The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-30 00:00:00

TUESDAY EVEN! NG, MARCH 30, 1858.

them old sailing two-deckers converted into screw
ships with efficient armaments.

Guns. Men. H-p. Station.
Blenheim 6O 348 450 Portland.
Ajax
Edinburgh ..
Hogue 6O 348 450 Greenock.
Cornwallis 6O 348 200 Humber.
Hawke 6O 348 200 Coast of Ireland.
Hastings co 348 200 Liverpool.
Russell 6O 348 200 Falmouth.
Pembroke. 6O 348 200 Harwich.

With the former list, we have a total of 23 sea-
going screw ships.
SCREW FRIGATES.
Guns. Men. 11.-p. Station.
Shannon 5l 560 600 China.
Chesapeake 51 530 400 China.
Euryalus
Diadem ...... 32 475 800 Portsmouth.
Arrogant
Tribune
Curacoa 3l 340 350 Portsmouth.
These seven frigates are of the most powerful
classes, and perhaps the smallest is equal to the
74-gun sailing ship of the last war. The Arrogant
is the first screw frigate designed for the navy, and
the Diadem is the last production of the dockyards.
The latter is a model vessel, of immense tonnage,
immense power, and mighty armament.

SCREW FLOATING BATTERY.
Terror, 16 guns, 60 men, 200 horse-power, Bermuda.
SCREW CORVETTES.
Ships. Guns. Men. H.-p. Station.
Racoon
Pylades
Pelorus
Highflycr
Satellite
Tartar
Pearl
Esk 2O 240 250 China. •
Niger ... l4 1.C.1 490... China.

-The Niger is the oldest of this class, and the Ra •
coon the youngest. There is, however, no com-
parison between the two, for the latter is equal in
force to three of the old Niger,

SCRSW SLOOPS.
•
Ships. Guns. Men. H.-p. Station-
Cruizer
Hornet
Harrier
Alert
Wasp - l3 165 100 Brazils.
Cordelia ll 120 151 Australia.
Desperate 8 165 400 Mediterranean.
Conflict 8 165 400 Coast of Africa.
Ariel
Curlew
Swallow 9 100 60 Mediterranean.
Lyra , . 9 100 60 Cape.
Plumper
Sharpshooter 8 90 202 Coast of Africa.
Teazer
Fairy . — 120 Royal Yacht Tender.
SCREW GUN VESSELS.
Nimrod
Roebuck .... . .
Surprise
Cormorant 4 91 200 China.
Assurance
Sparrowhawk 4 90 200 China.
Mohawk 4 90 200 China.
Coquette........ 4 90 200 Mediterranean.
Vigilant 4 90 2,!0 Mediterranean.
Osprey 4 90 200 Mediterranean.
Wanderer
Lapwing
SCREW GUN BOATS.
Bustard
Haughty 2 37 60 China.
Forster ....
Opossum 2 37 60 China.
Plover 2 37 60 China.
Staunch
Starling
Forward 2 37 60 China.
Skipjack 3 37 60 West Indies.
Onyx . . 2 20 Bermuda, tender.

Nettle 2 20 Bermuda, tender.
Redwing 2 20 Devonport, tender.
Lark
Stork ....
Traveller 2 60 Portsmouth, tender.
Bullfinch 2 60 Portsmouth, tender.
Lively 2 60 Sheerr e3S, tender.
Biter
Badger .... 2 60 Kingstown, t. (e.g.)
Erne
Louisa 2 60 Leith, tender (e.g.)
Gos' awk
Snap - 50 Greenock ten. (e.g.)
Saudfly
Ruby
Spanker 2 60 Humber, ten. (e.g.)
Magpie
Dapper
Hind
Magnet
Leveret
Shamrock
Seagull
Dove
Leven
Slauey 1 40 80 China
Algerine
Lee
Firm
Banterer 1 37 60 China
Clown 1 37 4G China.
Kestrel
Drake 1 37 40 China.
Janus
Watchful;
Woodcock
Lynx
Viper ..
Jascur ••• 1 41 80 West Indies.
Jasper 1 41 80 West Indies.

Fifteen of the above are tenders to the coas
guard service ships at their respective stations.
SCREW TROOP AND STORE SHIPS.

