The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-21 00:00:00

THAMES.

TIER ANNUITY So clETnis.—This morning, Mr. Selfe
received numerous communications from persons respecting
the proceedings of the committee and directors of the

United Kingdom Benevolent Annuity Fund and the
United Kingdom Mutual Annuity Society, which have
been designated " a sham and a swindle." All the infor-
mation conveyed to the magistrate confirms him in the
view originally taken by him, that the two societies were
got up by several individuals for their own bene-
fit, and without any intention to benefit the
poor annuitants who were elected. Among the
magistrate's correspondents are many benevolent persons
who have expressed great indignation at the deception
practised upon them, and who were led into the belief that
the annuity paid was in all respects to be considered as a
charitable institution, instead of which its affairs were
transferred to a Life Assurance Society to be worked for the
benefit of that society. The Chancery suit between the
United Kingdom Annuity Fund and the Anglo-Austra-
lian Life Assurance Society is not expected to terminate for
some time, and there is no prospect of any funds being
forthcoming from that source to pay the poor and aged an-
nuitants, who are in a state of great distress.
It is understood that proceedings will be commenced
against the committee of the United Kingdom Mutual An-
nuity Society, which has been registered under the
Friendly Societies Act.

Mr. Selfe recommended the friends of the annuitants who
had not already sent in their claims to do so without delay,
and forward their statements to Messrs. Tucker, Greville,
and Tucker, the solicitors, in Swithen's-lane, Lombard-
street, who are instructed for th,t plaintiff in the proceed-
ings in Chancery against the Anglo -Australian Company.
The printed form of prayer used at the ordinary, general,
and special meetings of the United Kingdom Benevolent
Annuity Fund or Society was exhibited in Court this day.
It is a very long one, and Mr. Stoddart, a solicitor, who
has been consulted by some of the annuitants, said it ought
to commence thus—" Let us Prey."

TESTIMONIAL TO 1111?. BEATTIR OF

THE SOUTH- WESTERN RAI L WA I

On Tuesday an event of some interest to the
railway world was celebrated at the London Tavern,
Bishopsgate-street, when upwards of 70 gentlemen
(the large majority of whom are connected with
engineering pursuits) assembled to do honour to Mr.
Joseph Hamilton Beattie, the locomotive superin-
tendent of the South Western Railway.
Mr. JOSEPH LOCKE, M.P., occupied the chair,
and after having proposed, in terms which were
fully responded to by all present, the usual com-
plimentary toasts, he addressed himself to the im-
mediate purpose of the evening, observing that that
purpose was described on an ornamental scroll
which had just been handed to him. The descrip-
tion was as follows :

" TO JOSEPH HAMILTON BEATTIE, ESQ.
" Sir,—l have been deputed by the gentlemen
whose names are subscribed to request your accept-
ance of the accompanying testimonial of a silver
dinner service, of elegant design and workman-
ship, and a purse of 500 guineas, as a record of
their sincere estimation of your inventive and self-
reliant mechanical skill, generous friendship, and
honourable conduct during your successful career,
and I trust you will ever have occasion to regard
us as your attached friends.—l am, sir, on behalf
of the committee, yours, faithfully,
"ROBERT F. FAIRLIE, Chairman."
Then followed the list of subscribers to the testi-
monial.
Mr. LOCKE, in presenting the testimonial,
feelingnial,ex-
patiated with much earnestmess and g
on the prosperous career of Mr. Beattie, and ex-
plained the circumstances under which the present
tribute originated. The gentleman in question
had long been engaged in bringing forward inven-
tions connected with engineering pursuits, and it
appeared that certain great railway companies had
availed themselves of those inventions without
making any pecuniary acknowledgment of them.
Mr. Beattie therefore determined to try the question
in a court of law, and a subscription was set on
foot to pay his expenses in the event of his being a
loser by the proceeding. Mr. Beattie, however,
did not lose, but was successful in his law-suit;
and the result was that the committee which had
been formed to promote the subscription had re-
solved that the money should be spent in a testimo-
nial—honourably due to one who had done so much
good in his useful profession. Hence the magnifi-
cent service of plate, and the purse containing 500
guineas, which he (Mr. Locke) now had the grati-
fication of presenting to Mr. Beattie, whom he was
proud to say he had known for 30 years, and had
watched his successful career with great pleasure
and satisfaction.
The words accompanying the testimonial having
been read by Mr. H. J. Cohen, the secretary to the
committee, Mr. Beattie returned thanks in a brief
but impressive and grilteful speech. A tribute of
thanks was then paid to Mr. Robert F. Fairlie, the
chairman of the committee, for the untiring energy
he had displayed in promoting the pre-
sent object, and the evening was brought to
a close in a manner which must have
been gratifying to all who may be placed
in a position, as Mr. Beattie has been, to meet and
overcome " engineering difficulties." Amongst the
company present were Sir John M'Neill, Lord Al-
fred Paget, Mr. Errin gton, Mr. Brassey, Sir Charles
Fox, Mr. England, and others well known in the
railway world.

