The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-21 00:00:00

LONDON, MON DAY EVENING, J ULY 21, 1856.

PRINCE'S CLUB.—RA.CQUET and TENNIS:
co URI'S, Mans.place. Belgrave-square.—Tbe Acquet
Courts of this Cub will be completed and oeEs for PLAY on
Monday, the 28th inst. Centime / desirous of becoming members
are requested to communicate vitli the secretary, at the club, who
nillfurnish every information.

ALBERT LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY,
11, Waterloo-place, •
Notice is hereby given, that the lIA.LF-YEARLY DIVIDEND
to the 30th ultimo, after the rate of seven per cent. tier annumovill
be In COURSE. of PAYMENT to the Shateholders on and after the
10th July instant.

WILLIAM SMITH,
Actuary and Secretary.

9th July, 1856.

T" GENERAL LIFE . mad FIRE
MALMO:CM COMPANY,
NOTICE TS:tummy GIVEN, That the 'Thirty-sixth 11 ALP-
YE A RLY 1) IVIDE N D, at tike rate of Six per cent., declared ou the
16th instant, is payable t..) the Shareholders, at the °dice of the Com-
pany, 62, King Willtun-street, London-bridge, between the hours of
ten and four. By order of the Board. _
July 19, 1856.
.. THOMAS rim E, Secretary.

111 Q OYAL FREE HOSPITAL, Gray's-inn-road.
1 Patron-1 tic QUEEN.
9d

Founded 1828.
All poor persons are admitted patients on their.orrn application
alone ; no Governor's letter is required.
During the past month the folio wing number of sOck poor received
the benefit s of this Charity, either as oat or In-door patients, on
their personal application:—
Week ending 7th Juno •• ...... 2,402
Ditto 14th June.. .
Ditto 21st 2,324
Ditto 28th June . 2,132 -
Oat. and 30th Jane...... . 50l

Total in 9.645
of which 3,246 were, new cases, thi remapider (still under treat-
ment) having been ajimittekpreviously.
Heavy ex petites-are inevitably incurred in affording such exten-
sive relief. The Committee, therefore, earnestly entreat the aid of
the public.
The management of the Hospital is In the hands of 30 Governors,
yearly elected from the general list of subseAbers, at the Annual
General Meeting in January. A Board is held every Thursday, at
4 o'clock (Rev{ J. IL Owen, Chairman), to conduct the .business,
when any subscriber uriYattenll. flo_slittausett. the-BOIM being at
all times desirous of receiving suggesions or giving explanation.'
Tho Hospital is not endowed. but is wholly dependent on volun-
tary contributions and legacies, which are received by the Treasurer,
John Masterman, Esq., M.P., Nicholas-lane ; also by Messrs. Coutts
and Co. ; Drummond and Co.; Berries and Co.; Ransom and Co. ;
Prescott, Grote, and Co.; Smith, Payne, and Co. • Glyn and Co. ;
Jones Loyd and Co.; Barclay and Co.; Denison and Co.; Williams.
Deacon, and Co. ; Overend, Gurnee, and Co. ; Nisbet and Co., Ber-
ners-street ; Mastesman and Co.; and at the Hospital.
Clothing for the destitute patients will be thankfully received..
By order. J. B. OMEN, Chaplain.

THE ROYAL CHARTER.

ME. MECHI'S AGREcuLTURA r, GATHER-1
ING AT TIPTRV, _LULL.

