The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-05 00:00:00

A MARRIAGE IN A MOUSETRAP.

(Prom the Sunday Times )
It seems as though it were difficult for her
Majesty and her counsellors in the important affair
definitively to settle the details of the ceremonials
and festivities that are to appertain to the royal
marriage. First, it is announced, that there are to
be grand processions, three in number, passing
within view of a select portion of the British publics
who are to have the privilege of squeezing them-
selves into some human peas, provided for the occa-
sion. This is subsequently contradicted. There
are to be no processions, unless, iudee I, we are to
give this name to the files of royal personages pass-
ing out of one room into anothtr in the gloomy
Palace of St. James, to be witnessed only by those
concerned, even the attendants being excluded, for
want of space. Then it was announced that the
public Might obtain tickets to view the processions,
- on apslication to the Lord Chamberlain. We need
not state, after what we have said, that this an-
nouncement has also received a con • radietion, or has
been revoked, arrangements having already been
made for the disposal of a few tickets which, in conse-
quence of the limited space in St. James's Palace,
c m be given on the occasion." But then, as a
compensation, the Lord Chamberlain announces
that " the chapel and rooms will be exhibited to the
public by ticket, immediately after the ceremony."
Heaven forbid that we should indite a syllable
savouring of a disloyal spirit ! We do not harbour
it, while we deprecate the whole of what we may
term the external arrangements for this royal mar-
riage, as amanget the badly mismanaged th ngs,
which, if it were possible to lessen the affestionate
loyalty universally cheris'ied towards the Queen,
would be sure to have that effect. In addition to
the gratification which Englishmen and women
always take in showy ceremonial., and in the pomp
and circumstances of royal processions, there is--
the truth must be told an interest of a commercial
character attached to such things ; and it is neither
discreet nor just in those who advise royalty on such
matters, to wantonly divest them of that character.
Everybody knows how much tradesmen at the
west-end' depended upon the season,' to help
them through their heavy payments for rent, taxes,
and the other incidents of business ; and how much
money used to be distributed in salaries and wages
amongst the workmen, workwornen, and servants.
That is now well nigh at an end. What with the
attractions of Windsor, Osborne, and Balmoral,
the residence of the Court in London is brief, in-
deed ; and that being so, the nobility and gentry
which the Court draws around it in London, and
nowhere else can scarcely be said to have a seasors'
any more than the Court. And trade and com-
merce suffer accordingly. If her Majesty's tastes,
or habits, or health necessitates this seeming dis-
regard of the prosperity of those on whom she
largely depends for her comforts and luxuries, a
royal marriage is, at least, one of the occasions that
not only might, but should, be made to afford sore
compensation for those losses which the regal loco-
motion of the time entails upon the trading
portion of the metropolis. Mere pecuniary con-
siderations could not induce her Majesty to take the
one of two courses which would withhold it. Had
the marriage of our Princes Royal taken place in
Westminster Abbey, thousands upon thousands
would have participated in the festivities; directly
or indirectly, trade would have been benefited, and
multitudes, who have been suffering through the
winter upon short commons,' would have ha i
their hearts gladdened, and so, have joined in the
chorus of general joy. As it is, the royal festivities
will be flat, stale, and unprofitable'' to all but a
comparative few. They who pay the cost of these
magnificent displays of England's hospitality and
munificence are toovulgar to
they provide. Sufficient forg upon the pageants
‘th
rooms. They Can gaze uponmat the
see
tlitrisiarorotteshwwthhueelrdeemt per-
have have trodden.
atiefweddesires
have ? Inordinate, indeed,
the vulgar crowd, if they are not s
liberty to staud upon ground hallowed by rowill the
to build processions in the air, and to payYfa„fett
realities that have been enjoyed by the illustrious
few.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

TATTERSALL'S, MONDAY.

For the Two Thousand 4 to 1 was offered against
Clydesdale, and 100 to 15 against Brother to Marehioness
—7 to 1 would have been taken to money about the
latter ; 10 to 1 was offered against any other ; 1,000 to
30 was was taken about Clydesdale this event and the
Derby, and 1000 to 15 about Clydesdale winning this
event and Sedbury the Derby.
The Derby betting wss limited-12 to 1 was effered
against Clydesdale, whilst his stable companion Sedbury
was backed for 1001. M the price coots&

DEBBY.
12 to 1 agst Clydesdale (offered)
18 to 1 aget Sedbury (takeil
1000 to 45 aget Ditto (taken)
1000 to 30 aget Sermon (offered)
40 to 1 agst Grand Secret (taken)
15 to 1 eget Sedbury and Ft z Roland coupled
(taken)

The general business of the port of London during
the past week hal been very inactive. The number of
sbips reported inwards was 128, including 9 with cargoes
of sugar, 4 with dried fruit, and 17 with corn, flour, Sze
The number cleared outward was 96, including 19 in
ballast; and those on the berth loading for the Austra-
lian colonies amount to 50, out of which 2 were entered
outwards in Sept., 0 in Oct,, and 19 in Nov.

