The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-28 00:00:00

THE QUEEN'S COURT.

The Queen held a Court at Buckingham Palace
yesterday afternoon.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, escorted
by a detachment of the Life Guards, and attended
by Viscount Hamilton, General Knoltys, the Hon.
A. T. Fitzmaurice, and Major Teesdale, arrived at
the garden entrance of the Palace shortly before
three o'clock.

His Royal highness Prince Arthur, attended by
Major Elphinstone, arrived at the Palace from
Woolwich.

His Royal Highness Prince Christian arrived,
attended by Mr. G. D. Engleheart.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge
arrived from Gloucester House, attended by Colonel
the Hon. James Macdonald.

VISIT OF TIIE QUEEN TO TILE PRINCESS OF
WALES.—Yesterday her Majesty the Queen, accom-
panied by their Royal Highnesses the Princesses Louise
and Beatrice and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein,
and attended by General Grey, Lord Charles Fitzroy, Col.
the Hon. D. Do Ros, the Duchess of Roxburgh, and the
Hon. Flora Macdonald, left Windsor Castle for London,
for the purpose of visiting her Royal Highness the Princess
of Wales. At Paddington a great many people had con-
gregated, while a guard of honour, consisting of the 14th
Hussars, commanded by Lieut. Dyson, was drawn up in
the station-yard. Her Majesty was received by Mr. F.
Saunders, the secretary, and conducted to an open car-
riage. The Queen immediately after left the station,
escorted by the cavalry, for Marlborough House. After
staying with the Princess of Wales about three quarters of
an hour, her Majesty proceeded to Buckingham Palace to
hold her first Court thieseason. Her Majesty returned to
Windsor about half-past five. The engine attached to the
state train was decorated with devices and flags.

The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P., and
Mrs. Gladstone entertained at dinner, yesterday
evening, at their residence, on Carlton-house-terrace, his
Grace the Archbishop of York, the Earl do Grey, the
Earl of Morley, Lord Otho Fitzgerald, M.P. ; Captain the
Hon. R. W. Grosvenor, M.P.; the Right Hon. F. Peel,
General and Mrs. Malcolm, Mr. Bernal Osborne, M.P• ;
Mr. T. B. Potter, M.P. ; Mr. Arthur Russell, M.P., and
Mrs. Russell; Mr. W. H. Gladstone, M.P., &c. Later in
the evening Mrs. Gladstone had a reception, which -was
numerously and fashionably attended.

Inexpensive Benveolence.—A. Hint

to S. G. 0.

Some of our readers may remember that a year
or two since the charities of London found them-
selves undergoing the process of dissection in the
columns of the Times by the reverend nobleman
who writes under the above well known-initials.
The " expenses" of the various institutions were
subjected to a keen analysis, and compared with
the income and with the amount distributed in pur-
suance of the objects for which they were established.
A host of " Governors," secretaries, house-stewards,
and others, found them_elves the object of an
unsparing, and not always very, discriminating
attack, and were held up as fattening on the pub-
lic benevolence, and interrupting the stream of
charity that should have flowed into the pockets of
the poor, or been applied to the relief of human
want and suffering. Among all the examples/
however, we do not remember that the reverend
censor produced a single one, even by will
of contrast, in which a benevolent in"
stitution was managed upon strictly eco-
nomical principles. That there are many
such all must know, but by some mischance
" S. G. 0." appears never to have met with them.
Our columns to-day contain a report of an insti-
tution which is probably more " cheaply" adminis"
tered than any in this kingdom, and which con-
trives effectually to relieve a larger proportion of
its applicants, and, at the same time, to spend less
money in doing so, than any similar fund with which
we are acquainted. We refer to the Provident
Clerks' Benevolent Fund, whose 26th annual meet'
ing, under the presidency of its popular and much-
esteemed treasurer, Mr. John Abel Smith, lI—E."
was held last evening. When we state that the
income of the fund for 1866 was close upon £6,200,
and that its whole expenditure was under £4OO,
fully half of which was absorbed in printing, adver-
tising, and postage, our readers will be inclined to
agree with Mr. Smith that such a result is, indeed,
without parallel in the charitable institutions of this
country. The Fund has, of course, peculiar advan"
tages, being sheltered and aided by the prestige,
of a wealthy and powerful life office ; but it nvisv
of necessity be an inducement to the benevolent t°
subscribe when they find that of every guinea theY
contribute 19s. 7d. go directly to the objects of the
fund.
The proportion of applicants relieved, too, is sin-
gularly large. Of 155 who have applied for an:
unities, varying from £l5 to £35 each, for 'whit
old age, infirmity, or widowhood when insufficient"
provided for, constitute the qualifications, 125 have u
been placed on the list, and 12 more will be elects
.
this year, making 137 successful out of 155 aPPII;
cants. That this proportion should be main
wtaoinueicia
seems too much to hope, but that it ...„s
be maintained, and even increased, if the claims
of of the fund were recognised as they
deserve
ally'
be, admits of no doubt. Those claims are t
two
great upon employers and clerks, equally great
up
every class of donors, for who in this great ceu
is not in any way interested in the prosperity
happiness of a class, whose industry, fidelity, 131
integrity are among the most important wheels
the vast machinery of commerce ? f ti
his
We trust before the next annual meeting 0
noble fund it will receive the hearty and
en
nibacrned
support of that great class of our countryin.
countrywomen, to whom a really deserving le 14
tion never appeals in vain.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON.--The an
irell
he
meeting of the proprietors of University College Was
yesterday. There was a large attendance. T annt;i3l
report having been read and its adoption moved, Mr.
D. Christie submitted a series of resolutions, censuring the
council for rejecting Mr. Martineau as Professor of gental
Philosophy and Logic. Sir J. Bowring, Mr. J. Goldsmicitt
M.P., Mr. S. Morley, Dr. Carpenter, and Mr. W. 133 gen
having spoken, Mr. Christie withdrew his resolutions, an
the report was adopted. 12th
RRFORM MOTIONS IN PARLIAMENT.---On the
leave !42
of next month Mr. Horsman will move for the
bring xtend t'
bring in the House of Commons, " A bill to
e;
right of voting for members of Parliament in
boroughs." Sir John Gray, in committee on the ItoPre°
sentation of the People Bill, will move, " That each pets
who shall have served an apprenticeship for a terra
bare'
seven years for the purpose of learning any trade or _
w .013°"',1
dicraft, and shall have received from the person
he served such apprenticeship the certificate of serviceoar.
of competency usual in the trade, shall be admitted t
.0:
franchise in the same manner and under the sates regt,.l3ll
cities and
tions that may be provided for by the bill for the admis,bivivi,
of graduates of colleges, members of the profession of u
city, law, surgery, medicine, engineering., and other.T;
fessions or avocations, the exercise 01 Whicil lull
l special training and. aka"