The system,of high farming which has been pursued by
Mr. Mechi for so many years utsder the most unfavour-
able circumstances has prove444o sniinently successful
that those who looked upon hi, ' arts with considerable
doubt are obliged to admit: 'tt he has struck out a 1
path which the agricultnristsd do well to follow,
so far as their means will enVfe. them to do so. The
garden-like appearaece of Mr. Ms'elsi's farm, in the cell-
tre of an. almost barren clayesrelistrict, excites the admi-
ration of all those who have the pleasure of paying it a
visit, and is an astonishing proof of, the improvements ,
which may be effected by a judicious employment of la•
boor and capital. The drops produced on this model farm
are most luxuriant, and present a striking contrast to
those grown in the immediate beigkbeurhood. And if his
method of culture renders the land increasingly prolific
his mode of attracting visitors is equally successful,
for year by year his "agrrcultriral gatherings" are mere
numerously attended, both British and foreign deeming
it a privilege to bo allowed to inspect the iodustrial ope•
rations of a gentleman whose efforts to promote the in-
terests ef azricujture have gainird for him an almost Eu-
ropean reputation. 'Thenumber of visitors on the present
occasion exceeded 600, the grater number of whom went '
down by special train from the Shoreditch station ; but
the clore of the Royal Agricultural Society's; meeting on
the previous evening induced so Oral of the most dietin•
guished colonial and foreign agriculturists, who had as-
sembled at Chelmsford, to take advantage of the oppor-
tunity to examine Mr. Mechi's improvements, and at the
same time to partake of his hospitality. '
Amongst, the distinguished eirests wo observed :—M.
le Comte de K.ergorley, Le Couut Charles de Bosiille,
M. Robiou de la Trehourrais, Col. Sykes, Chairman East
India Company ; the Hon. Mr: Oemeron Sir J. Mike,
-Aid., 'M.P., Herbert Ingrain, E'' .. ,n. 1)., Hon. M.
Camphell,.D. Waddington, ER P., T. Challis, Esft.,
Md..? .11.1.P.,..T.SLCIAtak-;.. . . 1%,,,W. William ,--4,
i‘..,4„„
-y.„. M.P., W. Tite, Esq., M.R,W. Cubits, Esq., Aid.,
M. 1"., E. Ball, Esq., M.P., Mr. Se-rgeant Glover, Rev.
Sir J. P. Wood, Bart., Sir C. D. Crossley, A. Crossley,
Sheriff Elect, Arcedekne, Esq., Hi eh Sheriff of Suf-
folk, Prof. P. L. Sin:tamed, Prof. Pepper, Dr. L. A.
Ritterbrandt, Dr. S. Smith, the Von. Archdeacon Bur-
ney. J. Cooke, Esq., Mayor of Manchester ; J. G. Ap-
pold, F.R.S., J. Wyldi Esq., J. Wood, Esq., G. Pye,
Esq., D. W. Harvey, Esq., J. Payne, Esq., F. Hobbs,
Esq., R. Morley, Col. Western, Capt. W. Peel, R.N.,
F. Smedley, Esq., High Bailiff of Westminster, Mr.
Ald. and Sheriff Rose, Mr. Ald. Sidney, Mr. Ald. Finnis,
W. Pritchard, Esq., High Bailiff of Southwark, F. Keats,
Esq., Sheriff Elect; It. Itausorne, Esq., E. Hopkins, W.
Chance, Esq. Birmingham, S. Morley, Esq., G. W. K.
Potter Secondary of London; T. li. Baylis, Esq., B. T. B.
Gibbs,Esq.,F. Crisp, Esq.,T. Glover, Esq ,H. Lake,Esq.,
J. li'arrance, Esq., T. Harris, Esq., Rev. Dr. Booth,
President of the Society of Arts ; Rev. T. Demises,
Rev. R. Whittington, Rev. C. Mackenzie, Rev. H. B.
Burney, Rev. E. Sydney, N.A., It iv. G. Wilkins, Rev.
C. Davis, Rev. C. Marshall, Rev. B. C. Sangar, Rev.
T. Henderson, Rev. D. Moore, &c.
The guests, preceded by Mr. Mechi, made a minute inL
spection of the farm, which consists 'of 170 acres, the
whole of which has been thoroughly drained by means of
3-inch iron pipes, laid two feet deep, the cost of which
was about 41. ss. per acre, but at the present time the
cost would be about 61. per acre, in consequence of the
increase which has taken place in the cost of iron. These
pipes extend a distance of about two miles. Behind the
farm buildings a large tank has been constructed,
which receives all the sewage and animal matter. The
liquid thus obtained is forced through pipes into the
centre of each field by means of an engine of six-
horse
power, and is then distributed over the surface
by irrigating jets whiCh throw out about 80 gallrns par
minute; and the supply is such as to aff.mrd 60,000 gal-
lons per day. In the event of the supply being short,
guano is thrown into the tank for the purpose of increas-
ing the quantity. The farm will support 400 sheep and
30 bullocks ; and four horses and a pony are employed
for farming purposes. But, in addition to those animals,
Mr. Mechi keeps two other horses for his private use.
Having given this general description of the farm, we
may mention a few details which were given by Mr.
Mechi in the course of the perambulation which took
place. From one field of Italian rye grass three crops
have bacn taken during the present year, and a fourth
crop is rapidly progreirsing. "In reply to a question as
to Whether the cattle would eat the grass readily after
the liquid manure had been applied, Mr. Mechi replied
that they would feed upon it in the course of five or six
hours. One field which had been laid down in rye
grass for two years was' put down with turnips in
the following year, and in the • succeeding year
was sown with wheat, the produce being from five
and a half to six quarters per acre. In another field
seven good crops of wheat have been raised in 14 years,
and this in the least improved part of the farm, the
field being only rented by Mr. Mechi. We observed one
field'of wheat which looked most luxuriant,•the result of
a manure recently discovered by. Dr. Ritterbrandt, and
Mr. Bower, of Leeds. The manure is formed of the corn-

