The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-11 00:00:00

THE ROYAL CALEDONIAN ASI Lum.

On Saturday evening the 43d anniversary festi-
val of the Royal Caledonian Asylum was held at the
Freemasons"ravern. As is usual on these anni-
versaries, an attempt was made, and by no means
without success, to give not only a national but a
picturesque tone to the gathering of the friends of
the charity. The walls of the fine hall at the Free-
masons' were hung with flags, including the Royal
Standard and the Union Jack, and the banners of
the Scottish clans. A number of the gentlemen
present wore the Highland costume, and others
naval and military uniforms. Mr. Ross, the Queen's
piper, was in attendance, and discoursed very skil-
ful and energetic music from his remarkable instru-
ment ; and lastly, the children of the institution,
clad in tartan, the boys all wearing kilt and plaid,
with their very excellent juvenile band, and their
own young pipers, were introduced in the course of
the evening, and by their healthy and neat appear-
ance gave satisfactory evidence of the care bestowed
upon them. A selection of vocal music, entirely
Scottish, was performed by Miss Theresa Jefferys,
Mr. Dawson, Mr. Theodore Distin, and Mr. Donald
King, under whose direction the eorps of vocalists
were placed; Mr. James Coward presiding at the
pianoforte. Last, not least, a most excellent din-
ner and wines were supplied to the guests, so
that nothing was wanting to contribute to the
success of the festival. Sir Roderick Impey Mur-
chison was in the chair, supported by the Bishop
of Bangor, Sir James Elphinstone, M.P., Sir
Michael Shaw Stewart, M.P:, W. A. Mackin-
non, Esq., M.P., James Merry, Esq., M.P., David
Robertson, Esq., M.P., J. Erskine Wemyss, Esq.,
M.P., Sir J. Mattheson, M.P., Sir Malcolm Murray
Macgregor, Bart., R.N., Sir John Heron Maxwell,
Bart., Major-General Austruther, William Fair-
bairn, Esq., F.R.S., David Roberts, Esq., R.A.,
Professor Robertson, Professor Masson, Robert
Chambers, Esq., the Rev. G. R. Gleig, chaplain-
general to the forces, and some 200 gentlemen.
The Royal Caledonian Asylum, which is situated
in the Caledonian-road, Holloway, where a spacious,
commodious, and handsome building has been
erected, was established in 1815 for the purpose of
supporting and educating the children of soldiers,
sailors, and marines, natives of Scotland, who have
died or been disabled in the service of their country,
and of indigent Scotch parents resident in London.
There are 109 children now in the institution, sixty-
six boys and forty-three girls. Sixty-one are sol-
diers' children, thirty-seven of whom are orphans
of -men who were slain or died in the Crimea during
the late war. The education given to the children
is eminently practical, and directed towards the end
of rendering them capable of making their way in
life ; and as stated by the chairman and other gen-
tlemen in the course of the meeting, there is nothing
fictitious about the establishment, which will at

any time and without any notice bear the strictest
investigation. During the past year thirteen
boys and eight girls !have been admitted
into the asylum, and during the same period
twelve boys and eleven girls have been dis-
charged on the expiration of their term ; these
have all been provided with suitable situations,
and have conducted themselves to the satisfaction
of their employers. It was stated that the require.•
ments of the institution have greatly increased of
latcl, owing to the war withßussia and the mutiny,
which have of course added to orphanage among
the families of soldiers, and very urgent and elo-
quent appeals were made for support, not only on
this particular occasion, but by regular and perma-
nent subscriptions. The result of the evening was
an addition of about £1,400 to the funds of the in-
stitution.

OPENING OF THE VICTORIA STATION AND
PIMLICO RAILWAY.

This line, which forms a connection between all
the railways south of the Thames and the Victoria
Station, now in course of erection at Pimlico, was
opened on Saturday by the directors in the pre-
sence of the officials of the line and their friends.
The train started from the Battersea Station of the
Brighton Railway, and passed over the Victoria.
Bridge amidst the cheers of the assembled work-
men, proceeding up to the Victoria Station, which
occupies the site of the old Grosvenor basin ; here
the company partook of an elegant dejeuner, pro-
vided by the contractors. The line of railway so
opened forms an important feature in the metropo-
litan communications, as affording access from all
the railways south of the Thames to the western
and central districts of London.

The chief work on the line is the bridge over the
Thames, which consists of four openings of 175 feet
each, and is entirely composed of wrought iron,
with stone piers and abutments. The design is
exceedingly light and elegant, and when quite
completed will be one of the most beautiful of the
metropolitan bridges.
On the north side of the river the line descends
by a steep gradient to the Grosvenor Canal, the
course of which it follows up to the terminus, pass-
ing under Ebury-street, St. George's-road, and
Eccleston-road, where it enters the station, now in
course of construction for the accommodation of the
Brighton, the Gretit Western, and the London,
Chatham, and Dover companies. This station,
when completed, will be of larger area, and afford
more accommodation, than any of the existing me-
tropolitan stations.
This important line was commenced in the au-
tumn of 1858 ; the first stone of the viaduct over the
Thames was laid on June 9, 1859 ; so that the time
occupied in erecting this
exactly twelve months,
great work has been
The contractor for thebu whole work was Mr. Kelk,
tehnegienmeeinrenint London
th
chief to t eri
company,
direction, in Mr .Fowler
under
whose
conjunction with Mr. Wilson; the
whole of the works have been carried out.

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