The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-08 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN FREE HOSPITAL, DE-
VONSHIRE-SQUARE, BISHOPSGATE.
The anniversary festive' of this institution was cele-
brated at the London Tavern, on Wednesday evening;
Mr. Alderman Salomons presiding, in the absence,
through indisposition, of Lord Dudley Stuart, M.P.
The chairman was supported by Mr. John Gurney Fry,
Mr. W. Law Ogilby, Mr. Ed. James, Q.C., Mr. W. Ro-
gers, Mr. Saunders, City Comptroller, Mr. C. A. Clark,
Mr. Hugh Andrews, Dr. Bushuan, Dr. Ramakill, &c.
The cloth haying been removed, and the usual loyal
toasts drunk,
The CHAIRMAN said that he bad now to propose a
toast which he was aware required but little preface from
him, as they must all be aware of the claims which the
Metropolitan Free Hospital had upon them for support.
—(Cheers.) It was impossible for them 33 individuals
to relieve the distressed as they could wish, it being only
through the agency of such institutions as that, the in-
terests of which they had met to promote, that they
could alleviate the misery and pain of the honest indus-
trious labourer in the period of illness. A large portion
of the members of society possessed no other capital than
their labour, and no society, therefore, could bo more be-
neficial than one which undertook to restore the labourer,
bowed down by sickness and distress, to health and
vigour, so as to enable him again to assume his proper
place in society. This institution, therefore, was entitled
to the special support and sympathy of the public—its
great feature being that it was entirely free, so letter of
introduction being required.—(Cheers)—and every sub-
scriber might rest assured that his donations went to
benefit those who really stood in need of aasistance.—
(Cheers.) From the reports of the charity, which he
had seen, he found that the number of persons who re-
ceived relief from it was about 10,000 per annum, and
he was sure, therefore, that they would agree with him
that no charity could be more worthy of support.—
(Cheers)—and he hoped and trusted that that day they
would evince, by the amount of their subscriptions, the
estimation in which they held it.—(Bear, bear.) Per-
haps he ought not, in the position which he held, to sit
down without expressing the deep gratitude which he
and a large class of his friends, felt tor the benefits which
this institution had bestowed on the Jewish poor.—
(Loud and continued cheers.) This charity acted upon
no principle of exclusion—but all, no matter what their
religion or „what their country, were equally and freely
admitted. As their chairman, he had felt it to be his
duty to allude to stud acknowledge the benefits whieh
the institution had bestowed on a body of the Jews, and
he must also acknowledge the benefits which they had
received from kindred institutions, especially from the
London Hospital.—(Cheers..) He would conclude by
strongly urging upon the company
present to support
the institution, and asking teem to join with him in
drinking prosperity to the "Metropolitan Free Hospi-
tal."—(Loud cheers.)
The SECRETARY (Mr. Nash) then read the following
report i--
e The committee, in presenting their report for the
pest year, congratulate the governors and friends of the
charity on the increased support it has received during
that period. In the years of the famine and of the cho-
lera the income of the society; from causes which will
be apparent, considerably declined, but a gratifying
change in this respect has taken place during the year
1850—the donations and subscriptions received in which
have amounted to 9161. 18s. A detailed statement of
the receipts and disbursements will be published with
the report, but it may briefly be stated here that the
current expenditure is about 7001. per annum. The in-
come, therefore, for 1850, presents the gratifying fea-
ture of being in advance of the expenditure, but the
surplus has been employed to liquidate the excess of
expenditure during the years of depression before al-
luded to. The particular feature in the history of the
hospital during the past year has been its removal from
Carey-street, Lincoln's Inn-fields, to its present
more commodious and roomy premises in De-
vonshire-square; and the committee have the satisfac-
tion to record that the change has been lin every way,
beneficial. The funds, ao has been shown, have in-
creased, and the neighbourhood into which it has been
removed is the one which, perhaps, more than most
others in the metropolis, required additional facilities
for affording relief to the sick poor. This is apparent
from the fact, that notwithstanding the short period it
has been established in the City it already relieves as
large a number of out-patients as it was accustomed to
do after several years' existence in Carey-street. As
regards in-patients, space exists for the accommodation
of about 40, and his late Royal Highness the Duke of
Cambridge generously presented the committee with a
few beds, bat even these they are compelled at present
to keep unoccupied, from the insufficiency of the funds.
It is in order to obtain the means of rendering these
beds at once serviceable to the sick poor, and to raise
the funds generally to a point commensurate with the
wants of the poor and populous neighbourhood in which
the hospital is situated, that the committee now ap-
peal to the friends of the charity and the public at large
for aid."
Mr. JAMES, Q.C., expressed the great gatification he
felt at seeing the large amount of good which had been
effected by the charity with such limited means. He
well knew the advantage which an institution like this
must be to the working man when his arm was paralysed
by disease; and he was rejoiced that it had now been
removed to a district where it was likely to prove most
extensively useful. He was especially delighted to see
Mr. Alderman S demons in the chair, as thet gentleman
had long been distinguished alike for his charity and
philanthropy, as to; his upright and honourable conduct
through lire.—(Cheers.) He begged to propose the health
of their chairman, Mr. Alderman Salomons.—(Cheers.)
The Ceteenentei briefly acknowledged the compliment,
and assured the company that it would ever be his
greatest pride to support and uphold, by every means in
his power, this and kindred institutions.—(Cheers.)