mon clinker of coals ground to a flue powder, mixed with
sulphuric acid and animal matter. The cost of the article
is abo'st Si. per ton, and the quantity used per acre is
from 3to 4 ewe It has been applied to some extent in
Yorkshire, and the result of experiments show that it
hag eradicated the potato disease, which arises from the
want of a sufficient supply of potash, which is found in
couriderable quantities in this new manure, and the dis-
coverers are sanguine that it will have an equally bene-
ficial effect in curing the disease which, in some quar-
ters, has manifested itself in the vine. Another
field which was visited has produced ten quarters of
wheat per acre for the last two years. This field was
,manured with guano at the rate of 2 cwt. per acre, and
Mr. Mechi observed that although it was perhaps hardly
right to use land in such a manner, the prices had been
very tempting. In another field of wheat the 'estimated
produce issix quarters peracre. -The field last year yielded
from 30 to 40 tons per acre of marigold- wurtzel. Another
wheat field, which last year was in beans, and which was
manured with guano and liquid manure, will yield about
six quarters per acre. In one field, which last year, was
sown with wheat, we observed a fine crop of beans. This
field has received no solid manure for four years, but has
been treated entirely with liquid manure. A field of barley
promises a produce of something like 8 qrs. per acre. Last
year it was planted with mangold-wurtzel, and has re-
ceived no manure except the leaves which were ploughed
in. The quantity of wheat generally sown in is about 41
pecks per acre, and the average proituce of 70 acres has
been 5 qrs. short of a bushel per acre.
A steam thrashing machliie, a patent expanding
plough, (several drills, awl a variety of other agricultural
implements were oPen to inspection and excited consider.
able interest. One gentleman exhibited two loaves made
of equal proportions of flour and mangold-wurtzel, the
taste of which was by no means unpalatable.
Having concluded the inspection of the farm, the
company assembled in a spacious marquee to partake of
the entertainment which had been provided for them
under the superintendence of Messrs. Bathe a id Funge,
of the London Tavern, At the conclusion of the repast,
at which Mr. Mechi presided, he proposed "the Health
of her Majesty, Prince Albeit, and the rest of the Royal
Family," which was drunk with the usual honours.
Mr. MECIII then said ho had a toast which wodld ap-
peal to their warmest feelings. They would not have
been so comfortably situated on the present occasion if
a lot of hungry Russiaes had the power of appropriating
to their own use the geed things if which they had just
partaken. (Laughter) And what had prevented the
Russians from doing so but our gallant army and navy.
(Cheers.) It was a remarkable but a proud fact for Old
England, that although our troops were half starved
and half clad from neglect, it did not quench the r spirit
and that love of home which encouraged them to fight
even in the fangs and jaws of death. (Cheers.) He
begged to :give ," The Army and Navy," coupling the
toast with the names of Colonel Sykos and Captain Peel.
(Loud 'cheers.)
Colonel SYKES said that, as an old soldier of some fifty
years' standing, he waa somewhat out of place in re-
sponding to such a toast ; but he might be allowed to
say that -there never was a period in the history of
the country in which the pluck of the British soldier had
been manifested in a, more remarkable manner than
during the last two years. (Cheers.) lie had heard Sir
John Burgoyne, who commanded in the trenches, say
that the 10,000 men there employed had performed the
duty of 50,000. (Cheers.) After the heroism and
bravery which the army had displayed, they were en-
titled is the thanks and gratitude of the cbuntry.
(Cheers.)
Captain PEEL, RN., felt 'much gratified that the
health of his profession had been received with so much
good feeling, and that his name had been associated with
the toast. He felt the compliment the more deeply be-
conscious that in the late war.
cause he was painfully
they could point to no greet naval achievements.. Ho
had served in the trenches before Sebastopol, and could
say, on betelf of the Naval Brigade, that no body of
liken had ever displayed greater courage at their' guns,
greater contempt for death, or more love of fighting.
(Laughter.) Such men only only required good officers
to lead them on, awl they would achieve victories as
great as any which had distinguished them in days of
old. (Loud cheers.)
The Count DE KERGORLEY, in proposing "Success to.
agriculture, British and foreign," said ho had great plea-
sure in expressing his sense of the admiration which the
examination of English agriculture had produced in his
mind. There was a time when the 'introduction into
England of an ounce of French or Getmati bread, or
butter or meat, would have been considered dangerous
to the welfare of English society. That time had passed
away, and the English agriculturist of the second
part of the 19th century did not fear any competition
whatever. The English people now consumed a very
large quantity of French and German bread and meat,—
and looking at the crop which they bad examined that
morning, and knowing the crops which were produced
throughout the country, they must be convinced that
English agriculturists had nothing to fear from foreign
competition. The late campaign bad shown that the two
nations of England and France could enter into a cor-
dial alliance, and his countrymen present joined most
heartily in sentiments of sympathy and admiration of the
English army and people. England and France had
shown that when they determined that the peace of the
world should be maintained, it was not in the power of
any sovereign, not even the Emperor of AU the Rosales,

