The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-11 00:00:00

LOUTH—MARcIL 9.

The corn trade continues in a very quiet state, and the
wheat offering to-day was in rather better condition ; it
was partly taken off at is qer qr under the terms of this day
se'nnight for all descriptions of quality. The supply was
tolerable.

Wheat ... 365. to 39s Oats . 20s to 24s
White do .42s to 45s Beans —s to —s
Barley .348 to 40s Ditto, old .42s to 45s

STOCKTON-ON-'

'EES—MAlicit 9.

We had small supplies of all descriptions of grain to-day,
and wheat met a slow sale at is per qr. decline. No change
is made in the prices of any other article.
Wheat 36s to 39s I Oats.. 26s to 32s
White do 38s to 42s Beans, new 40s to 45s
Barley 36s to 40s I Peas 403 to 44s

UNITED SERVICE INBnTUTIO2IT.

The twenty-eighth anniversary meeting of the
United Service Institution was held in the Lecture
Theatre on Saturday, the sth inst., at one o'clock
—the Right Hon. Sir J. Pakington, Bart., M.P.,
First Lord of the Admiralty, and Vice-Patron of
the Institution, in the chair—supported by Colonel
the Hon. James Lindsay; Vice-Admiral Sir T.
Herbert, K.C.8.; Major-General Stanhope; General
Sir J. Burgoyne, Bart., G.C.8.; Colonel Sykes;
Colonel Adair; General Sir Geo. Pollock, G.C.8.,
&c., &c.

Captain BURGESS, the Secretary, read the report,
which detailed at length the proceedings of the
council during the past year. It appears that in
contradistinction to the previous year, when there
was a decrease of 36 in the number of members,
there has been an increase of 78 in the past year, or
that in fact the increase, as compared with the pre-
vious year, was 114. This shows the decided
progress which the institution has made in the
estimation of the members of the services. The
report then went on to explain the state of the
finances of the institution—the ordinary and extra-
ordinary expenditure—the latter rendered necessary
by the complete re-organisation of the institution
in all its departments, the increasing estimation in
which the journal is held, and the necessity
for more general support to maintain it at
its present acknowledged standard. The ac-
quisition of the very valuable model of Sevas-
topol, by Colonel Hamilton, C. 8., Grenadier
Guards; the visit of her Majesty, 11.11. H. the
Prince Consort, the Commander-in-Chief, and other
distinguished visitors ; the accession of a large por-
tion of the Corps Diplomatique to the number of
honorary members, were then touched upon. In
conclusion, the Council. after acknowledging grate-
fully the support they had received from her Ma-
jesty's Government, and drawing attention to the
favour they had also met with from several foreign
powers who had presented them with different
series of naval and military journals, charts,
and plans, proceeded to say, that it is a great
satisfaction to observe that the necessity of a
metropolitan and national institution devoted
to naval and military science is more dis-
tinctly recognised by the officers of both
services, and by her Majesty's Government, and
that the advantage of a central repository, contain-
ing a large professional library and objects of gene-
ral profession, information, and interest, is fully
acknowledged.
General Sir J. BURGOYNE, Bart., moved the
adoption of the report, in terms strongly commen-
datory of the institution, especially in reference to
the character of the journal recently established.
Other resolutions having been proposed and
adopted,