Himalaya
Adventure
Assistance
Megoera
Simoom
Vulcan
Urgent
Hesper
Buffalo
Sup! ly
Industry 2 53 80 Particular Service.
The above, it will be seen, compose the principal
forces of the Royal navy-129 screw ships. The
following is—
THE STEAM PADDLE FORCE.
FRIGATES, CORVETTES, &C.
Ships. Guns. Men. 11.-p, Station.
Penelope l6 300 650 Cape.
Retribution
Leopard
Magicieune l6 220 400 China.
Furious
Valorous l6 220 400 Devonport.
Samson
Cyclops
Fury 6 165 515 China.
Inflexible 6 165 378 China.
Vesuvius 6 2U3 280 Coast of Africa.
Centaur
Vulture
Hermes - 6 120 220 Cape.
Hecate 6 135 240 Coast of Africa.
Melo.
Trident
Virago 6 165 300 Brazils.
Vixen 6 165 220 Pacific.
Devastation 6 160 400 West ',dies.
Medina •00 4 ICO 312 Mediterranean (sur.)
Tartarus
Porcupine...., 3 67 132 Hebrides (sur.)
Basilisk ......
Buzzard 6 Its 300 West Indies.
Styx 6 Its 280 West Indies.
Recruit
Weser
Dasher 2 69 100 Channel Islands.
Locust
Otter .
Alban 4 55 100 Fitting.
Alecto
Medusa 4 100 312 Coast of Africa.
Merlin 4 100 312 Coast of Africa.
Ardent 3 100 200 Coast of Africa,
Firefly 5 80 220 Coast of Africa. •
Pluto
Antelope 3 65 260 Coast of Africa.
Myrmidon
Sp tfire
Bloodhound
Caradoc ..
Harpy 1 50 200 Mediterranean.
Jackal 1 50 150 Fisheries.
Brune 2 80 Cof Africa, tender.
Pigmy 3 • 37 160 Portsmouth, tender.
S; rightly
Fire Queen ... , 28 120 Portsmouth, tender.
Advice
Lizard — 47 150 Sheerness, tender,

—..,
Wildfire
Fearless
Asp — 50 Pembroke, tender.
Lightning
Advice — 24 180 Queenstown, tender.
Coromandel
Rhadamanthus
Dee
Kite — 170 Bermuda, tug.
Redpolo - 24 170 Gibraltar, tug.
Hearty
YACHTS.
Vict. & Albert 2 138 600 Royal yacht.
Elfin — 40 Royal yacht, tender.
Osborne 2 80 430 Admiralty, Portsth.
Black Eagle
Vivid
Emperor — 39 Japan.

THE SAILING FLEET.
That part of our navy now composed of mere
sailing ships is regarded as the least powerful and
eff-ctrve portion of it. These ships, it may be
said, are being merely worn out, and used on
foreign stations in order to keep the more effective
screw ships available at home.

TWO DECKERS. 011118, Men, Station.
Calcutta ...... 84 720 China.
Gauges
Monarch
Indus 7B 650 West Indies.
Boscawen 7O 650 Cape.
Cumber!and

FRIGATES.
Nankin ....... . 53 5'.)0 China.
Eagle (50)
Cambrian ........
Sybille 4O 350 China,
Pique
Castor . .. 36 330 Cape.

CORVETTES.
Amethyst
Iris . 26 230 Australia.
Alarm
Actaeon... 26 153 China.
Savannah „, l9 240 PACIAC,

Calypso
Herald 1 121 Australia (sure.)
SLOOPS, &C.
. -

, -
Arachn e
Atalanta l6 130 West Indies.
Camilla
Acorn l2 130 China.
___ _ __

12 130 China.

Comus l4 130 China:
Racehorse
Sappho
Persian
Childers

Heron
Spy'
FLAG, ORDINARY, STATIONARY Suers, So,
Royal William
Waterloo l2O 222 Sheerness.
Victory
Hibernia (104)
Princess Charlotte (104) 12 4SO China, floating brcks.
Impregnable
Cambridge
Excellent

Wellesley.., 73 337 Chatham.
Implacable (72) 2O 80 Devonport, training.
11l strious (72) ...... 20 131 Portsmouth,training
Imaum (72) lO 82 Jamaica.
Belleisle (72)
Melville (72) ...... 6 219 China, hospital.
Miudon (72)
Fisgard
Saturn
TENDERS.
Bittern
Bramble lO Australia.
Adelaide — Cape.
Cockatrice 4 Pacific.
Netley
Nautilus
Sylph
Sealark 8 Portsmouth.