to disturb it. Ho hoped the union and sympathy be-
tween the two nations would be eternal, and that hene.r-
forth they would be rivals only in the field of friendly
compet►tion. He begged to couple with the toast the
names of Mr. Fisher Hobbs and the Hon. Mr. Cameron.
Mr.. FISHER HOBBS returned thanks. _ _

The Hon. Mr. CAMERON did not see why a Canadian,
who was as much an Eugli-!roan as any on, present.
should be called upon to speak to the:toast of " Foreign"
agriculture.
Mr. MEorir—Foreign and Colonial. (Cheers and
I atiah ter.)
The Hon. Mr. CAMERON WAS glad that the toast bad
been amended, ebecause the colonista were Englishmen.
and not foreigners in any sense of the word. (Cheers )
When the late war broke out, the Canadians offered to
the English Government their hands and hearts, amid
when the Government would not allow them to ',end over
moue, they did the next hest thing they cw:ld they'sent
over the means to succour the wounded, tli.) afflicted, and
the distressed, and they felt ahat if the war should con-
tinue, their country, whichis a garden —a country which,
when the soil was first broken up produced crops like
those which they had,this- day witnessed—a country con-
taining a deposit of leaves for a thousand years which
made a bed so rich that it would tiro N corn for twenty
years—they felt that if the ports of the Baltic were
shut against this country their own blood on
the other side of -the Atlantic would feed them—that
those who had sprung from them who were their breth-
ren in language, in heart, in sentiment, and feeling, were
ready to Send over such supplies as might be necessliry
to meet the wants of the people of England.
Col. SYKES then proposed ado) health of the Chairman,
whose name as an agriculturist was distinguish-2a not
only in England but in foreign countries. (Cheers.) Mr.
Mechi had laid out his Wiley on infertile land, and was
entitled to the thanks of the community far the success,
ful efforts which he hail made to render it productive.
lie was:suri !Ivory. ono present would cordially join in
ushit~4,l4i viortliy heat ...avert satoaeke„_*llllpr4j eats
lihich lie lied in view, Alltrid-endelienriefo carry con•
viction to the minds of the farmers of the benefit to be
derived from the application of science to the common
pursuits of life. (Loud cheers )
Mr. MEOW, who was lewdly cheered, responded to the
toast. He said if he were a vain man the way in which
the toast had been received would spoil him. (Laughter.) •
He was not actuated by any personal vanity in endea-
vouring to show how much land could be improved
by skilful cultivation. The great question to be consi-
dered Was, whether the British stomach was to be filled
so as to enable it to maintain its independence. (Laugh.
ter.) It was a very serious affair that of the stomach.
Just imagine what would be the result of giving a fort-
night's holiday to the,British stomach. (Laughter.) It
was very easy to laugh, but every now and then the
country bad been on the verge of scarcity. Wheat had
been at 201. a load, which was a war price. Why was
wheat dear? Why was food dear when the corn markets
of all parts of the world were open to this country ? Be-
cause England had not done her duty. Without referring
to anything which he himself bad done, he was pre-
pared to say unflinchingly that if all the lands of Eng-
land were cultivated as well as his own farm, and a va-
riety of others which he could name, there would net
only be food enough but to spare. without any foreign
importation whatever. (Cheers.) He did not make this
statement without authority, hut on a consideration of