Mr. LAWRENCE proposed the health of the vice pre-
sideata, on whose exertions ho felt the prosperity of the
institution mainly depended.—(Cheers.)
Mr. ROGERS returned thanks. He had been for fifteen
years connected with the institution, and had never yet
been absent from their anniversary festivals.—(Cheers.)
So long as he continued in the enjoyment of health, he
should be happy to continue to attend to the promotion
of the interests of the institution, and so long as he pos-
sessed a shilling or a guinea to spire, it should be at the
service of the charity.—(Cheers.) For himself and the
other vice-presidents, he begged to return them hie best
thanks for the honour conferred upon them in drinking
their healths.—(Cheere.)
The " Corporation of the city of London" was next
drunk, and acknowledged by Mr. A. C. CLARK, who
stated that there coukt he no doubt, if a proper applica-
tion was made to them, the Corporation would become
liberal supporters of the charity.
Mr. RO4ERS having briefly alluded to the charitable
disposition known to animate the families of the Gurneys
and the Frys, proposed Mr. John Gurney Hoare, the
treasurer, Mr. John Gurney Fry, and the committee of
management.—(Cheers.)
Mr. FRY returned thanks, and expressed his regret
that his cousin, Mr. Hoare, could not be present, owing
to the pressure of business; but he was sure he would
be delighted, ae treasurer, to find how large had been
the sultscriptions announced that evening.—(Cheers.)
Though he (Mr. Fry) was the chairman of the com-
mittee, it was duo to Mr. Ogilby to say, that that gentle-
man had devoted the utmost attention to the manage-
ment of the affairs of the hospital; and they were par-
ticularly indebted to him for his exertions.—(Loud
cheers.) Re was glad to see so many Jewish gentlemen
present on that occasion,
the hospital being founded on
the universal principle of receivtng all, without regard
to sect; and he wished to see all classes of religionists,
especially in matters of charity, combined in one body.
—(Cheers.) Though they had now ago id house, with
beds and every other requisite, he regretted to say that
at present the state of the funds could not allow them to
open the hospital for the reception of in-patients.—
(Hear, hear.) Ile hoped that difficulty would not long
exist, and he was sure, if they only found the means ofiod
opening their hospital for 'd
- n . a lents,. they would be
liberally assisted by a neighbour of thelr's, with which
an honoured relation of his was connected the Instita-
Con of Nursing Sisters, who would supply them with
nurses for their wards--(Cheer
The •` Stewards" having ''')
been drunk and acknow-
ledged, the " Medical Officers" was proposed and drunk
with all hhe honours.
Dr. J. S. BLSHNAN begged to acknowledge the honour
just conferred upon the medical staff of the institution.
For himself, for Dr. Ramskill, and his other colleagues,
he could assure them that no endeavours should be
wanting, as far as the medical officers were concerned,
thing
to promote and carry out the holy purposes of the hos-
pitep_(C neers.)
and
dhtehraet svweess, oneee
great
necessity h e
that o
put beforelthem,
there existed for opening the hospital for in-patients.
The eipense of ench bed would not average more than
20/. per annum, and Ins asked them what would that be
among the numberless supporters by which the charity
was now surrounded ? Ile called upon them to double
their efforts, and they 'night rely upon it that no sooner
did they begin to receive te-patients into their hospital
than they would greatly add to the number of its sup-
porters.
--(Cheers.) Trusting that they would soon be
in a position to receive in-patients into the hospital, he
begged again to acknowledge the compliment paid to
himself and professional brethren.--(Cheers.)
Mr. J. GURNEY FM' said,
that in arranging the listse
of toasts—there was one relative to which he had made
it a sine qui non that he should be allowed to propose
it. He had done so because h as sure that no member
of the committee could bear
willing testimony than he could
energy displayed by their worth
to the talents, z
promo'"
more disinterested or
of the institution.—(Cheers.) leecerzrcy
log the interests
considered that to the personal
exertions of Mr. Nash
hierersP. ) He
e
they owed a large portion of their present , 1
and he knew that ho was *always ready
ed prosperity.
applications of the poor for the relief a Jo receive the
by the hospital, and that he invariably treatederd to them
ap-
plicant with the utmost kindness and consideration
(Loud cheers.) He begged to give them the rh._
ealth of
their secretary.—(Cheers.)
Mr. NASH returned thanks. He assured the gentle-
men present that the proof of confidence in him which
they had just shown was Fatherly gratifying to him,
and that it would act as an incentive to renewed and
continued exertions. He expressed his gratitude for the
flattering terms in which Mr. Fry had spoken of his ser-
vices, and for the kindness and courtesy which, in the
execution of his duty, he at all times received from that
gentleman and the committee at large. Ho dwelt upon
the advantages of the free principle on which the hospi-
tal is based, and concluded with expressing his convic-
tion that the institution was calculated to, and would
eventually, become one of the most important charities
i , \ 1 I , 14n the City.—(Cheers.)
- -
having
been "Ladies," and one or two other toasts
g -
drunk, the company broke up shortly after 11
ock.
he subscriptions •and do •neions announced in t..
e
' se of the evening were id out 1 5001. The Jewish
eription list amounted to nearly 2501.
'1

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W;a ;'~

Es...N-Pii""l fispatehes were scut of yesterday from the Coionia
i.ce
to the Governors of Ceylon and Hong-Kong.