unhesitatingly
predicted a long and prosperous career for the
new bunk. We knew that the system had
flourished during a long course of years in the sister
kingdom—that it had at various times been subjected
to the most stringent tests—bad passed through the
most severe ordeals, and that on every occasion it had
passed triumphantly through:its many trials. It had
been weighed in the balance, and net found wanting.
It had proved alike profitable to the shareholders and
beneficial to the community in general. The former
had received handsome dividends on the amount of
their investments, while many an energetic young
man, who had no capital but his well-known probity
and industry, owed his welfare and prosperity in life
to the judicious accommodation afforded
by the various banks ; the real value of a
"good name, " pure, and without reproach,
was thus exemplified. it might prove the foundation
of future fortune, and was therefore a treasure highly
prized and not willingly relinquished. It is well
known that many of the most wealthy capatilists, who
stood shoulder to shoulder and supported the Scottish
banks against every pressure, were persons who
had previously received assistance from these estab-
lishments, and who thus simultaneously testified their
gratitude for former favours, and their unwavering
confidence in the solvency and stability of those
who had been their early benefactors. The simple fact,
that during the last century and a half, the community
in general had not lost more than twenty-six thou-
sands of pounds, by all the banks that failed northof the
Tweed, while during the first half of the present century
more than twenty-six millions had been lost by such
failure south of the border, afforded the most power-
ful argument in favour of the system that produced
such auspicious results ; and if " the fundamental
principles of trade and banking, as a branch of it,
are and must be the same everywhere, that men in all
countries are essentially alike, and that there are no con-
trarieties or even substantial dissimilarities between the
essentials which should regulate trade and influence the
people in the southern, as compared with the northern
part of the island," we might reasonably conclude
with the directors that the " principles and mode of
giving effect to them practically, which have proved
sound and beneficial in one portion of the kingdom,
could hardly, if fairly tried, fail of success:in the other."
Well, the system has been tried under a southern
meridian. It has been brought into practical opera-
tion for something more than a year, and the favour-
able anticipations in which we indulged have
been completely fulfilled. Our sanguine vaticinations
have been more than verified. The report presented by
the Court of Directors to the proprietors, at the general
meeting held on Friday, at the bank premises, Strand
branch, showed an amount of progress more than
could reasonably have been expected, and, indeed,
almost unprecedented. Any person embarking in
business calculates, as a matter of course, on some
degree of loss the first year ; he is well contented if
his profits are equivalent to his expenses during the
second year ; and it is not until the third
year that he ventures to look for an in-
come from his exertions. Now the Royal British
Bank appears to have passed this probationary
period per saltuns, and to have already attained a
position which many men are well satisfied to achieve
after years of arduous and unremitting labour.
A. dividend after the rate of 41. per cent. per annum,
free of income-tax, has been declared for the half-year
ending the 31st of December. But this dividend
although extremely handsome from an establishmen
but a single year in existence, shows but a senal
portion of what has actually been done. The actua
profits have been, not 4 but 14 per cent. during that
period, for there has been gained not only the 2,0001.
appropriated to dividends, but 2,000/. applied as
the first contribution to a reserved fund, or
rest, and 3,097/. 15s. 7d. still unappropriated.
This is, indeed, astonishing good fortune, and might
be doubted but for the distinct and positive proof ad-
duced by the directors. There is no concealment.
The state of affairs is set forth with the utmost can-
dour. There is no concealment, for there is nothing
to be dreaded from publicity, which is courted to the
fullest extent. The directors not only show us the
flourishing state of their accounts, but they explain
the principles on which they have acted, and assign
the most convincing and satisfactory reasons for
every step they have taken. There may be what in
this latitude will be considered as novelties, but which
both in theory and practice will bear the strictest
investigation, and
examination, the most searching

scrutiny.
The report itself is a masterpiece in its way ; it
evinces a thorough acquaintance with banking prin-
ciples, and shows where a discreetore carried
eaanrdpdreundeinnt
thisex-
ex-
tension of the practice heretofore
country may bq beneficial to bankers and customers,
whose interests are really one and indivisible, and
who will find their best account in mutually
supporting each other. It clears away the mists that
have formerly prevailed • on the subject and removes
ancient prejudices. It explains the misapprehensions
that have existed on the subject of "capital," and
shows the wide distinction between the same word ap-
plied to banking and to commerce. In commerce,
"capital is necessary to enable the merchant and
trader to purchase the commodity in which he deals."
In banking, " the commodity dealt in is that whereof
capital consists, and it is not purchased, but received
in trust, and for safe custody and for hire,
or not, according to the terms on which the bank
transacts its business, but always to be lent out by

We understand that Messrs. Schwepp and Co., of
Berners-street, are the successful competitors for the con-
tract to supply the whole of the refreshments at the
Crystal Palace. It will be an arduous undertaking, but
we are quite certain, from the well-known enterprising
character of the firm, ttat they will place whattver does
not belong to their own business in such hands as cannot

fail to satisfy both the Royal Commissioners and the
public generally. Wines aad liquors being strictly pro-
hibited, no parties better qualified could be found, it
being their peculiar branch or trade to supply all the
light refreshing summer beverages, such as lemonade,
end the various aerated waters, and every novelty
permitted by the Commissioners, who have fully con-
sidered the interest of the public by arranging that
none of the refreshments supplied shall be charged
higher than at any respectable London establishment.
CABINET DINNER•—The Earl Grey will entertain
his colleagues in the Cabinet at dinner on Wednesday next
at the family mansion in Calton.gardens.
THE SPEAKRIt'S LEVEE.—The Right tion. the
Speaker will hold his first levee for the present session on
Saturday next, previous to which the Right Hon. Gentle-
man will have the honour of entertaining at dinner Lord
John Russell, and the other members of thu Ministry having
seats in the Lower House.
The body is the shell of the soul, and dress is the
husk of that shell ; but the husk often te.ls what the kernel
is. —Eliza Cook's Journal.

GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND —APPOINTMENT OF
GRAND Bann.—We understand that the Grand Lodge of
Scotland, at a quarterly meeting of the brethren on Tuesday,
unanimously agreed on the nomination of h s Grace the
Grand Master, to appoint R. W. Jameson, Esq., to the
highly distinguished office of Grand Bard, vacant by the
death of the late Mr. Gilfillan. The appropriateness of this
appointment, and the high qualifications of its gifted reci-
pient, will be appreciated by all who have perused Mr. Jame-
son's strikingly original and sterling poem of " Nimrod"—
the merits of which alone, we may add, have secured this
andtoken
in
uo
sf
rrespect
order.—E
and admiration on the part of the ancient
inburqh Evening Post.

MIDLAND RAILWAY.-We understand that the
dividend will be at the rate of 2§ per cent. per annum; with
a balance of 20,0001.