APPOINTMENT OF RADCLIFFE OBSERVER.—The
trustees of the late Dr. John Radcliffe met in London on
the 19th inst. for the purpose of electing a successor to the
late lamented M. J. Johnson, Es q., for the important office
of Radcliffe Observer at Oxford. The choice of the trustees
has fallen on the Rev. Robert Main, M.A., first assistant
at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, where he has been
engaged for the last 25 years. Amongst the candidates for
the office were many of the first astronomers of the day.
The new Russian 4j, per cent, loan of £8,000,000,
the negotiation of which has been entrusted to Messrs. Bar-
ing, is expected to be introduced in the course of a week or
a fortnight.
ICE MADE BY STEAM PONVER.—Considerable in-
terest has been felt in scientific circles by the experiments
which have been going on during the week at the works of
the Liverpool Ice Company, in Boundary-street, in the
production of ice by steam-power. It is not easy to explain
the mode in which the ice is produced, but it is neverthe-
less so simple and apparently inexpensive that the machi-
nery which produces it must find a locality in hot climates.
The patentees adopt the converse of the well-known prin-
ciple that heat can be converted into power by the employ-
ment of power to abstract heat, and the process is entirely
mechanical. —Liverpool Courier,
GOVERNMENT EMIGRATION. Her Majesty's
Emigration Commissioners will receive tenders to-day
(Thursday) for ships to proceed to Adelaide, South Aus-
tralia, and to Sydney, New South Wales ; the former to be
ready for the reception of passengers on such day as the
commissioners may appoint between the 24th July and the
2d of August; and the latter between the 2d and 9th of
August.
FATALITY AT THE EDGEHILL STATION OF THE
LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.—The Liver-
pool borough coroner held an inquest on Tuesday last,
on the body of a young man, an engine cleaner, at the
Edgehill station, on the London and North Western Rail-
way, who was killed on Monday afternoon at that station
by being run over by carriages propelled by an engine. A
number of similar accidents having recently occurred at the
same place, the jury made a presentment to the effect that
it was dangerous to place engines behind carriages, unless
an unusually good look out was kept.
THE CHANNEL FLEET AT LEITH.—The weather
yesterday being highly favourable for pleasure trips to the
fleet, steamers of various build, size, and condition, belong-
ing to the Tay and the Tyne,' as well as to ports on both
sides of the Forth, put off at all hours during the day from
Leith and Granton, crowded with passengers; and ran neck-
and-neck races with each other to the great focus of attrac-
tion, St. Margaret s Rope. A fine easterly breeze, which
sprang up in the morning and continued nearly all day, was
also turned to good account by numerous fishing-boats
and cobbles, which ran up the river with well filled
sails, carrying more select, or at least small parties
from Leith, Newhaven, Burntisland, Kirkcaldy, and
elsewhere. The throng of visitors was of a more mis-
cellaneous character than on Saturday, and not quite
so overwhelming; and they were also, generally speak-
ing, distributed pretty generally over the different
vessels in the fleet. In all the ships they were not only
received with that hearty courtesy which is so marked a
characteristic of the officers and crews of the British navy
when at home in their floating castles, but in most cases the
visitors were entertained with music from the ships' bands,
and in one vessel (the Mars) dancing was continued for a
couple of hours with great spirit on the maindeck by the
officers and their lady visitors, and hornpipes were danced
with much skill and taste by several of the sailors.--05otsman.