Rolla 6 3 Portsmouth, training.
Mercury
Ceres
Fanny
Hart — 9 Sheerness.
Wizard — 18 Queens own.
Gipsey — 21 Queenstown.
STORE SHIPS.

Tortoise
Madagascar.

12 230 Ascension.
8 69 Rio.

Nereus „„
Naiad ...
Athol ...
Crocodile

6 27 Pacific,
6 22 Pacific.
4 30 Greenock.
4 41 Thames.

HULKS, Ste.
Alligator
Sapphire
Sringapatam
Pyramus
Weymouth

The above are the actual forces of the British
navy in commission—effective, sea going, sta-
tionary, and otherwise. Since the break-up of the
late Si/ Robert Peel's Government, in 1847, the
screw ship has superseded, not only the old sailing
man-of-war, but the paddle-wheel vessel, and now
the real strength of the British fleet is the number
of three-deckers—such as the Duke of Wellington,
Marlborough, Royal Sovereign ; two-deckers—such
as the Conquerer and St. Jean d'Acre ; frigates—
such as Shannon, Imperieuse, Diadem ; and cor-
vettes, gun vessels, and gun boats—such as Racoon,
Slaney, &c. propelled by powerful
screw machinery.
In the lists above enumerated will be remarked
the Blenheim, Ajax, Rogue, and the Arrogant.
These were the pioneers of the screw steam. fleet.
The former three were the first experiments, being
old 74 sailing ships converted into screws, and the
last-named was the first frigate designed to be pro-
pelled by screw machinery. Her speed and quali-
cations as a powerful frigate have now been sur-
passed by our modern screw frigates, but for her
tonnage and power she stills holds a good position
in the list. It must be a source of sincere gratifi-
cation to the new Secretary to the Admiralty, the
Right Hon. T. L. Corry, to see the ships above-
mentioned converted and designed under his secre-
taryship, and at his earnest desire, 10 years since,
figuring so prominently as they still do in the effec-
tive forces of the British navy.

ROYAL GENERAL THEATRICAL FUND,

Yesterday the 13th anniversary festival of the General
Theatrical Fund was held at the Freemason's Tavern-2
W. M. Thackeray, E,q., in the chair. there was a
very full attendance of gentlemen interested profession-
ally and otherwise in the institution, and a number of
ladies were also present. After the usual loyal and
patriotic toasts had been duly honoured,
The CHAIRMAN rose to propose the toast of the even-
ing, and said—Having seldom, indeed only once before
in my life, been called on to fill the chair on an occasion
like ails, and not possessing that happy genius and skill
in such maters which belong to a friend of mine not
very far from me (Ur. Dickens), I thought I could make
up for my deficiencies by previous assiduity and study ;
and I went through a long course of reading relative to
the drama, beginning with its very commencement, with
occasional alight ramifications into the history cf the