the acreage of the country. He thought Mr. Cameron
would have told them that while England has no agri-
cultural statistics, Canada, (hat young mid almost un-
taught country, possesses the most accurate statistics of
every bushel of corn that is produced there. It was a
very hard thing to get over old prejudices. He believed
that the agricultural fear which prevailed in this country
relative to a disclosure of their affairs was a perfect phan-
tom. It was impossible to do away with the farmers of
England, or to keep them humbled. Increased intelli-
gence gave them increased power. They ought not to be
afraid of lettingithe world know they are making a profit,
because if they were to declare themselves bankrupt no-
body would believe them. (Cheers and .laughter.). Ile
saw around him a mass of wealth and intelligence which
convinced him that agriculture could not remain in its
present state. (Hear.) That influential meeting was
actuated.by a spirit of progression, the full develop-
ment of which would render the country stronger and
more wealthy. (Cheers.) There were all sorts of doc-
tors present, and he wished that be could find out a
physic that would cure prejudice. (Laughter.) That
complaint was not confined to agriculture, and he begged
his friends around him not to consider themselves the
only class who were labouring under prejudice. Al one
time it was said that steam-boats and gas would never
answer—that railways were impossible—and that the
electric telegraph was inadnesz. ,This . was 'a proof that
the complaint of prejudice was not an agricultural corn-
'plaint only. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) Why was
the land of England poorer than it ought to be 1 Be.
cause they were always taking from the land that which
was never brought back again. When that which came
from the land,. and which found its way into the me-
tropolis,
.and into the great towns and cities of the
empire, was sent • baik in another shape; the land
would be no longer poor. (Hear, hear.) There was
no reason to despair of improvements in agriculture,
when the steam-engine and the steam-plough were
at work in the fields. .(Cheers.) He foresaw that the
present system of agriculture was destined to undergo
a complete change. " Forward" was now the English
agriculturist's term. They meant to go forward—they
intended to speed more money—to have less acres ors,
their farms, or, if not, they would borrow money to lay
out upon thorn, and find it a good investment. There
would be twice as many farmers in the course of fifty
years, and how could they obtaia farms unless the pre-
sent ones were cut in half and improved ? (Cheers.)
Associations were now formed to take everybody's
money out of everybody's pocket. But where were
agricultural improvement companies to be found ? Was
it because the agriculturist was too proud ? When im-
provements were recommended, it was asked, " Where
is the money to come from ?" But the agriculturists
had never asked for it. They chose rather to have an
area of acres,. which were proud acres, than to lay out
sufficient money upon those acres to improve them.
In conclusion be begged' to express the pleasure
which he felt in seeing such a numerous and influ-
ential assemblage, and hoped that he should be
spared many years to give them a hearty welcome.
(Loud cheers.)
"The Labouring Classes," "The Ladies," and some
other toasts were then given, after which the visitors
proceeded to witness the operations of the steam plough.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

LONDON AND SOlfTil-WESTERN.