General Sir GEORGE POLLOCK then proposed a
vote of thanks to Sir John Pakington, which was
carried unanimously.
Sir JOHN PAKINGTON, in acknowledging the
compliment, said : Sir George Pollock, Sir Thomas
Herbert, and gentlemen,—lt is now my duty to
acknowledge, which I beg to do in the most re-
spectful and grateful terms, the compliment which
you have been so good as to pay me. In acknow-
ledging that compliment, gentlemen, I shall not
presume to intrude upon your attention for many
moments ; the reason is, that which has already
been adverted to by the gallant gentleman in the
chair, that moments with me are so precious that I
am obliged to economise them as much as I can ;
but, gentlemen, there is still a more formidable
impediment than the want of time to my addressing,
even if I could presume to do so, any extended
observations to you upon this occasion ; and that
is, although I have had the honour, during the
period that I have held my present arduous office,
of being, I may say, connected with this institution,
I regret, from the incessant pressure of duties in
that office, that this is the first occasion on which
it has been in my power to take in any sense an
active part in the proceedings of the institution. I
therefore do not feel that I am competent to dwell
upon any of those subjects which have been
adverted to to-day, more especially considering the
fact that the objects of this institution have been
treated by those who have the advantage of practical
knowledge and long acquaintance with its affiiirs,
and who are therefore really competent to address
to you observations with respect to your present
position, and which would Jae scarcely proper
on my part, from the fact that I cannot be per-
sonally acquainted with them. Gentlemen, I can-
not help making this one observation, and were I
competent to speak, I would say that upon coming
amongst you to-day, I see around me upon
these benches gentlemen who have been long known
to me, who are known to the country, and I may
add, without exaggeration, known to fame as
officers of the greatest possible distinction in both
our noble services of the army and the navy. It is
impossible for me to doubt, when an institution of
this kind receives the sanction of so many officers
of such great distinction, without referring to the
very numerous members of the society, who are no
doubt prevented by various causes from being pre-
sent to-day—when I see such an institution sup-
ported, I cannot hesitate, even if there were no
other proof of it, in at once adopting the entire
belief that it is a most beneficial institution, and
that an institution so supported must be successful.
Gentlemen, I see in the report which has been read
to you to-day by your secretary that the design of
this institution is laid down in simple and clear
language—that the object of it is for promoting
naval and military science and literature. Those
are objects which speak for themselves. No man
of ordinary understanding, and with the most
common acquaintance with our great services, can
doubt that any institution mast deserve the support
of those services which seeks the spread of naval
and military science and literature. You are aware,
gentlemen, that by position in life I am a civilian,
my connection with one of those great and noble
services is merely that of official connection as a
public man ; with the army I have no connection
beyond that connection which every Englishman
must feel of gratitude to a most distinguished body
of men, and a most noble service. With the navy
I have the great honour to be officially connected,
and I yield to no man in my great admiration of
that noble service ; and let me add that my official
connection with that service has been enough to -
teach me—and there I have no hesitation in speak-
ing with some feeling of confidence—that anything
which tends to the spread of science and literature
connected with the service must at all seasons be
beneficial ; but let me add that there never was a
moment in the history of the Royal Navy when
such advantages were more desirable than they are
now. Never was there a moment when the culti-
vation of science in connection with the navy was
more important to the greatest interests of this coun-
try, considering, as one illustration of this position,
the extraordinary increase which has taken place in
our men of war. Perhaps you will allow me
to mention, as a remarkable instance of this fact, a
statement which it was my duty to address to the
House of Commons in speaking of the navy a few
evenings since. Only ten years ago, I think, as
nearly as possible, speaking in round numbers, the
construction of a 50-gun frigate cost 150.000 ; in
the year 1855 the construction of a 50-gun frigate
cost rather more than £70,000 ; and in the
year 1858 the construction of a 50-gun fri-
gate cost upwards of £90,000. Now, these
arc striking and remarkable facts, and they serve
to explain many points of which the public is natu-
rally desirous of explanation, but when you find,
with respect to the same class of ship, that is to say,
a ship that passes by the same name, a ship that is
still called a 50-gun frigate, the cost of the construc-
tion rising in this ratio in the short period of 10.
years, it becomes evident that a great and rapid
change is taking place, and that the application of
science—and science of the highest order—becomes
more and more important with respect to that class
of vessels. What is true with respect to a frigate,
is-of course true as to other descriptions of vessels.
I only mention this as an illustration. Then. we
have to bear in mind the universal application of
steam oflate years in a new:mode and at a gigantic
have cost. Huge sums of public money
pended in those directions, therefore, of course, the
cultivation of science becomes all-important. At
this moment we are about to embark in another
wholly new description of
,c,onstruction. allude to
those floating " curiassiers. Wa are going to have
vessels coated with iron. The vessels can only be
constructed, or, at least, they can only be made
beneficial to the public service when they are con-
structed, by the most careful application of the
most scientific principles. I throw these ob-
servations out, gentlemen, merely to show I
am sure every man in England who has at
heart the welfare of the services must value an
institution which has for its object the
promotion of science in connection with them. As
I speak, it occurs to me that there is another
important element of improvement common alike
to the army and the navy, namely, the great and
rapid improvements which are now taking place in
our ordnance and artillery. And let me here
advert, in terms of well-merited eulogium, not only
to the great science, not only to the great skill, but
I must, in truth and justice, add to the noble and
patriotic spirit of Sir William Armstrong. Here
again, gentlemen, we have the most abundant proof
which must convince every man, be he soldier, be
he sailor, or be he civilian, that our welfare as a
nation, and the success of our great and powerful
arms most essentially depend upon the successful
cultivation of science, and therefore any institution
which tends to encourage and promote science must
be a nationalsbenefit. With these feelings, gentle-
men, I must, if you will allow me, congratulate
you upon perceiving that which I hope I may

accept as conclusive proof of the prosperity of the
institution a have already adverted to the fact),
namely, the presence of the influential and dis-
tinguished men who are supporters of this institu-
tion. I find detailed again in this report that the
accession of new members has been beyond the
usual average, and that there is every indication of
the rapid, steady, and progressive improvement of
this institution; and, perhaps, the best proof of that
we could have received, more valuable even than
the statement of my honourable and excellent friend
the Chairman of the Council, may be found in the
statement, which I heard with great interest, made
to-day by a very distinguished naval officer,
_Sir
Frederick Nicolson, who has lately returned from
doing most excellent service for his country in
China. Sir Frederick Nicolson told you that in the
fulfilment of his duties he has been na ly
years away on foreign service, and he re-
turned, after an interval, not after watching
this institution, as you have done, from
year to year, or I may say from day to day ; and
what does he tell you upon coming back after that
period of absence?—that he finds the greatest pos-
sible signs of improvement. Gentlemen, I most
heartily hope that that improvement may long
continue. lam quite sure that with your 10,000
volumes—with your models of machinery—l am
glad to find you have the best naval models and
the best naval charts—with all those advantages--
guided as you are by a competent council, guided
by the light of good judgment and good sense in
the administration of your affairs, I cannot resist
the impression that the continued prosperity of
this institution must be a continued advantage to
the country. It was with this full belief that I
felt it my duty at once to accede to the request
which my gallant friend Colonel Lindsay did me
the honour to prefer to me, that in consideration of
my present position as First Lord of the Admi-
ralty, I would preside here to-day. I repeat that
my connection with that noble service makes me
sincerely desirous to do everything I can to promote
its welfare. Gentlemen, lam most happy to have
been amongst you to-day, and I heartily wish you
continued prosperity.
The meeting was very numerously attended by
the members of the institution, amongst whom
were :—General the Earl of Cardigan, K.C.8.,
Generals Wesley Hutchinson, Sir Charles Pasley,
Wallace, Shaw, Briggs ; Admirals Evans, Percy,
Grace, Saumarez, Hamilton, Quin,Carnac ;
Colonels Cotton, Dixon, Angelo; Sir John Scott
Lillie, Woodhouse, Crozier, Sotherby, Rawlinson,
Burdett, Cust ; Count Platten ; Captains Sir W.
Wiseman, Bart., R.N., Sir W. I)alyell, Bart., R.N.,
&c., &e., &c.