Chinese and Turkish stage. (Laughter.) The com-
mencement of the drama, I find, was at a period about
570 or 580 years before the Christian era. It happened
at a time when one of the seven wi• e sages of Greece
flourished in Athens, and who was called Solon. He
was a man of great eminence in his time, and I have
introduced his name because I wished you to see how
assiduous I have been, and also with a view to your en-
joyment of the puzle which you will experience in won-
dering what the sage Solon has to do with the toast of
to-night. (Laughter.) Solon, being one of the greatest
'senora in Athens, consented to witness a dramatic re-
presentation by Thespis, its discoverer, and who went
i❑ a waggon—no doubt, a stage-waggon—(laughter)—
about a theatrical circuit. (Laughter.) Having witnessed
the performance, Solon sent for Thespis, and having a
large stick in his hand, he said to him, "How dare you
tell such a parcel of lies ?" Thespis remonstrated, and
sail that his songs and interludes were not meant to be
taken as matters of fact, but were simply intended to
anera e On which Solon tliumped his stick oh the ground
and said, "Begone ! A man who will tell such fibs on the
stage wou'd forge a bill of exchange." (Laughter.) This
story is told in Plutarch's Life of Solon, and I never read
of his life after that. (Hear, and laughter.) What a num
ber of years have passed since Solon has been called to
his rest, and poor Thespis has gone to his long account!
Every one present is aware how often a character on the
stage is acted over and over again, and though Solon and
Thespis are dead, their parts are still acted among us.
When your worthy treasurer was making that journey
of which he tell us on the occasion of one of the festi-
vals of this institution, with fourpence-halfpenny in
his pocket, provided with a little skimmed milk for
refreshment, and clothed in a printed calico waistcoat,
but with a cheerful heart under it—suppose that
S.don had overtaken him ; no doubt the sage would
have had as light an opinion of him---would have looked
down on him, and surveyed his calico waistcoat with
contempt, while be congratulated himself on how supe,
rior he was to that poor person struggling manfully on
the road of life. There are Solons among us even now.
There was a Solon in a German band who once said to
me that he did not read novels because they were not
true. (Laughter.) This was worthy of a Solon, for a
Solon may he a pompous humbug, though he thinks
himself far above a wandering actor, There may be Sa-
lons who cannot appreciate music, because they have no
ear for it, and cannot tell the differeCce between "Water
parted from the Sea" and "the music in Aliaine."
(Laughter.) Let us then suppose that his indifference
proceeds only from his own dulness, and not from any
more unfavourable feeling. But because Solon is so wise
and virtuous, is there any reason why there shall be no
more cakes and ale No, despite of Solon's gravity, all
youth any humour say we will have our sport ; Harle-
quin shall dance with Columbine, the Clown shall eat
his sausage, and Hamlet shall kill his wicked uncle, and
we will not be horrified at the transaction. (Laughter.)
Claude Mclnotte shall still walk up and down with Pau-
line under the spangled heavens, and still adorned with
a pair of spangled tights, and we will have our sports
and our sports, despite of all the Solons, with sticks as
thick as a beadle's. (Hear, hear.) Perhaps, however,
when Solon comes to look at a society like this, and sees
how prudent and how generous you are disposed to be,
he will be inclined to have a greater respect for Thespis
in his cotton waistcoat than when he met him trudging
on the road. How proud all the members of this society
ought to be 1 She is not yet 20 years old, yet she has
saved 10,00001., and she has spent 9001. a-year in doing
good. Sho has relieved the orphan and the needy, and
taken to their last home the friendless poor; and she
has done more than this, for she has enabled men who
never came to her, and who were never likely to come
to the society, to have the satisfaction of feeling
that thi-re was such a place to come to if need
be. (Hear, hear.) The contributors and subscribers to
a society like this know that there is a' bank on which
they can draw without shame, and I hope that we shall
soon hear of the increase of its funds, that its means of
usefulness have become known all over the kinedom,
and that it will have large receiets every year from such
members as recognise its admirable uses and efficiency.
There is no need to recommend the society to the pro-
fessional gentlemen present ; they know its excellence,
they have looked into it themselves, and they advocate
it among their brethren. As for us, who are visitors
to-night, we, from many a kindly association, must have
strong regard for the stage, for we owe to it a multitude
of happy hours, and we will show our appreciation cf it
to-night by most cordially drinking "Prosperity to the
General Theatrical Fund." (Loud cheers.)

Mr. BJCKSTONE then rose and said—Gentlemen, as
this is the 13th annual festival of the General Theatrical
Fund, and as for 13 years I have never been absent