ANNUAL RETURN OF FIRES ATTENDED AND
LIVES SAVED BY THB ROYAL SOCIETY'S
FIRB ESCAPES AND COADUCTORS.

Yesterday (Monday) being the commencement of
the first week in the new year, Mr. Sampson Low,
the secretary of the Royal Society for the Protec-
tion of Life from Fire, according to annual custom,
laid before the committee the yearly return of the
number of fires attended and lives saved by means
of the escapes and. conductors ; from which it ap-
pears that, during the quarter ending March 31,
1857, not fewer than 104 fires were attended, and
21 lives saved, viz. :—at No. 92, East-street, Man-
chester-square ; No. 2, Minories ; No. 41, Kings-
land-road ; No. 15, New-street, Covent-garden, and
No. 41, Aldgate. During the quarter ending
June 30, the fires attended were 135, and the lives
saved 19, viz., at No. 7, Leadenhall-street ; No.
150, Blackfriars-road ; No. 19, Eldon-street, Fins-
bury ; No. 10, Middle-row ; and No. 59, Exmouth-
street. During the quarter ending September 30,
135 fires were attended, and 13 lives saved, viz., at
No. 14, Fore-street, Cripplegate ; No. 98, Old
Gravel-lane ; No. 14, High Holborn ; and No. 61,
Whitechapel. During the quarter finishing the
last night of the old year, 142 fires were attended
and 14 lives saved, viz., at No. 3, King-street,
Long-acre ; No. 16, Sun-street, Bishopsgwe • No.
122, Cheapside ; No. 2, Spectacle-alley ; White-
chapel, and No. 25, New-road, St. George's-in-the-
Eass ; making a total of 514 fires attended during
the year, and 58 lives saved. This cannot fail to
gratify thoso interested in the society's welfare ; in
f sct, it must be a source of pleasure to all classes to
learn that so many of their fellow-creatures have
been rescued from such a dreadful fate as death
from fire.

Amongst the cases enumerated in the return are
three worthy of especial mention. At the fire at
No. 2, Minories, on the 25thof last January, when,
from the number of persons not aroused from their
beds, all equally in danger, and the house being
thoroughly on fire, it required the greatest judg-
ment and determination to bring them all out in
safety. This was accomplished, however, by the
conductor's exertions, and the whole of the inmates,
seven in number, were taken down the escape, the
conductor only reaching the bottom of the canvas
with the, last two children when the flames burst
out of the window from whence he had just taken
them. Also at the fire which occurred at 41, Ald-
gate, when it was mainly through the conductor's
prompt attendance that the lives of five persons
were rescued from inevitable destruction. In
another case of fire in Spectacle-alley, there were
upon the conductor's arrival with his escape no less
than seven persons (including folir children) in the
house, and it was owing only to the undaunted
courage of Conductor Wood, of the Whitechapel
station, that they were rescued in safety.
Not only are the machines made useful in the
preservation of human life, but they are likewise,
from their great height. brought into action by
the fire brigade, who, by conveying the branches
up the ladder, are enabled to command greater in-
fluence over the flames than they could do by
directing the water from the street. The escapes
are kept during the hours of duty in a state of
readiness, and upon the alarm-being given they are
instantly taken to the scene of danger, and the
society always remunerates those giving the " call."
The fire-eecape brigade comprises a body of 60 well-
disciplined men, who are visited whilst on duty by
the inspectors of the several districts ; this ensures
their vigil tuce and attention to their duties.
During the past year the society has increased
the number of fire-escape stations for the metro-
polis, the number quoted in the return of 1856
having been 46, whereas they now number 56. The
followi.:g stations having been added since that date:
—Ball's-pond ; Richmond-road ; Barnsbury ; Care-
den-road, Holloway; Piccadilly; Golden-square,
Southwark-bridge-road, Walworth-road, Old Kent-
road, Camberwell-green, High-street, Peckham.
The committee attribute this success not only to
their own endeavours, but also to the valuable and
hearty co-operation they have at all times received
from the c'iurchwardens and other officers of the
parishes in which the escapes are situated. Three
stations will shortly be added to the number—viz.,
at Tooley-s treet, London-bridge ; Ratcliff-highway,
and St. John, Wapping; and the committee enter-
tain great hopes that the parishes of Poplar, Lime-
house, Stepney, and Bethnal-green will shortly co-
operate with the 'society, for in no part of London
are fire-esespes more required than in these popu-
lous and closely-built districts. 431 persons have
been saved from death by fire since 1843, and 3,563
fires attended by the escapes.