The Sun.
London, England, 1869-08-20 00:00:00

THAMES.

The Rev. James Shipman, a Wesleyan Minister of Lon-
don and Manchester, and in charge of a large congregation
in Poplar, who was accompanied by Messrs. Cowdry,
Pilkiugton, and Stevenson, Wesleyan missionaries, came
before Mr. Paget to make an explanation of some import-
ance to an old established institution, called the Seamen's
and Boatmen's Friend Society. Tho Rev. Mr. Shipman
is the secretary of the society, which has been established
23 years, whh 1,500 subscribers of all classes, and was
patronised by Admiral Hay, the Hon. A. Egerton, 31. P.,
Mr. Barley, M.P., and Mr. Platt, M.P., and by a great
number of ship owners, captains, and people connected
with the trade and commerce of the country, whose names
were on the 23d annual report of th 3 society's operations.
The success of the society had induced an obscure indi-
vidual, named Benjamin Griffiths, to set up another society
with nearly the same name, who came to that court a fort-
night ago and said that persons wera collecting subscrip-
tions front the benevolent for the society who were
not authorised to do so. This man's appoint-
ment of secretary to the society emanated from
four obscure individuals, and he had most unjustifiably
assumed, with the exception of one word, the name of- the
Seamen and Boatmen's Friend Society, established to
promote the social, moral, and religious welfare of seamen
and canal boatmen. All that Griffiths and a woman Con-
nected with him did was to educate a few children in a
small schoolroom, and did nothing to promote the inte-
rests of seamen and boatmen. The committee of ma-
nagement of the Seamen and Boatmen's Friend So-
ciety were composed of men of integrity and worth
who had a good reputation to maintain, and dis-
claimed all connection with Benjamin Griffiths and
the woman with whom ho was associated. He hoped
those newspapers which had given publicity to Benjamin
Griffiths statement would give publicity to his explana-
tion. All the receipts of the society were headed " Sea-
men and Boatmen's Friend Society," and the only person
collecting subscriptions in London was Mr. Cowdry, now
present. _

Mr. Paget had no doubt the same publicity would be
given to the statement of the secretary as was given to
that of Benjamin Griffiths. Ho would not interfere in the
matter himself, and ho referred the rev. gentleman to In-
spector Turner of the K Division, who was present, and
who would advise him what to do.

The Rev. Mr. Spinner and his colleagues then retired
with Inspector Turner to the adjoining station house to
devise some means of checking the career of Benjamin
Griffiths and the clique with which he was associated.

SHIPPING LVTELLIG EYCE.

GRAVESEND, Friday Morning.

Arrived, Aug. 19.—Strelna, from Archangel ; Caradoc,
from Dantzic ; Rfondo, from Quebec ; Panagi Montzena,
from Taganrog; Lily, from Kustanjah.
Arrived, Aug. 20. Florence, steamer, from Rotterdam ;
Haylo, steamer, from Dieppe ; Belmont, steamer, from
Cronstadt ; Panther, steamer, from Boulogne; Villareal,
steamer, from Dunkirk ; Beta, steamer, from Oporto ;
Echo, steamer, from '-Calais ; Sir R. Peel, steamer, from
Dunkirk ;Adalia, steamer, from Trieste ; Love Bird,
steamer, from Dantzic.

Sailed, Aug. 19.—May Queen, for Otago.'
Sailed, Aug. 20.—Seafield, for Madras; Winged Arrow
for Oronstadt ; Citizen, steamer, for Bordeaux; Sea Bird,
for Guernsey; North Star, steamer, for Christiania.
The Ilesperia, for Singapore, foundered in the lower
part of Gravesend Beach, having been struck by screw
steamer Northumbria, for Cardiff.

DEAL, Friday Morning.
Passed, Aug. 19.—Essex, for Calcutta; May Queen, for
Otago ; Lady Seymour, for Quebec—all from Lcndon.

Bank of Bug Returns.

An Account, lursuant to t'
cap. 32, for the week ending 1
ISSUE DET

le Act 7th and Bth Victoria,
Wednesday, Aug. 18, 1869.
P &RTMENT.

Notes issued .....C31,910,785

Govornmt. Debt.Xll,ols,loC
Other Securities.. 3,984,900
Gold Coin and

Bullion
Silver Bullion

£34,910,7851
BINKLXG D.

£34,910,785

Proprietors' Capi-
tal £14,553,000
Rest
Public Deposits
(including Ex-
chequer, Sav-
ings' Banks,
Commissioners
of National
Debt, and Div.
Accounts 3,272,108
Other Deposits.. 18,596,805
Seven Days and
other 8i115..... 510,680

eIPARTMENT.
Governmt. Seen-
rities(including
Dead Weight
Annuity) .... 414,004,767
Other Securities 13,790,738
Notes 11,223,350
Gold and Silver
Coin

.C 40,365,879 I £40,365,879
GEORGE FORBES, Chief Cashier

FIRE AT DUDGEON'S SIIIP YARD.—The most
extensive fire that has occurred for some time past in the
districts of Blackwell, happened this (Friday) morning iu
the immense range of premises belonging to Messrs. J. and
W. Dudgeon, ship-builders, situated in the Manchester-
road, Millwall. The firemen, and the London Salvage
Corps laboured without the least intermission for several
hours, but they were unable to get the flumes extinguished
until the whole of the buildings were destroyed, and the
stock of timber in the open yard seriously damaged by
fire. The total loss will amount to several thousand
pounds sterling. The origin of the fire is at present un-
known.

ENGLISH and FOREIGN GOVERNESSES and
SCHOLASTIC AGENCY, 17, Hanover• street, Hanover-square
—Heads ,of families and schools have superior Gover-
nesses (Resident or Daily), Companions, &c.: Introduced•
on application to the Lady,Superintendent. Schools re-
commended and transferred.