from this celebration, except on ore occasion, and hay- l
ing therefore at 11 of these dinners risen to return j
thanks for the toast you have this moment so greatly
honoured, you will perceive that for many years I have
been preaching from one text, and as this is now the
twelfth time that I rise to address you on the same
theme, you must not be surprised if there is little variety
in my subject matter. (Cheers.) Paganini certainly
executed many extraordinary and various passages on
one string of his violin, but to continue for many years
to preach from one text is an exploit which, I think,
would somewhat puzzle even the Rev. Mr. Spurgeor.
(Laughter.) However, I will endeavour to be as varied
as possible, and state facts, and exhibit fancies, as clearly
as may he in my power, to the ladies and gentlemen
present. (Cheers.) I say ladies and gentlemen, be-
cause both are not only here to-night, but they are
placed 'according to the arrangement of a pious quadrille
—(laughter)—suggested by the rev. gentleman I have
alluded to—the ladies by themselves, and the gentle-
men by themselves ; though I have little doubt, if a
dance were to be proposed in the course of this evening,
that, in defiance of the plan of the preacher, we should
find that the ladies and gentlemen would speedily
amalgamate. (Applause and laughter.) In returning
thanks for your toast, gentlemen, I must arrange my dis-
course into four divisions—Firstly, to thank the chair-
man, and to say something about him ; secondly, to set
forth the purposes of our fund, the amount of money we
possess, and what we do with it ; thirdly, to appeal to
your sympathies, and use whatever powers I may possess
to call forth the generous feelings of your nature ;
fourthly, and lastly, to thank you all, and make the
way easy for our worthy secretary when he audibly an-
nounces your liberal donation% Now, gentlemen, I thank
the chairman, and say something about him. Twelve
months ago, in this hall, Mr. Dickens announcer that on
our anniversary festival this year the chair would be
taken by Mr. Thackeray ; the announcement was re-
ceived with the warmest expressions of sadsfaction, and
though, when we reflect on the many chances against
life and health, it was a long time to look forward to
such an event, yet lam happy to say here it is. (Cheers.)
Here is our chairman, doing his utmost to benefit us,
and looking as hearty and stalwart as ever—(cheers)—
and that he may long continue to look so must be the
sincere hope of every lover of honest and manly litera-
ture. With the knowledge twelve months beforehand
who was to be our chairman on this occasion, the com-
mittee of management was relieved from much anxiety ;
they had not to go from one celebrity to another to soli-
cit his services, as all was settled : and if our beat friend
and faithful trustee, Mr. Dickens, could make a similar
announcement this evening, we should indeed feel de-
lighted and grateful. (Cheers.) But to our chairman,
gentlemen, and to our trustee present, the members of
the General Theatrical Fund point with emotions of
pride and pleasure, for to see such gentlemen honouring
us with their presence, pleading for us, and using all
their influence in our behalf, speaks more for the honest
purposes and soundness of our institution than all the
glowing prospectuses that ever were published of any
company of limited liability or otherwise. (Cheer-.)
When such readers of the human heart, such depicters of
human character, as the author of " Vanity Fair," and
the author of " The Pickwick Papers" can appear to-
gether at one table, to plead for any society whatever,
it is an unanswerable guarantee that such a society is
well deserving of your patronage and support; there-
fore, what must be the gratification of the friends and
members of our fund to-night to see its cause advocated
by the Sue-Tett and the Fielding of the present age
(applause)— though if you were to ask me which is the
Fielding and which is the Smollett I could only reply in
the words of the showman when asked by the little boys
peeping into his show, " Which was the lion and which
was the unicorn ?"—I could only say, " Which ever you
please, my little dears, you pays your money and you
takes your choice." (Laughter.) But to Mr. Thackeray
we are indeed indebted ; and, in the name of all the
meaibers of the fund, I heartily thank him for givi; g us
this evening so much of his valuable time, his influence,
and his eloquence. (Applause.) Now, gentlemen, I must
come to the second division of my discourse—the pur-
poses of our fund, the amount of money we possess, and
what we do with it. It is now widely known that the
otject of the General Theatrical Fund is to provide life
annuities for all persons practicing the art of acting,
dancing, or singing ; also for pantomimist: and promp-
ters belonging to the fund ; while all members who have
subscribed for seven years may claim their annuities at
the expiration of that short term, should they become
incapacitated from following their art by accident or in-
firmity ; and, gentlemen, we none of us bear a " charmed
life" against affliction, whether of the mind or body—
we know not how soon we may require that little but
honourable independence to which you so goner eisly
subscribe. Should thevJuilet of the evening that you
