The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-02 00:00:00

TIIFI FISHMOI'GERS' COMPANY'S
RUNE re.

The first of August is always a gala-day at Fishmongers':

hall. Thomas Doggett, the comedian, was a member of
the Fishmongers' Company, and when he instituted the

annual rowing match of watermen's apprentices, in comme-
moration, as it is said, of the accession of the house of

Brunswick to the English throne, he left to that corpora-
tion the task of rewarding and complimenting the success-
ful competitors. They have accepted the trust, and carry
it out every year in the most liberal spirit ; and sympathis-
ing fully with the intentions of the founder, they make

._. _
;he anniversary the occasion not only of receiving and re-

warding the aquatic champions, but of expressing their
own loyalty to the throne. Yesterday, as usual, therefore,
Doggett's Coat and Badge match, and the anniversary of

the accession of the Brunswick family was celebrated at
Fishmonger's Hall, by a grand banquet, at which peers,

members of Parliament, and city dignitaries were assem-
bled. Lord Palmerston was then wearing for the first time
in public the blue ribbon of the Garter. The Earl of For-
tescue, who displayed the insignia of the same most dis-
tinguished order, together with the collar and badge of St.
Andrew, was there also ; and amongst the general com-
pany were Vice-Chancellor Sir W. P. Wood, Right Hon.
Dr. Lnshington, Hon. J. P. L. King, M.P., E. Ball, Esq.,
M.P., B. Oliveira, Esq., M.P.; A. Pellatt, Esq., M.P.;
the Chairman of the East India Company (Col. Sykes).

The Deputy-Governor of the Bulk, the Governor of the

Irish Society, Alderman and Sheriff Rose, Mr. Sheri ff

Elect Alechi, the Master of the Drapers' Company, the
Master of the Clothworkers' Company ; Col. Fawcett,
Capt. H. Shuttle worth, Sir J. Easthope, Bart., Mr. Al•
derman Humphrey, &c.
The dinner, which was supplied and arranged by Bing
and Brymer, the successors of Birch, of Cornhill, of turtlo
celebrity, wasrecherchd and elegant, ani the wines included
the rich Burgundy (of which we oftener read than taste),

and the growth of vintages which are now said by the wine
merchants to command fabulous prices. There was a vocal
band under the direction of Mr. Hobbs, which enlivened

the intervals between the after-dinner speeches by a va•

riety of songs and glees ; and there was of course the City
toastmaster, Mr. Harker, to announce and introduce the
company and to give out the toasts.
The healths of her Majesty and the Royal Family (which
afforded an opportunity to a Mr. Wandsey, who assisted as

- -
prime warden, to congratulate the country on the benefits
which the accession of the House of Brunswick had secured

