The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-23 00:00:00

SUNDAY EVENINGS FOE, THE PEOPLE.

In consequence of the recent decision at West-
minster in favour of the legality of the recent Sunday
evening lecture-concerts at St. Martin's Hall, they
have been resumed. St. Martin's llall, indeed, has
become converted into the Queen's Theatre, and so
the " Religious Recreationists " betook themseJves to
the Freemasons-Tavern, butlately resounding evict the
fervid protests of angry Ritualists. A Mr. Slaa
gave a lecture on " the relations of physical science
to national progress," and there was a selection of
music from Haydn's " Creation," Costa's " Naaman,"
and from works by Gounod and another composer.
The papers say that the discourse was listened to
with profound attention, and although, in deference
probably to the semi-religious character of the meet-
ing, there was no applause, its close was accom-
panied by a murmur or hum of approval and satis-
faction.

THE BISHOP OF CAPETOWN AND THE DUKE OF
BUCKINGHAM.
The letter written by the Bishop of Capetown to
Archdeacon Fearne, which we alluded to several
days ago, is now published in full. Bishop Gray
explains how it is that Mr. Macrorie was not con-
secrated before he left England. The Bishop had
fully counted upon this, for the Duke of Bucking-
ham had informed him that he had invited the
Archbishop of Canterbury to apply for a mandate.
After this some time was spent in discussing several
legal formalities, and before these were settled the
session was over, and "all London emptied. Query,
was it necessary that Parliament should be sitting and
London be full in order that Mr. Macrorie might be
made a bishop ?) During the vacation Bishop Gray
wrote several times to the Duke of Buckingham,
praying that there might be no longer delay ; several
of these letters miscarried, and the rest remained un-
answex ed. At last the Bishop was obliged to leave
for his diocese, and he took his passage, thinking that
the delay could not last much longer. The Bishop adds,
"In this I was deceived. Still obtaining no reply, I
sought an interview with Mr. Disraeli, though only on
the day before I left London, and formally com-
plained to him of the conduct of the Duke of
Buckingham. Nothing could be more frank or
courteous than the way in which he received my I
complaint, regretting only that I had not
appealed to him sooner. He said that the
matter was not before the Cabinet ; that he
would make no secret of his general sympathy
with me and my proceedings ; that it would be
impossible, at that late moment, to do anything
before I left, but that in a day or two an answer
should be sent to anyone whom I could name to act
for me." Bishop Gray goes on to say that his alight
allusion in the parting services to the Colonial
Secretary's conduct roused the Duke of Buckingham
to the necessity of coming to some conclusion, and at
the very moment of embarking at Plymouth the
Bishop received a letter from the Duke, promising to
communicate with the Premier. Here the matter
cAca who. tlin Bishop wrote his letter. He con-
cludes by saying that it is clear there is no substan-
tial legal difficulty in the way, for if there had been
any the Duke would have stated it.

MR. PEABODY'S GIFTS.

The trustees of Mr. Peabody's munificent gifts to
the poor of London have prepared a statement of the
receipts and expenditure for the past year. The
original fund of £150,000 has been increased by
rents and interest to the extent of £23,313.
During last year Peabody-square, in Victoria-street,
Westminster, has been completed. It contains
235 rooms, fully occupied by 380 persons. The trus-
tees have secured two other sites at Chelsea and
Bermondsey, to be built on in the same way. The
total population of all the completed buildings is
1,971, consisting of working men and their
families, the average wages being under 218.
a week. The sanitary report is most encou-
raging, and the number of applications ex-
ceed the vacancies. Good ventilation and cleanli-
ness are characteristic of the dwellings, and there is
an unlimited supply of fresh water free to e7ery
.tenant. The other two funds, each of £lOO,OOO, are
not yet available for the objects of the trust, but
will be applied in like manner. The total cost of the
management for the year was £271 10s. 6d. The
trustees complain of the heavy burden of the rates
which amounted in the year to £744105. 3d., and are
still increasing.