In addition to the ordinary business of this company
on the 7th proximo it is proposed to submit for the con-
sideration of the shareholders the creation and disposal
of p debenture stock to be applied in liquidation of the
corn; any's existing debenture debt ; the leasing. jointly
with the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway
Company, of the Wimbledon and Croydon Railway ;
and the conclusion of arrangements for working and
maintaining the intended branch railways to Lytnington,
Blandford, and Salisbury market, when completed by
their respective proprietors.
The number of miles run during the half-year by the
engines was 1,270,976, of which 924,385 miles were run
by the trains, and 346,591 miles by the engines in pilot-
ing, shunting, marshalling, and running empty. The
average weight of coke consumed per mile was 23.091 b.
The cost a
alterations,
lroactoiomnos,tivaeupdo‘NiTurpproervetim•aeinn
improvements.
e wasi,b.ll:oBs3t3do.,f
including 2147 d. for repairs, and 1.016 J. for renewals.
The expenses of the carriage and wagon department
per train mile were 3'0891, inc u:iing 2.437 d. for re-
pmaintaining the company's permanent way, works, and
stations was at the rate of 1591. 163. 11d..per mile for
the halfyear, of which 241. 17s. 91. was fur additions
tvonen.st9s.6
peTrheuenzaocfhtinhge
reteraarptes,
achnadrgtehes
amountedagnododsi mtrPari traffic
e charges to 22.397 per cent. of the receipts.

OXFORD, WORCESTER, AND `YOLVER•
HAMPTON.

A. special meeting of the Worcester Chamber of Com-
merce was held at Worcester on Friday, Mr. E. Evans
in the chair, to consider the propriety of expressing the
concurrence of the 'chamber in an application made to
thedirectors of this company by the resident shareholders
for 'adopting Worcester as the head-quartera for trans-
acting the general business of the company in future.
It-was stated that the Guildhall would be placed at the
use of the company when required, and, after discussing
the matter, a resolution in favour of the proposition was
unanimously adopted.

KENDAL AND WINDERMERE.
The half-yearly meeting of this company was held on
Thursday at Kendal ; Mr. J. Whitwell in the chair.
The SECRETARY read the report, which stated that the
income of the company, including rents, during the past
half-year, shows an increase over the same period in
1855 of 4451., and although, from the high rates of inte-
rest on loans, there has been an increased payment of
1261., yet, as the expenditure under the heads of loco-
m3tive and passenger charges snd permanent way shows
a decrease of 551., the directors are able to exhibit a
balance of net profits of 681/. on the half•year as com-
pared with 2411. in 1855. There was no decrease in the
number of miles run by the company's trains. The
directors suggested that a dividend of 34. per share for
the half•year, amounting to 6701., be declared, leaving a
balance of 11/. Out of the gross profits of the past 12
months, amounting to 2,3231. (equivalent to lle. per
share), they propose to divide only 83., leaving a surplus
on the year of 6101. towards the purchase of a new engine.
It may be satisfactory to the shareholders' to know that
the very detailed accounts kept of the working expenses
of the line prove that the employment by the company
of its own engines is a prudent, and, as compared with
the tenders to perform the duty made by other parties,
a very economical proceeding.
On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, resolutions were
passed adopting the report, and declaring a dividend of
33. per 251. share.
Messrs. Whitwall and Davy, the retiring directors,
were re-elccted, and also Mr. P. Kennedy, the retiring

auditor.
The proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to
1 the chairman.