having been given, our allies—Frenoh, Sardinian, and

Turks—with their respective Sovereigns, having been ho-
noured, and the Army and Navy complimented for their
bravery and endurance in the late war—in returning
thanks for which it may be noted that Colonel Sykes, who
sat opposite to Lord Palmerston, declared his opinion that
had the war been carried on we should have secured a
much more advantageous peace—the three watermen who
had gained the first, second, and third places were intro-
duced by the Fishmongers' Barge-master. Their names
are George W. Everson (Greenwich), C. J. Row (Horse-
lydown), and J. T. Perkneall, jun. (Pickle Herring).
Having taken their places in front of the prime warden,
the barge-master was asked if the match had been fairly
won, and the answer being in the affirmative, a few words
of compliment and encouragement were expressed by the
warder to the winner, G. W. Everson, accompanied by the
more welcome present of a bottle of port wine for himself
and another for his " gal," as he called her in reply to the
question, " Have you a wife or sweetheart ?" The same
agreeable ceremony passed in reference to the other twe,
each having a " gal' to receive the second bottle of wine;
and this part of the business being terminated,
The PRIME WARDEN gave the healths of her Majesty's
Ministers, upon whom he passed high eulogiums, declaring
his opinion that the country must have risen in the
eyes of the world by what had happened during their
administration of public affairs, giving them credit
for strengthening the military and naval power of
the country, and of bringing the Russian war—which
but for their exertions might have gone on for thirty
years —to a satisfactory, an honourable, and a disinterested
peace; adding that though they might not have fulfilled the
wishes of every one, they had done all they could to assert
the rights of the suffering European communities, and ex-
pressing his confidence that, whenever the proper time
arrived for them to interfere for the restoration of the
liberties of the European nationalities, they would do so
backed by the approbation and sympathies of the British
people. He thanked Lord Palmerston as a brother fish-
monger for his kindness in accepting the invitation, and
hoped the noble lord would long continue to fill the office
of Prime Minister.
The toast having been drunk,
Lord PALMERSTON spoke as follows—Mr. Prime Warden
and gentlemen, I beg for myself and my colleagues in office
to return you our most sincere thanks for the very kind
manner in which you, sir, have been pleased to propose
our healths, and for the very kind manner in which you,
gentlemen, have had the kindness to receive it. I can as'
sure you, gentlemen, that nothing can be dearer to the
heart of her Majesty's Government than to receive these
proofs and expressions which it has been my good fortune
now to witness of the goodwill and good opinion of large
bodies of their fellow-subjects. (Hear, hear.) The Prime
Warden has been kind enough to speak in very handsome
terms of the conduct of her Majesty's Government. In
passing through the arduous period of time that has novr
just elapsed, so far as constant study and zealous devotion
of their whole time and their entire thoughts to the publics
service may entitle them to your good opinion, they flatter
themselves that in that respect they have deserved it.
(Cheers.) The task of any Government of this country
is in difficult times, and under difficult circumstances,
easy indeed ; and the more difficult the circumstances the
more easy the task becomes, because 'there never was *
period when the nation—and I believe I may go furthers
and say that there never was a nation that displayed such
noble self-sacrifices, such honourable public spirit, and
such a patriotic determination to unite themselves with
and to afford to those who have the conduct of public
affairs every possible means requisite to vindicate the na-
tional honour and to assert the national will, as the British
nation at the present moment exhibits. (Hear, hear.) Nor
was there ever a period when any nation had a Sovereign
more thoroughly sympathising with the people she governs►
or more ready to go hand and thought with them in the
common cause. (Hear, hear.) Therefore the task, as I have
said, which has fallen upon the government during the late
war, was comparatively easy, for we had only to accePt
and use the means which a generous people placed at our
disposal, and direct those gallant men of the army and
navy who were ready and competent to do anything that
human nature could achieve. (Cheers.) My hon. friend
the Prime Warden has adverted to the terms of the peace
which has been concluded. I think those terms have
been generally considered satisfactory, and the more the,
are reflected upon the more, I am persuaded, they
be found to have accomplished all the legitimate ob'
jects for which the war was undertaken. My boo,:
ourable friend has touched upon some topics also which
are perhaps calculated to excite more of regret than satire
faction—of causes we were unable to advocate and of in'
terests we were unable to serve. (Hear.) But, however
the generous feelings of the nation may point to sufferings
they might wish to relieve, or to miseries to which they
might desire to put an end, yet in all human affairs we
must consider what we are able to do, and not allow our
selves to be led away by a loyal and generous spirit to at'
tempt what we cannot accomplish. It is necessary to re-
member that sometimes in attempting things beyond our
means we may, by endeavouring to do that which is inines'
Bible, injure those we may desire to serve. (Hear.) Gentle'
men, it is gratifying to me to feel that I have the honour
to be a member of this ancient corporation—an honorarl
member only, it is true, for I cannot boast of any more
timate connexion—but it is a proud satisfaction for any
man to think that he is a member of an association
which has reckoned upon its rolls some of those distinguish:
ed men whom we recognise as the brightest ornament;
of this country—(hear, hear)—an association which la
always remembered for the liberality of its opinions, an
its adherence to constitutional principles ; and which 110
set an example to the country in times when such wool"
lea were less frequent and perhaps more needed than now.'
(Hear.) It is not for me to remind you that this association!
independently of its great antiquity, and its merits as 7
metropolitan corporation, is one of the best landlords et.
Ireland. (Hear, hear.) No society administers its greyli
property in that' country in a more benevolent spirit to-
wards its tenantry or expends more of its revenues in I°3;
provement, not of the soil merely, but of the condition of
those who live upon it, than the Fishmongers' Company'
and no society, therefore, is more entitled in that res Pee
to our admiration and esteem. (" Hear, hear," and cheers!
I must also be permitted to say that there are circumstance.
connected with the present moment that render the in/l.
tation I received to be present here to-day more warn"
larly agreeable. We who are members of Parliament are
accustomed for many months in the year to sit-at a table not se
well stored as this with things which are refreshing to ttiree
body as well as to the mind. (" Hear," and a laugh.) r
are obliged to sit for hours, and days, nights, and during
those many months in an assembly not always quite s°
unanimous as this. (Laughter.) Taking then a vslue
from the contrast, but with every, possible respect for thil
assembly in which I have spent so many hours, and °
which I ought to speak always handsomely, for in the
great struggle in which we have been engaged it has he'
bayed as honourably and nobly as the people it represents'
I must nevertheless say that it is not quite so agreeablS
as the present. (Cheers and laughter.) I may be 4100
in conclusion, gentlemen, to take the liberty of proposing
the health of one whose merits, public and private. sr°
well known to you.—viz., my hon. friend the Prime Wsr
den, who presides' over us.
The toast was drunk with the customary honours, *134
the Prime Warden returned thanks.
The next toast was, " The Honorary Members of the.
Fishmongers' Company," to which the Earl of Forteouv
replied.
The PRIME WARDEN then gave "The City of Lonaot
its Corporation and Commerce." He admitted that the
.
time had come for assimilating the corporation of London
to the other corporate bodies of the kingdom, but deers'
cated any deprivation of its popular rights and privileges:,
Mr. Alderman and Sheriff RosE, who spoke to this toast
condemned the government bill, as introduced in the PI:
session, for reforming the corporation a London, which'
he contended, was anxious to do all that it could to reforl
itself. They had applied three times to the governint°n..
for enlarged :powers, in order that they might make tvo7,
constituency of the Common Council more popular, 73 `,l
had those powers been conceded every evil would have b
remedied. He trusted that whatever change might sn:
made, the corporation would be allowed to retain !.!_id
power of appointing its own magistrates, and perforni!7
those other duties it had hitherto so efficiently and sau
factorily carried out.
The Visitors coupled with the health of Vice-Chansl:
'
for Wood, and the House of Commons, with which
E. Ball's name was united, were the concluding to the
which having been appropriately acknowledged by' ,_l,O
Vice-Chancellor and the hon. member for Cambridgesp`"
the company separated.

MINES.—The money market has been rather tight!!
this week, and not much business doing in stocksdr
general,
.but mining business has decidedly in3Pr°Te
and a fair demand exists for many dividend and progr°.
sive mines. We hope, now that mining shares bob";
taken a turn upwards, we have seen the worst of r,
panic, and that we shall hereafter have to report a lura,
ther increase of business transactions, as well as 0'3,1 ra
proved state and prospects of the mines. The stain"!-_,
was steady last week at an advance, and the
genera low
pression is that copper will not go much, ,if any,
than it is at present,—Mining Jogvna,4 al Otis OP
l for