The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-28 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL TIM FELLERS' SCHOOLS.

The anniversary festival of this institution, founded at
Pinner in 1845, for the education and maintenance of the
orphan and necessitous children of commercial travellers,
was held at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street, under
the presidency of Mr. Goschen, M.P., who was supported
on the occa,sion by Mr.Thoma,s Chambers,ln P. , Mr. Sheriff
APArthur, Messrs. George Moore, R. N. Fowler, Walford
Greatorex, &c. Great success has attended the operations
of this excellent charity, by which, since its original esta-
blishment, hundreds of destitute children have been care-
fully trained, and afterwards assisted in obtaining suitable
positions in life. The schools, which arc in a very
efficient state, now contain nearly 200 boys and girls ;
and, in order to meet the urgent and increasing claims for
admission, the board of management have determined on
enlarging their premi,es so as to provide accommodation
for another hundred scholars. Two new wings are in pro-
cess of construction, and it is expected that they will be
completed early next year. This extension of the institu-
tion will involve an outlay of at least £6,000, which has to
be defrayed by voluntary subscription ; and the dinner
last night was intended as well to promote the raising
of this fund as to celebrate the original foundation of the
schools. In prefacing "The Army, Navy, and Volunteers,"
the right hon. chairman avowed his doubts whether the
utilitarian tendencies of the age would ever enable them
to erase those services from their list of toasts. He also
maintained that City men were not less sensitive than any
other class of the community as to what was due to the
national defence and the national honour, contending that,
even upon the lowest ground of worldly prudence, there
was no system of insurance for the commerce of this
country against the dangers which European events might
bring in their train, which could he so efficacious, and at
the same time so economical, as the keeping up of an
efficient army and navy. He also expressed a hope
' that our soldiers now in Abyssinia were spending as
as far as might be " a merry Christmas." (Cheers.) In
responding- for " The health of the House of Commons,"
Mr. Thomas Chambers observed that in that great
assembly there existed among all parties a single and
earnest desire to do what was right and just, not only for
all classes of the community, but for all parts of the empire.
He ventured, moreover, to say that no change in the laws
of this empire was to be effected by acts of lawlessness
and violence. The man who, however high his position,
or however commanding his eloquence, said that Parlia-
ment would yield not to the legitimate influence of reason
and argument, but to tumult and menace proceeding from
foreign desperadoes and conspirators, did not truly repre-
sent English feeling. (Cheers.) The only effect which
displays of physical force could hai,e on the course of legis-
lation was to make Parliament and the nation pause until
the law asit existed was vindicated, after which they might
calmly and tranquilly consider whether any alterations
were required by the altered circumstances of the coun
try. (Hear, hear.) Mr. George Moore, treasurer,
briefly sketched the origin and progress of the charity.
remarking that independently of its direct advantages to
the scholars, it had worked a great moral reform in tht
commercial-room." Still, unfortunately, only one-eighth
of the entire body of gentlemen of the road of England
duly appreciated its benefits by subscribing to its funds.
The education given in these schools was a sound scrip-
tural one, and its good effects might be judged of by the
fact that out of the whole 383 children who had passed
through the institution, only one or two had subsequently
gone astray. He likewise mentioned that this year four
of the pupils went up for the Oxford and Cambridge ex-
aminations, all of whom were successful. Various other
complimentary toasts followed, and before the proceedings
terminated the receipt of subscriptions and donations to
the amount of some £1,700 was announced.

ATROCIOUS CRIME. —On Wednesday morning a
thatched coach-house, belonging to the Rev. Mr. Sandes,
of Kilcully, County Cork, an inoffensive and open-handed
gentleman, was set on fire by an incendiary and burnt to
the ground. It contained two carriages, a quantity of
straw, and some coal, which were destroyed. About one
o'clock in the morning he received notice the fire
means of a stone thrown tlkrour,h bkliviiiiwindoy,