have so much admired slip in her descent from the bal-
cony, and the nurse, unable to arrest her fall, should she
fracture a limb in consequence or be otherwise disabled,
should the bounding dancer, whose gyrations have called
forth your rapturous applause and your bouquets—should
she, in turning one of her astonishing pirouettes, happen
to dislocate that ancle, the form and proportions of which
you have so closely scanned through your opera glass—
should the tragic actor and graceful fencer, while show•
ing his skill at carte and tierce, in the character of
Hamlet, have an eye thrust out by some awkward Leertea,
or any of es suffer from "the thousand natural shocks"
that the player, as well as other fle-h, is heir to, I am
sure, gentlemen, you will neither dine nor sleep the worse
for knowing that you have assisted in allev‘ating these
calamities. (Applause.) I am, indeed, happy to tell
you that our fund is in a flourishing condition, and that
we are enabled to carry out all its purposes. From the
time we first commenced paying annuities we have had
17 claimants, who have received from 301. to 901. per
annum ; some of these have died, but we have now nine
receiving annuities, five of whom are females. During
the past year we have,, reterneri, according to our rules,
1001. to members retiring from the fund ; have expended
301. in funeral expenses ; and though it is not our cus-
tom, yet in peculiar and extreme cases we have not with-
held the hand of charity—and yet, having done all this,
our capital after to-night will not be far short of 11,C00/.
(Loud cheers.) This capital, gentlemen, has been created
by.the subscriptions of 163 members, assisted by your
liberality on these occasions, and the donations of friends
and well-wishers. (Cheers.) Having disposed of the
second division of my discourse, I now proceed to the
third—to appeal to your sympathies, and use whatever
powers I may possess to cis,' forth the generous feelings
of your nature. The world is full of institutions, from
one end of it to the other—from the sutteeistn of the
Hindoo to the cannibalism of the South Sea I,lander.
(Laughter.) In America, the other day, a worthy citi-
zen declared that " woman was an institution"—(laugb-
ter)—while in France at the present moment there is a
peculiar institution called the passport—(laughter)—the
difficulties in obtaining which may turn out to be a real
blessing to the roving Englishman, and send him about
to see his own country, and to discover to his astonish-
ment that it is the most beautiful to be found anywhere.
But in England, gentlemen, thereds an institution which
does not exist amongst any other of the nations of the
earth. It is an institution so thoroughly English, that
only an Englishman can thoroughly enjoy it ; for while
it is as national as it is pleasant, it is 33 substantial as it
is beneficial. Gentlemen, it is the institution of dining--
(cheers)—that is to say, dining toge, her in large companis s
fir the purpose of being charitable—(cheers)—and that
instituti 'n you are now nobly carrying out this evening.
It is not the midnight Bacchanalian festival, when pro-
mises are often made that in the morning are quite for-
gotten. You are called upon shortly after you have
dined—when you feel disposed not only to be at peace
with your neighbour but with all the world—you are
called upon to be benevolent, and you are so at once,
for on these occasions it is no credit system—the money
is taken over the counter. Then, is not this dining to-
gether as noble an institution as it is a national one
and long long may it continue to be an honest and a
hearty Ehelish method of doing good. (Cheer.) And
now, my dear friends—(laughter)—fourthly and lastly,
I must thank you all, and make the way easy for our
worthy secretary to announce your donations. We
have present a genial party of friends to whom.' must
particularly allude, namely, the company of amateurs
who performed last year for the benefit of our fund.
We have received a very handsome sum from their exsr
Lions on that occasion at the St. James's Theatre, and
it was their wish to have done the same this year, but
the theatre being in the possession of a celebrated con-
juror, it was not to be had at present, but when be has
exhausted his wonders they intend after Easter to " do
the trick" themselves--.(laughter)—and to xszt their
talent and their influence in our cause ; and while we
thank them sincerely for their pains, I am sure it will
be a comfort for them to know that I read the other day
in a weekly paper, amongst certain answers to corre-
spondents, how " jecnima" was informed that the editor
was of opinion that amateur acting was not injurious to
Public morals. (Loud laughter.) And now, gentlemen,
I must conclude with announcing to you that we have
received the noble annual contribution from her gracious
Majesty of one hundred guineas. (Cheers) I know
that we have her best wishes. I know that there is no
greater lover of the English drama than the Queen—
(cheers)—that it is her delight ; and for the comfort of
actors yet to come, and for the future prospects of
the stage, it is pleasant to know that she frequently
brings the royal family to the play when the play is

1 ti. t.:
t 4 A s A 4 4
Colchester
(
Harwich 4 50 300 1802 220
I,eigh ', 280 20 42
Ilaldon
:1318, 190 1 367 73 ; 420